Happy Mondays (The fuck off mix)
Monday, November 22nd, 2004 11:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caddymanOnce you're in the system you're doomed.
I've been in the office 15 minutes as I start typing this. That means door-to-door it has taken me 90 minutes to commute 3 miles. The same distance in London on foot, allowing for interminable stops at pedestrian crossings and detours over footbridges takes 50 minutes to an hour depending on whether the signals are with or against you.
Only by public transport can it take 90 minutes.
The Northern Line was fine. Unfortunately, no-one bothered to mention the fact that the Victoria Line was dead until after I'd made the change. "Customers are advised to take alternative routes and change as necessary…" (Note that we are customers not passengers - the latter would suggest a sense of movement, a concept the former is blessedly unencumbered with).
Back then, to the Northern Line and up to Bank to change on to whichever comes first of the Circle/District Lines. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Due to signal failure at South Kensington, westbound Circle Line trains have been cancelled and westbound District Line trains are subject to severe delay".
See, I could have avoided all this if I'd known there was widespread hassles with the bits of the system I wanted to use. But no-one thinks to tell you until you are locked into it.
So, turn around at Bank station and back down to London Bridge, which I've already been through once. Jubilee Line three stops to Westminster, where we get back to the Circle/District Lines. However, Westminster is only a 15 minute walk from the office down the back streets, so I do that and get in to find that everyone has gone to a meeting that was originally called off a week ago (I know, I took the minutes), but which seems to have reactivated itself in my absence.
So I am hot, bothered, late and pissed off. And I have been "volunteered" for stuff in my absence.
I've been in the office 15 minutes as I start typing this. That means door-to-door it has taken me 90 minutes to commute 3 miles. The same distance in London on foot, allowing for interminable stops at pedestrian crossings and detours over footbridges takes 50 minutes to an hour depending on whether the signals are with or against you.
Only by public transport can it take 90 minutes.
The Northern Line was fine. Unfortunately, no-one bothered to mention the fact that the Victoria Line was dead until after I'd made the change. "Customers are advised to take alternative routes and change as necessary…" (Note that we are customers not passengers - the latter would suggest a sense of movement, a concept the former is blessedly unencumbered with).
Back then, to the Northern Line and up to Bank to change on to whichever comes first of the Circle/District Lines. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Due to signal failure at South Kensington, westbound Circle Line trains have been cancelled and westbound District Line trains are subject to severe delay".
See, I could have avoided all this if I'd known there was widespread hassles with the bits of the system I wanted to use. But no-one thinks to tell you until you are locked into it.
So, turn around at Bank station and back down to London Bridge, which I've already been through once. Jubilee Line three stops to Westminster, where we get back to the Circle/District Lines. However, Westminster is only a 15 minute walk from the office down the back streets, so I do that and get in to find that everyone has gone to a meeting that was originally called off a week ago (I know, I took the minutes), but which seems to have reactivated itself in my absence.
So I am hot, bothered, late and pissed off. And I have been "volunteered" for stuff in my absence.
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-22 05:18 am (UTC)Usually its as simple as "Delays" or "Not functioning" or "Good Service".
Do they not have those on the southern lines?
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-22 05:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-22 06:02 am (UTC)"Ladies and gentleman, in order to progress to South Kensington we will have to cross a number of signals which are stuck in the 'off' position. We have to follow a procedure to pass these which will involves the train increasing in speed and then making a sudden stop. If you are standing, please sit down in a seat where possible or on the floor of the carriage to avoid being knocked over by the forces involved."
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-22 06:13 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-22 06:21 am (UTC)Actually rather good
Date: 2004-11-22 08:04 am (UTC)The train has an automatic system to halt it if goes past a red light - and, very sensibly, this system cannot be turned off. So the driver must move the train S L O W L Y past the red light, triggering the safety mechanism, after which he is free to start the train again.
Re: Actually rather good
Date: 2004-11-22 08:06 am (UTC)Tell me why? I don't like mondays
Date: 2004-11-22 10:29 am (UTC)Darrell was stuck on a bus for nearly 2 hours on friday coming home from work; it took half an hour to move half a mile at one point. I asked him, but what about the Blitz spirit? Did no one hand out sandwiches or share their flask of tea? Did anyone start a sing song? Or is it a complete myth? This idea that Londoners, jolly Cockerneys etc all pull together in difficulties is what I was brought up believing ( in the middle of middle class Bristol). Such a disappointment! ;)
Re: Tell me why? I don't like mondays
Date: 2004-11-22 11:06 am (UTC)Unaffected passengers just turn up their Walkmans. However, anyone with a set of white earbuds either gets their ipod nicked or loses several social levels if it turns out they were plugged into a walkman anyway.
When everyone gets home we have the chance to log into the TFL website and download a picture of Uncle Ken, but we have to buy our own darts to throw at it with whatever funds the Thieving B*st*rds have left us - meaning the people who sold us travelcards in the first place...
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-22 03:28 pm (UTC)Three miles isn't so far. It's about half that far to the tube from my house (admittedly, my house is in the boonies.) Have you considered walking instead as a regular commute?
Cheaper than the gym, and if it rains you can always change your mind.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-22 04:43 pm (UTC)Though not recently, it has to be said.