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Getting back to those bags, another point worth thinking about is what to do with large bags if you have to stand. Do as seasoned tube travellers do, and put them between your legs. No, I don’t mean stuff it up your jacksy, I mean place your bag on
floor and straddle it, one foot on either side. It’ll take far less room this way than if you stood beside it, because your feet still won’t be much further apart that width of your torso. Standing with your legs apart also make balancing easier, and when those trains are dashing through winding tunnels, swaying from side to side, you’ll need all balance you can get. An added advantage is that should anybody decide to steal your bags, having body contact with it means you’ll be more likely to feel it being moved.
Body contact. Yes, that’s another subject. I wish I knew how many times I’d felt a ‘lump’ being pushed against my backside on a crowded tube. Please…if anybody who's guilty of this is reading, is it really necessary? I understand that jiggling motion of train whilst pressed closed to body of a member of opposite sex might cause a sensation that could lead to embarrassment, but it surely isn’t necessary to make a show of it?
On some lines, and at certain stations, a voice will tell you to “mind gap”. The posh female voice is known as Sonia, because she “gets on ya nerves” and “the gap” is a terrifyingly wide opening between platform and train door. Being of voluptuous proportions, I’ve never had a fear of disappearing down gap, but thought of getting my leg stuck down there has been pretty scary. For goodness sake pick up small children and carry them.
The deepest part of system is at Hampstead Heath (Northern Line), where rails are approximately 220 feet below surface. Being deepest part of any line, you’d expect to find longest escalator here wouldn’t you? But you’d be wrong, because of all 409 escalators, longest is actually at Angel station, where escalator is 197 feet long with a vertical rise of 90 feet. That’s one awesome escalator!
Whilst on subject of moving stairways, I have to tell you that sometimes they don’t work and you have to walk up them, like it or not. There’s nothing quite like getting off a crowded tube train, feeling hot and sweaty and probably in need of murdering somebody, only to be presented with an out-of-order escalator that appears to be several miles long. Unless you’re ultra fit, it just isn’t funny. If they are moving, please remember to stand on right hand side allowing those who want to walk up or down access to left. You'll find that passengers often feel need to run down escalators, causing danger to not only themselves but others travelling escalator with them. It's a bad habit that you shouldn't indulge in.
Despite being uncomfortable at times, The Tube’s a relatively safe means of travelling around London. The most famous accident must surely be Moorgate disaster, back in 1975, when 43 people were killed. The second disaster was in 1987 at King’s Cross, when a fire killed 31 people. There have been no other major disasters. There have been a few bombs placed on tube trains over years, but none have actually exploded on packed trains. The 253 miles of railway is, however, renowned for its suicides. Jumping in front of a tube train seems to have been a fashionable way of killing oneself for quite some time now.
Using tube is relatively inexpensive with a trip for an adult costing anything from £1.00 to £3.60, depending on length of journey. This is measured by zones, with zone 1 being within central London. The more zones you travel through, more they'll charge you. Logical really. Child fares are available for those under 15, under five's travel free.
If you need to know which zone you'll be starting from or how many zones you'll be travelling though, 'TubePlanner' is a useful site to visit (www.tubeplanner.com). The journey planner here is actually easier to use than one on official London Underground site (www.thetube.com), although don't tell them I said so. You'll be able to access information such as quickest route, journey time and fare. You can also look up tourist attractions and find out exactly how to get to them.
Those who use tube often will always complain about it, but truth is, without it, London would come to a stand still. The streets of London are already chock-a-block with traffic as it is so any attempt at transporting 900 million passengers over ground each year would lead to nothing less than chaos.
It may not be perfect, but it's by far quickest and most convenient way of travelling through London. And hey.... even map's easy to understand!
Sharon grew up in East London but moved to Norway at the age of 19, returning to England in 1998. She now lives in Cheshire with her partner and two of her three children. Besides writing, she runs a web site where women in the UK can meet other women for platonic friendship (www.friendsyourway.co.uk). She is also currently studying Social Science with The Open University.
