Is France a dump?

Death Penalty - nah, too easy. Give em jail and let them suffer their conscience if they have one.
Two days ago it was reported that a gentleman oooop north (in bradford I think) was sent to jail for 8 years. The courts also said that if he doesn't pay back an amount of money he scammed he'll get an extra 7 years. That amount of money was around 2 million - so if he doesn't pay it back then I figure for each of those 7 years he has £300k? So much for make the punishment fit the crime.

Back on thread - having your bike nicked. so who's the criminal then? the geezer who nicks it, the insurance company who pays out a meezly amount and ramps up other peoples insurance through no fault of their own, or the owner who doesn't take sufficient care over his own property, or then again, is it the primary school teacher who should have instilled a better understanding of right and wrong in little Johnny? [/quote]

Yes France is a dump, and the channel tunnel has alot to answer for...(but will save that for another time or Radio 2).

To further clarify my original point, a motorcycle (especially a Ducati) is clearly a desirble item and because of this and because bikes are so difficult to make secure because of the very physics, because liquid nitro exists, because England has become a dumping grown for the dregs of our society, we have to take the view that, if a bike is left outside, unattended, out of sight by the owner, it is not safe.

The fact is FC insurance is so expensive because so many bikes gets stolen because of the 'I don't care attitude it's covered' or the 'Its safe here, I'll only be a minute...' attitudes. I do not know anyone who has/can afford FC insurance? Do you? I cannot even get a qoute from any of the respectable (if you can call them that!) insurance companies. I got a few companies wanting £4,000, its ridiculas. So ok, I have a £10k bike thats only 3rd party, but I know 100% its never gonna get nicked (and if it did, I would know either the bird or the dog were in on it, especially when a few days later she was sporting a Gucci watch and the dog a diamonty coller!). FC or no FC, I would still be just as security conscious, and how does a few locks and 5 minutes of manovering the bike into the house take away the enjoyment of riding? It does'nt. If I go out for a ride and stop, I just make sure I always have sight of it, which is'nt difficult. Its not paranoi, it's being sensible and helping the cause. Taking a desirible bike (Ducati, MV..) to a race track on a busy race day, IMHO, is not a clever move.

Lets face it, most of us only have bike insurance because its a legallty, which is why most of us go for 3rd party only cover. I have done the maths and FC insurance based on the qoutes I have had, given the odds, pros and cons, would be a total waste of time and money on any bike.

I think I/we have exhausted this one for now, how about a new topic, hhmm....

'Jeremy Clarkson.........Firing Squad or Public Stoning? Maybe it's this clown nicking all the bikes?