ne s'est pas arrêté

It had to happen sooner or later – the traffic ticket. Paul came home last night moaning about having been stopped by a motorcycle policeman for running a red light. When I asked exactly what happened, I got an answer very reminiscent of a vague student reply to… “Why didn’t you do your homework?”

But I got a detailed report of what happened next. The policeman asked, (en francais, of course) “So, what do you do when you get to a red light in the United States?” Paul replied, “arrêtez” (stop). This lesson in intercultural traffic procedure didn’t prevent the officer from giving him a ticket.

The cost of this incident was 90 euros. Paul had to pay the guy on the spot. He happened to have 90 euros on him… not sure what the procedure is if you don’t have the money. Do they take a credit card?? Will you be hauled off to jail? Nevertheless, I thought it rather strange that you had to pay the officer directly with cash. I thought you only did that in Louisiana.