It was been quite an eventful week for that underground. Since Saturday it's been privy to a wild party, a derailment, and a 60 year old bomb. If only all our lives could be eventful.
London has a new mayor. His name, sadly, is Boris and he's a 'Conservative', which is really just like a Republican who recycles. One of his first acts was to ban the consumption of alcohol on all public transportation in London. First off, what intrigued me about this was that it meant that it used to be legal, but then I recalled that they sold beer from the little carts on overground trains so I guess I knew all along. Anyways, the law came into affect at midnight on June 1st, which meant the tube was open for alcohol consuming business until midnight last Saturday. To celebrate this end of an era, approximately 1 gazillion people partook in a Circle Line party, which apparently involved people cramming themselves into overcrowded Circle Line trains and riding around in a circle whilst consuming alcohol. Things spilled out into Liverpool Street station over by the City, where the news showed people weaving through the crowds in a conga line. Police had to be called out and several stations closed. Some people have interpreted this as justification for the new law, as clearly only chaos can ensue when people drink on the tube. Personally I enjoy sipping 40's on my way home after a long day at work and I'm not going to let a little law get in the way of that. We'll see what enforcement is like, I imagine it will generally just be a way of allowing enforcement officials to get the annoying drunk people to be a little less, well, annoying.
Like most weeks, the District Line has had some troubles, but this time the excuses are new and different. Instead of your box standard 'signal failures', 'lack of available trains' or 'person the tracks', this week we have gotten 'train derailment', 'army investigation' and, well, this morning's was long but basically it was because the authorities ran late in attempting to diffuse a bomb. While I must admit I have learned nothing further of the alleged derailment, I think we can safely assume that it was really a rather minor incident in which no one was hurt.
Then there's the bomb. Apparently an old World War II bomb was found in a river over in east London near a tube station which is served by the District Line. The Army was apparently called in on Tuesday to check it out, and they had last night scheduled for bomb diffusion. This ended badly as apparently it started to tick and ooze liquid. This caused there to be severe repercussions in this morning's commute. Luckily my branch was relatively unaffected except for the severe crowding issue caused by the lack of city-bound trains. Alas, the ooze and such prevented the bomb from being successfully diffused and they're going to give it another try tonight. So again tomorrow morning there will be a partial suspension of the line east of the city, meaning people will be freaking out throughout the rest of the line. Anyways, hopefully the thing gets dealt with tonight. I'm just glad I don't live near that thing.
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i didnt even wait for the queues i just went for the bus and to the nearest over ground station and hopped on the suburban train (which is covered in our tube season ticket) which went to waterloo which is then about 10 minute walk to my work...the first time my main back up route has been used in the morning trip. Before i have tried the bus but this just took ages due to the route mainly so i hopped back on the tube once past earls court which seems to be the cause in most of the district line issues.
so yeah to add to this coming home on monday i think the train i was on had to give an all change please this trian is terminating here because the doors wouldnt close - i was like its 2008 and i am no a train that cant close its doors! so because they cant pick up trains off the rails you can imagine what happened as basically you had a xx ton train blocking the route for all the other trains in the pm peak - margo of course benefitted as she was the only one at her body pump thing at the gym as everyone was stuck on the tube!
loving my spelling - opps
The Circle line thing was to mark the end of the "Circle Line Pub Crawl". A day of what some people call fun involving picking a start point and having 1 drink at a pub; then getting the Circle line 1 stop and having a drink at a nearby pub. This process continues station by station until 20+ stations later (providing you have not succumb to alcohol poisoning) you go home/on to a club. Although as far as I can see being drunk on the tube wasn't banned so I don't see why this would stop...
It alarms me as to the frequency that unexploded bombs and things are found here. They had to clear out a whole part of Lee-on-Solent (a town near Southampton) for about a week the other year due to a whole cache of bombs they found. Something like 700 people didn't know if their house would end up as a hole in the ground while they were disposed of.
When we were on our plane leaving Paris, and getting ready to taxi to the runway to take off, after everyone was settled in their seats, a door wouldn't close. A big one. After awhile, some mechanics got it closed and off we went. It made me nervous, though. This was American Airlines, who had just grounded a bazillion flights in the previous weeks because they hadn't been making their required inspections and were trying to play catch-up, or something like that. Doors not closing on surface transportation doesn't seem nearly as bad as on a plane, as long as you had a seat!
i have never done the circle line tour but it basically lasts all day and is half a pint at each stop - which although sounds like a lot isnt that bad due to the time period that it takes place over. i guess its a london university tradition which probably wont end but the ban will probably stop those taking part drinking on the tube as well - i am a fan of the ban put just dont think it can be policed. people policing doesnt work that well....Like on monday there were youths insulting some foreign (eastern european) girls on the tube (the first time id seen this) - no one said anything including me because to be honest its not worth it - like although they were about 14 you had no idea what or how they would react! Obviosly i would of reacted if anything more serios than words were used....but is just an example of people not policing a situation...
sometimes i think my comments are far too serious! opps
Youths picking on anybody for any reason is serious, and needs mentioning. The other day I saw a 4-year-old boy screaming insults at his mother because she didn't want to buy him a toy. Makes me wonder what these people's home lives are like. I mean, why do these kids think that's OK?
ahhh should proabbly put that comment in context - i was listening to music so was unaware of it happening until the end when the girls got off the train and a position reshuffle meant i changed directions - yeah i totally agree, but in this situation the 'youths' who were in a ethnic minority themselves (so I find it bizare they were saying what they did as its not too long ago certain people would of been saying the same thing to them!)
anyways these kids were terrible even on the station waiting for the train...in terms of foul language and pushing to get on the train...you really have to wonder about what morals they have and what their parents did/do for them to turn out like that!
i think what i meant was you dont want the kids to want to start putting words into action by provoking them so to speak and therefore making a bad situation worse!
although saying that my dad has made a citizens arrest before an called the police when some kids were vandalising the starting hut at the local sailing club! so i guess you can make a difference...
Problem with London these days is if you had said something then they would have probably attacked/stabbed you.
Also a half pint at each stop is for the girls. Its a full drink for the men...
27 pints in 12 hours - I'm with the girls i think buddy!
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