| London Commute 13:35 - Apr 30 with 3092 views | OhDavidMcgoldrick |
Starting a new role in London, means having to commute from Witham each day (40 Mins on train) then a 15 minute tube from Liverpool Street.
Any London commuters on here have any handy hints or tips for surviving what I imagine to be mayhem at rush hour?
After 20 years I am quite used to the air-con and seclusion my car based commute currently offers!
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| London Commute on 13:40 - Apr 30 with 3042 views | sotd78 |
Start early; finish early. Get to your return journey train in good time.
Witham will be fine for the morning.
Walk or cycle from Liverpool Street - avoid the tube if you can. |  |
| Blue shirts/white shorts - sotd78 |
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| London Commute on 13:40 - Apr 30 with 3046 views | SE1blue |
1. Don't be a backpack w***ker - take it off your back if you're on a train or outside in a busy area
2. Wear trainers and keep your shoes in the office
3. Take water every day
4. Don't be afraid to ask people to remove their bag/feet/coat etc off an empty seat (this won't exist though)
5. Headphones or a good book will save some of your sanity. |  |
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| London Commute on 13:43 - Apr 30 with 3029 views | Steve_M |
Yes, that might be hard to get used to but depends how you use the time. I only commuted for five months years ago before I moved to London but if you don't hate Greater Anglia already you soon will.
It always used to be the case that getting to Liverpool Street before 08:30 meant the tube was ok, whereas five minutes later it was awful, It'll probably take some experimentation to work out what works best.
Main advice though is to find your way between Liverpool Street and work without using the tube,. The tube might still be your best option daily but knowing alternatives, including on foot or bus, will help when there are delays (far easier now that the chaos of a tube strike 20 years ago in pre-mobile data days). [Post edited 30 Apr 2019 13:58]
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| London Commute on 13:53 - Apr 30 with 2978 views | Reuser_is_God |
I've spent the last 4 years having 1 day a week in London.
Always walk from Liverpool St if you can. The tube is horrendous in rush hour & there is a good chance it'll be a nice walk (depending on where you're working!) |  |
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| London Commute on 13:55 - Apr 30 with 2965 views | SpruceMoose |
| London Commute on 13:40 - Apr 30 by SE1blue |
1. Don't be a backpack w***ker - take it off your back if you're on a train or outside in a busy area
2. Wear trainers and keep your shoes in the office
3. Take water every day
4. Don't be afraid to ask people to remove their bag/feet/coat etc off an empty seat (this won't exist though)
5. Headphones or a good book will save some of your sanity. |
Don't be eating no stinking food on the train.
I second the headphones. Audiobooks are a good way to feel like you're converting that dead commute time into something useful. And it keeps all of the terrible people out of your ears. |  |
| Pronouns: He/Him/His.
"Imagine being a heterosexual white male in Britain at this moment. How bad is that. Everything you say is racist, everything you say is homophobic. The Woke community have really f****d this country." | | Poll: | Selectamod |
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| London Commute on 13:56 - Apr 30 with 2961 views | vapour_trail |
What is initially seemingly horrendous will soon come to seem normal.
Music is essential.
And always remember, everyone around you is your mortal enemy. |  |
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| London Commute on 13:57 - Apr 30 with 2950 views | Lord_Lucan |
To be fair I think there are worse commutes.
get into audiobooks |  |
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| London Commute on 13:58 - Apr 30 with 2945 views | SpruceMoose |
| London Commute on 13:56 - Apr 30 by vapour_trail |
What is initially seemingly horrendous will soon come to seem normal.
Music is essential.
And always remember, everyone around you is your mortal enemy. |
The sooner you appreciate getting to work is a battle you must win, the happier you will be. There's a certain thrill, after doing it long enough, from watching the train doors close in someones face as they run for the train.
Basically, it turns you into a massive wanger. | |
| Pronouns: He/Him/His.
"Imagine being a heterosexual white male in Britain at this moment. How bad is that. Everything you say is racist, everything you say is homophobic. The Woke community have really f****d this country." | | Poll: | Selectamod |
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| London Commute on 14:09 - Apr 30 with 2896 views | chicoazul |
It's nothing like as bad as you think. I did it for 6 years, the same exact route as you. If you get an early enough train (pre-0730 ish) you will get a seat no problem. The trains hardly ever go wrong BUT when they do they go completely wrong as there are only two lines, so have a think about cancelling your local social life from Monday - Thursday (you will want to be out on the beer with your London colleagues on a Friday and even if you dont *want* to, you still should go). If you can avoid the tube section and walk instead then I recommend you do.
