Travel Terror

[virgirlo]

I don't know about other commuters in London, but I am really starting to worry about my safety on both tubes and buses. I know that this fear is slightly delayed considering the initial attack was three weeks ago, but with all the coverage you can't help but feel paranoid about boarding tubes and buses with people carrying rucksacks!
People tell me you just have to get on with things and cannot let the terrorism win, but coping with this everyday of your life is becoming a real burden.

Any views?

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

Agree with you there,as a tube driver on the Northern line I have found myself constantly on edge at work for the last 3 weeks,all very well Blair and his cronys saying" We will all carry on as normal."When was the last time He or His family caught the tube at Oval?

 

[y2dave]

To be honest I avoid being in the same carriage as people who look suspect with bags. However I have been doing this since October 2003 due to some rather scary insights from an intelligence worker.

 

[virgirlo]

It really gets me. I love London and I love travelling in London. I love the freedom that London has to offer. I love sneaking on the 73 without having to pay. or risking it through a zone 1 with a zone 2-3 oyster. I love riding the top of the bus and seeing the views of the most electric city in the world. I can't bare to think that I can now only say I lovED those things about London. I know it might be trivial to some people and simplistic, but my London is not the same.

 

[Uncle C]

Sorry to hear that its getting to you. Its all pretty unnnerving, but I think its all about perspective.

There are risks to everything we do in life from crossing the road to using household electrical appliances. Most of these carry a far greater risk that being a bomb victim.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

I think its completely natural to feel concerned. My suggestion would be try and lessen those fears by avoiding the stuff that really scares you. Absolutely no way I'm getting on a tube, I feel uncomfortable on it at the best of times.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

Sorry to hear that its getting to you. Its all pretty unnnerving, but I think its all about perspective.

There are risks to everything we do in life from crossing the road to using household electrical appliances. Most of these carry a far greater risk that being a bomb victim.

Good point,however,We seem to like the fact that We have control when crossing roads or making a cuppa,I know anything could happen,ie a car could slew across the road and kill us in a heartbeat,but We still feel we have control,people killed every day on the roads compared to being a very rare thing on the trains.It's just the thought minding Your own business and then bang,your gone.

 

[Albion Dan]

I think everyone on the Tube, Train or a bus has the worry at the back of their minds but you have do have to get on with it. I do admit I am avoiding the tube whenever possible, but its not always possible.

The odds of getting caught in the wrong carriage or the wrong bus are probably much higher than getting run over and killed by a car or getting knocked off a bike.

Saying that I do sympathise, there were 8 police officers on Peckham train station this morning when there are usually none and about 25 at Charring Cross when there are normally about 4. It does put the shits up you!

 

[Tricky Dicky]

There were loads of police at London Bridge station this morning, with dogs, and I gather Cannon Street stn was the same.

 

[Albion Dan]

There were loads of police at London Bridge station this morning, with dogs, and I gather Cannon Street stn was the same.

Makes you think something is going off today!

 

[virgirlo]

So how do i get to work then?

I cannot avoid using public transport. and like the majority of people who continue to use the tubes and buses, i choose a carriage carefully now and sit on the lower decks of buses very near the doors!

 

[Parson Henry]

So how do i get to work then?

I cannot avoid using public transport. and like the majority of people who continue to use the tubes and buses, i choose a carriage carefully now and sit on the lower decks of buses very near the doors!

Loads of peelers at East Croydon

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

Break out the bike! Seriously, there are things you can do to become more aware of your situation and environment, but at the end of the day this is more to help your self-confidence than self-preservation.

I have touted this lot on here before, but they do some excellent single day and weekend seminars - they are as close as you will get to military style awareness. Check out their site, and also what the other instructors are doing around London. The style is Israeli, and is adapted to everyday life out there - very useful for people who are basically feeling a mild form of PTSD from the event of the last month or so.

http://www.krav-maga.org.uk/index.php?mod=home

 

[virgirlo]

i actually prefer the police presence. that should have been introduced a long time ago. tubes certainly need to be tougher on security. i don't care if it adds time to my journey. i would rather get to work in one piece!

 

[aftershavedave]

there are loads and loads of police at every station and tube this morning, and a big fucker with a machine gun at brighton station.

it's because it's a thursday and they are nervy, i guess....

 

[caz99]

to be honest i dont think the its just confined to london. i feel a bit funny just travelling on the train to work especially when its packed with foreign students on the way home and its rammed with bags and backpacks. prime place for someone to drop something.

then again i have more chance of getting run over by a bus

 

[Albion Dan]

Virgirlo calm down, it is easy to make the situation much worse in your head, we all have slight paranoia now, but try and keep it reasoned and it will help.

Buses are still very safe. 1 bus has been blown up of thousands and thousands that serve London every day. If you use public transport and are that worried about the tube Id say Bus is definately the way to go. The chances of you getting caught up on a bus that was a target are extremely long, probably longer than an airoplane you are on having a crash.

Try and remember, You are definately more likely to get killed riding your bike than on a bus!

 

[Faldo]

Virgirlo calm down, it is easy to make the situation much worse in your head, we all have slight paranoia now, but try and keep it reasoned and it will help.

Buses are still very safe. 1 bus has been blown up of thousands and thousands that serve London every day. If you use public transport and are that worried about the tube Id say Bus is definately the way to go. The chances of you getting caught up on a bus that was a target are extremely long, probably longer than an airoplane you are on having a crash.

Try and remember, You are definately more likely to get killed riding your bike than on a bus!

Spot on! I don't worry about it, because you end up on an endless spiral of despair!

Yes - the hairs on the back of my neck do stand up on end everytime a tube does an emergency stop. Yes - I do occasionally look at all the people packed together and think 'cor - I'd be f*cked if shit happened'.

But whats the alternative? Quit my job and sit at home for fear that one day the sky will fall on my head?

No point worrying about things out of your control. What can you do about them anyway?

What gets me at the minute, is the RMT Union threatening strikes over safety concerns - but thats another discussion.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

I know what you mean Virgs, I spent a large part of my tube journey yesterday sizing up the other passengers, and there was a real atmosphere in the carriage, but in the end I just dropped off to sleep.

I remember feeling unsafe on the tubes for a while when the IRA were randomly blowing things up around the country, but it passed. Hopefully the increased police-presence will make this one pass too and at least make us feel a bit safer.

 

[Napper]

Im not looking forward to travelling through London for football + will def be vigilant to who's on my carriage starting next week so I feel for those who travel everyday.