- Title: FRANCE: UNDERPASS CREATES IMPASSE IN PARIS SUBURB.
- Date: 13th January 1976
- Summary: 1. GV Traffic passing over underpass 0.05 2. GV Underpass PAN TO Alleyway alongside 0.11 3. GV Car being pushed out and blocked by concrete wall and railings 0.24 4. CU Protest sign 0.26 5. GV Car being pushed back into garage and owner closing garage doors 1.07 Initials CL/2153 CL/2200 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th January 1976 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA8JOROCNYVZQHD0QI9DKUKBF9W
- Story Text: Monsieur Robert Deloffre, an according teacher who lives in the Paris suburb of Athis-Mons, has a problem.
Since 24 April 1974 he has been unable to use his car. Not because of mechanical difficulties - or personal ones like being disqualified from driving - but simply because he can't get it out of his garage.
The reason for this incongruous state of affairs is that Monsieur Deloffre has the misfortune to live very close to an arterial road which carries constant heavy traffic. In 1973, to ease the congestion on this road, the local authority decided to build an underpass right outside Monsieur Deloffre's house.
The protective barrier for this underpass is situated exactly four metres (twelve feet) from the entrance to Monsieur Deloffre's garage. And Monsieur Deloffre's car is five metres, 10 centimetres (about fifteen feet) long - making it impossible for him to get it out.
In this situation some sympathy from the authorities might be expected - but according to Monsieur Deloffre they have so far given scant attention to his predicament and his car is still under garage-arrest.
SYNOPSIS: Construction work on this underpass in the Paris suburb of Athis-Mons was started in 1973. It was built to ease congestion at cross-roads on the Route Nationale Seven - which carries constant heavy traffic. It has certainly eased problems for drivers using the road - but crated a big one for a local resident.
Monsieur Robert Deloffre lives very close to the underpass - so close in fact that the protective barrier is only twelve feet from his garage door. As his car is about fifteen feet long this presents a problem - he can't get it out of the garage - and hasn't been able to since April 1974. Monsieur Deloffre has protested to the authorities - whom one would expect to be sympathetic towards him - but so far he has met with little response. As a result, Monsieur Deloffre lives in a state of frustration - and his car remains under garage arrest.
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