Enjoy it. Working and commuting in London is like nothing else you have ever done. [Post edited 30 Apr 2019 14:11]
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| London Commute on 14:13 - Apr 30 with 2882 views | SE1blue |
| London Commute on 13:58 - Apr 30 by SpruceMoose |
The sooner you appreciate getting to work is a battle you must win, the happier you will be. There's a certain thrill, after doing it long enough, from watching the train doors close in someones face as they run for the train.
Basically, it turns you into a massive wanger. |
Add to this...
People who run onto a tube on a wet day and slip over on the shiny floor.
People who don't hold on when a tube starts and then end up falling onto someones lap (in a comically awkward British style) or they are rear ended by an armrest and spend the next few stops pretending it didn't hurt.
My personal favourite was a guy who had his coffee balanced on his knee, whilst he sorted out his headphones. The train jolted, he grabbed his coffee too firmly and the lid popped off as he crushed his drink, spraying the person next to him with hot coffee. The aftermath was as entertaining as the event. | |
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| London Commute on 14:20 - Apr 30 with 2854 views | giant_stow |
all the advice above is good, but clearly from a 'yokel comes to town angle'. alternatively, you could do what london natives do and ignore your commute - switch off and pretend it isn't happening. With time and practise, this will help. |  |
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| London Commute on 14:22 - Apr 30 with 2845 views | SpruceMoose |
| London Commute on 13:58 - Apr 30 by SpruceMoose |
The sooner you appreciate getting to work is a battle you must win, the happier you will be. There's a certain thrill, after doing it long enough, from watching the train doors close in someones face as they run for the train.
Basically, it turns you into a massive wanger. |
Anyone downvoting this is probably some chublord, who has huffed and puffed down the platform plenty too times just to miss their train! | |
| Pronouns: He/Him/His.
"Imagine being a heterosexual white male in Britain at this moment. How bad is that. Everything you say is racist, everything you say is homophobic. The Woke community have really f****d this country." | | Poll: | Selectamod |
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| London Commute on 14:34 - Apr 30 with 2811 views | SE1blue |
| London Commute on 14:22 - Apr 30 by SpruceMoose |
Anyone downvoting this is probably some chublord, who has huffed and puffed down the platform plenty too times just to miss their train! |
Or don't understand that it's the stuff that happens on your commute that makes you primeval.
Like having to listen to Wayne and Elaine discussing what they're going to have for dinner via mobile.
Wayne: Hi baba, just calling to see what you want for dinner?
Pause whilst Wayne listens open mouthed.
Wayne: I dunno. We had spag bog last night though.
More open mouthed silence.
Wayne: But I don't like pesto
Listening.
Wayne: What about those fancy things...
Listening.
Wayne: No, in Morrisons.
and so on for 30 monotone minutes.
Or they've never endured someone clipping, filing and then painting their nails next to them.
Doors closing on people are moments of pure delight..the less trouble on your train the better. | |
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| London Commute on 14:45 - Apr 30 with 2780 views | SpruceMoose |
| London Commute on 14:34 - Apr 30 by SE1blue |
Or don't understand that it's the stuff that happens on your commute that makes you primeval.
Like having to listen to Wayne and Elaine discussing what they're going to have for dinner via mobile.
Wayne: Hi baba, just calling to see what you want for dinner?
Pause whilst Wayne listens open mouthed.
Wayne: I dunno. We had spag bog last night though.
More open mouthed silence.
Wayne: But I don't like pesto
Listening.
Wayne: What about those fancy things...
Listening.
Wayne: No, in Morrisons.
and so on for 30 monotone minutes.
Or they've never endured someone clipping, filing and then painting their nails next to them.
Doors closing on people are moments of pure delight..the less trouble on your train the better. |
For an extra treat, an extra surly conductor will, I'm quite sure deliberately, close the doors on somebody trying to hold them open by thrusting a handbag or briefcase into the closing doors.
We then get a thirty second tug of war with the perp trying to pull their arm out from the door while everyone looks on with venom that they've delayed their trip to work.
Not London based, but there is an Instagram account called SubwayCreatures which details the weird and wonderful happenings on the New York Subway.
This is a good one - https://www.instagram.com/p/BwAl_YuAvkM/
This takes some beating though - https://www.instagram.com/p/BvCBN_UATAo/
Anyway, OP, you have all this to look forward. Certainly more exhilarating than catch the number 13 from Chantry to Tower Ramparts. | |
| Pronouns: He/Him/His.
"Imagine being a heterosexual white male in Britain at this moment. How bad is that. Everything you say is racist, everything you say is homophobic. The Woke community have really f****d this country." | | Poll: | Selectamod |
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| London Commute on 15:32 - Apr 30 with 2713 views | GlebeTractor |
| London Commute on 13:58 - Apr 30 by SpruceMoose |
The sooner you appreciate getting to work is a battle you must win, the happier you will be. There's a certain thrill, after doing it long enough, from watching the train doors close in someones face as they run for the train.
