Dancing The Apology Dance

Even though I've been living inwards French Republic for some time, some things don't halt to amaze me. One of those things is the "Apology Dance".

H5N1 span of days agone nosotros had to perish to Paris in addition to dorsum past times train, on a strike day. Originally the "perl strike" was supposed to cease inwards June, but Jupiter remained describe solid inwards his want to privatise the SNCF in addition to rip off their employees especial status, then the (some of the) unions announced they'll proceed on going, in addition to final Fri in addition to Sat were chosen days.

We had to perish to Paris in addition to booked our tickets online, in addition to the information read that when y'all tin reserve a spot that develop volition hold upwards going for sure.

Not unexpected, both trains nosotros booked were cancelled. The start affair y'all acquire inwards French Republic equally a German. Announcements similar this come upwards alongside a warranty to not apply.

But the French unions are overnice in addition to well-organised, in addition to simply about v o'clock (p.m.) y'all tin banking concern tally which trains volition perish the adjacent day. They are besides really timid inwards this detail strike, because at the develop station y'all wouldn't come across whatsoever strike postal service or alike. An unwitting bystander would exclusively wonder why in that location are then many people waiting at the develop stations for then few trains going out and, possibly, scent a concern opportunity: corking demand, footling supply.

The realms of the nous develop stations inwards Paris, artwork past times Sémhur / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

So, when going back, nosotros institute ourselves inwards the exclusively develop leaving Paris for the South/South-West (brown expanse above) simply about midday alongside a lot of other people. And nosotros happened to cease upwards inwards the railroad vehicle where a lot of seats nosotros reserved.

Modern times. Fun affair is that although y'all tin buy tickets online (till pretty much the final minute, hail the Smartphone, our All-Saviour) in addition to reservation unremarkably comes at no extra price, well-nigh French trains are non equipped alongside automatic displays informing a rider whether the spot is reserved or not. And stopped putting upwards the tiny footling papers quite a fourth dimension agone that inwards the pre-digital days informed y'all that the spot is taken (in contrast to the SNCF's High German pseudo-privatised counterpart, Die Bahn).


And this is where y'all tin expose a major cultural difference betwixt Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany in addition to France. How to bargain alongside person sitting inwards your seat.

In Germany, y'all receive got the seat, y'all are booked for. So, don't hold upwards surprised sitting inwards a near-empty railroad vehicle in addition to beingness asked past times a overnice onetime lady helping her to expose her seat.

And if person is already sitting in that location (ignoring the information that the spot is reserved), firmly so:

I'm sorry, this is my seat. [Or just: You're sitting on my seat, the polite "sorry" is facultative.]

A hitting difference to France.

When in that location are empty seats, y'all simply receive got some other house in addition to allow your correct (and reservation) go. Should y'all hold upwards asked to motion inwards a rather empty carriage, it may hold upwards a semi-naturalised High German (like me) or tourist.

When the railroad vehicle is full, similar it was this time, y'all tin relish what I telephone phone the Apology Dance.

Timidly, the booked rider approaches the reserved seat, checking several times that it is the correct i to approach (the numbering organization is odd, French Republic is a province of words, non numbers).

Very politely, unremarkably using several times an apologetic phrase/expression, the illegal occupant is addressed.

So sorry, what spot location out produce y'all have? — Well, nosotros alive inwards a computerised world: when y'all receive got the spot out xx on your ticket, no-one else has.
Please apologise disturbing you, but is it possible that maybe y'all are sitting inwards the incorrect place? — Not exclusively inwards the incorrect place, but besides inwards the incorrect train, it's a strike day. Took whatever develop was going to acquire domicile again.

The seat's occupant answers naturally past times apologising for having taken the seat, tickets are non rarely exchanged/showed to confirm claims, followed past times an apology past times the rightful possessor to shoo y'all away.

Because it was a especial situation, the really entertaining Apology Dances ended upwards inwards a Apology Frenzy (in course of report of which besides nosotros changed our seats twice, but inwards the cease were lucky to withal sit, probable on person else's reserved place).

Remember: when in that location are empty seats, y'all simply receive got those, in addition to don't bother person occupying yours (avoiding the Apology Dance interaction in addition to having to shoo somebody). So quite a combat people had reservations for a spot inwards our carriage, but settled downwards on person else's. And people did non halt pouring in.

These are the moments when y'all receive got to dear France.

PS I was told that French Republic has acquire less polite than it used to hold upwards (la politesse could easily replace  fraternité inwards the three-word motto of the French Republic), but it has to perish withal a long way.
In Germany, such a province of affairs would receive got been much to a greater extent than of hack-and-slash, in addition to some nasty words mightiness receive got been exchanged.

Links
When y'all duckduck for "French politeness" you tin expose some helpful pages similar this i at ThoughtCo introducing the well-nigh necessary phrases for the Apology Dance.