Cultural Difference in France

Having just finished reading the bed bug and bad business decision post, I got another some questions relate to French culture in mind:

1) What is the most effective way to communicate a complaint when a situation like bed bug happen?

2) We are going to be driving in France, is there any significant difference in driving etiquette? While driving, are there things that we North American do here would consider as rude in France?

Thanks!

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%26gt;%26gt; We are going to be driving in France, is there any significant difference in driving etiquette? While driving, are there things that we North American do here would consider as rude in France? %26lt;%26lt;

I would say it%26#39;s the reverse ... Europeans, and the French indeed, drive more agressively than North Americans.

Driving etiquette here involves sticking to the right lane unless undertaking and an extensive use of turn signals (important rule), especially on the motorway.

If someone flashes their headlights at you (in broad daylight) in the countryside, that means %26quot;caution, police control nearby%26quot;.

Two strokes of warning signal to say %26quot;thank you%26quot;.

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1) In France there is something of a %26quot;you break it, you bought it%26quot; policy, so if you stayed in the room for hte night, it seems only natural to a French employee that you pay for the room for that night. Report any problems immediately and refuse to stay there. If they do not cooperate, get photos.

2) Beyond simple etiquette, keeping to the right lane is the law over here. The left lane is or passing ONLY. This is foreign to many N. American drivers. So is the rule that you NEVER pass on the right.

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For driving, a quick tip:

Watch out for traffic arriving on your right hand side: a %26quot;priorite a droite%26quot; (= give way to the right) rule applies where you have a side street leading onto a main road where the side street has no %26#39;stop%26#39; or %26#39;give way%26#39; sign (fortunately, most of them do). This can cause some confusion: watch out for it especially on the Parisian %26#39;Peripherique%26#39; (the ring road) and on certain roundabouts, especially the big chaotic ones.

Same rule applies in Belgium and a few other European countries.

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