But most awareness campaigns have been largely confined to Web sites and telephone hot lines. In France, the government sent eight information vans to town squares. Swedish officials say they are more worried about alcohol and fireworks than Y2K technology snags. In Switzerland, government-appointed year 2000 delegate Ulrich Grete urged folks not to change their plans over Y2K worries. I'm going skiing.
Governments dismiss such scenarios.
But Gonties did express concern about small towns. Some municipalities won't have traffic lights. And although European Union nations insist air traffic control systems are all Y2K ready, a little probing often uncovers repairs still being made to secondary systems capable of causing major inconveniences. K work everywhere from New York City to the Persian Gulf state of Oman. Many businesses and some government agencies erred in thinking that by upgrading their financial systems for the euro single currency they had also solved the Y2K problem, analysts say.