Wouter Verhelst:
On Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 10:30:26AM +0100, Richard Hartmann wrote:
is it likely that the general, or some other, strike will be extended or repeated in a way which will affect FOSDEM? Local news tells me Bruessels is in a total deadlock and I would like to prepare if necessary.
Well, I didn't go through Brussels today (yet), but from what I saw during my morning commute the "general" strike is fairly "generally" ignored. Then again, that was just a 30-minute car trip over the N26, so not a highway.
The biggest problem is the lack of public transport (metro, tram, bus) in and around Brussels and the lack of trains country-wide as even Thalys and Eurostar trains are on strike. Many motorists decided to stay at home, so traffic is light. People who ride bicycles simply don't care (note: the public bicycle service, http://www.villo.be, is probably overloaded today but still usable). The most affected are people who depend on public transport (can't drive, can't ride) and cannot afford a taxi.
Also, as others have said, the likeliness of this strike being extended for more than one day, let alone a week, is very low.
Seconded. I'll report back tomorrow and say whether the strike is extended (unlikely) or everything is back to normal. (PS. I live and work in Brussels). -- Ludovic Brenta.