Excusez moi?

Ever wonder why so many semi-official signs on cars and trucks, at least in Europe, are in French? Ok. Not really that many, but still. CD (corps diplomatique) for embassy cars, convoi exceptionnel or the misspélled vehicule long for long vehicles, and, most recently, the rather macabre angles mort for vehicles with a large blind spot. But, if you ask me, that’s still an awful lot.

Let’s be honest here. French is no longer the lingua franca of the world, both literally as well as particularly in the context of misappropriating the idiom’s English synonym of “vehicular language”. Granted, the phrase corps diplomatique probably has a history that predates the automobile, but the others? France is not really the first nation that one thinks of in the world of horseless carriages. Remember, this is the country that gave us the Citroën 2CV. Now while the Ugly Duckling does ooze charm (and oil), few would contend that it represents motoring par excellence in any way, shape, or form. And few non-French speakers can even spell Peugeot or Citroën, let alone pronounce either properly.

Instead, Germany comes to mind much more often when it comes to cars (as well as useless admin signs) as does the United States, especially with their penchant, both past and present, for building convoi exceptionnel. And you can throw Italy and many others into the mix as well.

But France? Mon dieu!