Basically, it turns you into a massive wanger. |
Exactly this, or the guy who gets on late, and his rucksack gets stuck and ****s himself, before the driver decides he should probably open the doors again before he leaves... |  |
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| London Commute on 15:44 - Apr 30 with 2672 views | SpruceMoose |
| London Commute on 15:32 - Apr 30 by GlebeTractor |
Exactly this, or the guy who gets on late, and his rucksack gets stuck and ****s himself, before the driver decides he should probably open the doors again before he leaves... |
There's a special place in hell for people who get on the train and stand in the door way. Move into the middle of the carriage so other people can get on you buttplug.
And let people off first before you barge your way on. | |
| Pronouns: He/Him/His.
"Imagine being a heterosexual white male in Britain at this moment. How bad is that. Everything you say is racist, everything you say is homophobic. The Woke community have really f****d this country." | | Poll: | Selectamod |
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| London Commute on 16:03 - Apr 30 with 2639 views | hampstead_blue |
| London Commute on 13:56 - Apr 30 by vapour_trail |
What is initially seemingly horrendous will soon come to seem normal.
Music is essential.
And always remember, everyone around you is your mortal enemy. |
your message is both sad and true.
Accepting the commute as 'normal' makes me shudder.
Everyone IS your mortal enemy. Never give up our seat. It is worth more than promotion......unless you are sat in a disabled seat and someone genuine needs it. You will feel the burn of hatred from those around you if you do that.
Audiobooks are a link to life. The Great Courses is my fave. |  |
| Assumption is to make an ass out of you and me.
Those who assume they know you, when they don't are just guessing.
Those who assume and insist they know are daft and in denial.
Those who assume, insist, and deny the truth are plain stupid.
Those who assume, insist, deny the truth and tell YOU they know you (when they don't) have an IQ in the range of 35-49.
| | Poll: | Best Blackpool goal |
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| London Commute on 16:06 - Apr 30 with 2628 views | SpruceMoose |
| London Commute on 16:03 - Apr 30 by hampstead_blue |
your message is both sad and true.
Accepting the commute as 'normal' makes me shudder.
Everyone IS your mortal enemy. Never give up our seat. It is worth more than promotion......unless you are sat in a disabled seat and someone genuine needs it. You will feel the burn of hatred from those around you if you do that.
Audiobooks are a link to life. The Great Courses is my fave. |
Wait, weren't you in the army? Everyone opposite you was literally your mortal enemy! | |
| Pronouns: He/Him/His.
"Imagine being a heterosexual white male in Britain at this moment. How bad is that. Everything you say is racist, everything you say is homophobic. The Woke community have really f****d this country." | | Poll: | Selectamod |
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| London Commute on 16:14 - Apr 30 with 2608 views | Swansea_Blue |
Best advice I can offer is don't do a London commute. Might be a bit late for that though. |  |
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| London Commute on 16:37 - Apr 30 with 2583 views | hampstead_blue |
| London Commute on 16:06 - Apr 30 by SpruceMoose |
Wait, weren't you in the army? Everyone opposite you was literally your mortal enemy! |
I was and yes sometimes they were. I've also lived until recently in London for too long.
I still never sat on that chair though.....I would burn in hell if I did that....... | |
| Assumption is to make an ass out of you and me.
Those who assume they know you, when they don't are just guessing.
Those who assume and insist they know are daft and in denial.
Those who assume, insist, and deny the truth are plain stupid.
Those who assume, insist, deny the truth and tell YOU they know you (when they don't) have an IQ in the range of 35-49.
| | Poll: | Best Blackpool goal |
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| London Commute on 18:11 - Apr 30 with 2512 views | Keaneish |
Noise cancelling headphones. |  |
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| London Commute on 19:39 - Apr 30 with 2450 views | Oxford_Blue |
Yours doesn’t sound too bad.
I assume the money is worth it and you can get a decent house.
Counts for a lot.
try to get a day at home if you can | | | |
| London Commute on 19:53 - Apr 30 with 2433 views | ghostofescobar |
For the train, Netflix and iPlayer. Life savers. Use the time to watch things you don't get the time to at home. For Liv St, head down, don't make eye contact, but don't bump into anyone and tut loudly in your head if anyone bumps into you, but outwardly just say "sorry". |  |
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| London Commute on 21:20 - Apr 30 with 2343 views | Colin_Viljoen |
My sons mate runs the coffee bar outside the station, get a nice cup of coffee every morning before you board the train! |  | | |
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