If you’re anything like me then you’ll have experienced the frightened rabbit situation when using the London underground, all hustle and bustle and too many people trying to get onto a tube train. I encountered frightened rabbit syndrome when I first travelled the London underground…alone.
In the past I’d always needed my hand to be held whilst I’d get lead from one platform to another by my tube-wise friend and I would simply obey instructions and follow where I as told to follow. This was good enough for me and I did not want to learn how this complex looking network worked! Then I started my IT job which meant I had to grow up, let go of my friends apron strings and …gasp…travel the underground alone (strike of lightning).
My first experience is a blur and I prefer not to remember it (or rather I cant remember that far back!), but it only really took 3 visits to London to get used to the underground, so it can’t really be that hard can it!
There are approximately
18 underground tracks that run right the way across London. There are also some hidden stations, which in fact only mean they are disused and are not ‘secret’ or anything exciting like that. The London underground was established in the mid 19 century and has ever since been carting people to both work and home on a daily basis.
So frightened rabbit, how do you use the underground? You firstly buy a ticket from the various machines and kiosks dotted around the underground. I find a lot of people tend to avoid the automated machines where you press the virtual buttons on a TV screen. Why, I don’t know but if you’re in a hurry simply run to one of these as the queue is pretty short. Prices vary according to where you are travelling as the underground is split into zones. You’ll have to read a map to see what I’m talking about. As is usual, you can purchase single tickets (£1.50), returns, day passes (approx £4) and monthly passes for daily commuters and students. (Varies)
You have your ticket? Ok, good boy/girl. Once you get past the machine that takes your ticket and spits it back at you, your mission will begin.
All trains on the underground travel east, west, north or south and the station you are currently at represent the centre of the compos. For example, say you are at Paddington and want to travel to Euston Square, that means you need to get a train travelling east or in underground lingo “eastbound train”. The same goes for travelling north or south. Geddit? Simple huh? Good! The entire underground is signposted and has underground maps plastered everywhere so it’s pretty impossible to get onto a wrong train. Although, having said this, I spent one of my first journeys frantically checking the tube map and the LED display that told me, which train it was just to make sure it was the right tube I was boarding.
One thing I cannot understand is why everyone is always in such a rush! This is not good for the confidence of frightened rabbit types as it makes us feel like we too should be rushing, which means we hurriedly follow the crowd, hurriedly read the tube map and hurriedly get onto the tube which of course will be the wrong one! Tubes come every minute or so which means you do not have to rush!
I find the underground to be quite hot and stuffy especially in the rush hour but it’s no worse than other parts of the country so no frightening surprises there! One surprise I did find were the little black underground mice. If you peer over the platform edge beneath the tracks you can spot little black tiny mice running around happily enjoying themselves. I know mice and rats bring nothing but filth to areas but they look kind of cute. (That doesn’t mean I’d hold one!).
If you happen to be travelling late evening then occasionally people’ll approach you at your destination station that may ask if you’re finished with your ticket. Now don’t do what I did and look absolutely petrified and start running whilst my boyfriend stood watching me laughing his head off…quite embarrassing. Simply say no and go about your way calmly as they’re not harmful people, only freeloaders.
Overall: The London underground isn’t as hard as you might think and although the map looks totally confusing it is quite straightforward. You can get a bit sick of it at times especially if you’re caught in the rush hour and have to change tubes 3 times. One final tip: If you want to travel to somewhere that is one stop away then don’t. Walk instead. It’s a 3 minute walk or less!Bear in min though that this rule ONLY applies to those stations within central london. After this the stations are situated a few miles (or more apart!) so take the tube! It's smelly, but faster!
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I love riding around on the tube whenever I go down to London! Thanks for the op - Si
sue.51 11.08.2002 17:35
Well done - when I saw this topic all sorts of horror thoughts went through my head - a very difficult subject to write on - bit like the underground itself if you have never been there before - I can still remember my first time when I had to get across London in the rush-hour - yikes, then I moved there for a few years and became a seasoned traveller :)
Sue
ozcr 14.08.2001 22:26
great opp thanks so much. I will b moving to london soon and i have to say that the tube frightens me a bit aswell. i can picture myself getting petrified aswell as i often smell danger when there isn't any! i definitely feel a bit more comfortable about the tube now. i was wondering about the walking if the station is one step away so thanks for clearing that up! cheers -ozcr
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Jun 6th, 2001
(Aug 8th, 2001)
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