Thursday, June 4, 2015

London Rush Hour: You Stress Me Out


Yesterday, for the first time in nearly four years, I found myself on the tube at rush hour. Since then, we'd been spoiled by our bus-dependent postcode in Islington. Walk in one direction, and the buses would take us to the City, to London Bridge or Waterloo. Walk in the other, we'd reach the West End (without traffic) in 20 minutes or less.

But on this particularly muggy evening, I found myself sandwiched in a Jenga puzzle arrangement of commuters: a woman's plentiful rear end nestling comfortably against my stomach (so much so that I was practically spooning her), a man's hair brushing against my wrist (as I was holding on to an overhead rail), and my behind most definitely touching that of another woman's behind me. Getting intimate with strangers definitely hadn't been part of my plan that evening.

'Breathe,' I reminded myself silently. I tried to channel all the yogic calm I'd amassed over the hours spent in various Vinyasa flow classes. But then the train lurched to a stop and the driver came on, apologizing for the delay and explaining that there were two trains in front of us waiting to clear before we could pull into the station.

That's when I felt my breath begin to quicken and become shallow, my heart beating just that much faster. We'd stopped for merely a couple of minutes, but those minutes of being the slice of ham in a human sandwich felt like fifteen minutes. I knew my mind was playing tricks on me, I knew I was panicking for no reason, but I felt trapped - underground, hot, and surrounded by silent, stony-faced commuters. There was no room to move, to even fidget - no place to go. Momentarily, it felt awful. Luckily, the rush of another train roaring past the tunnel provided a cooling breeze that gave us all some welcome relief.

Rush hour in London means every woman for herself: elbows are jutted out, pushing is not uncommon, and if you're not in front of the door, well, then, you're not getting on. I used to commute on the tube every day. At first, you're polite: you let people on first, you step aside for people who are rushing, you apologize for someone else's elbow knocking into your head. But then you quickly realize: you need to be on that train first (because you're tired and you don't want to stand), you don't want to step aside for anyone else because you're late for work, you don't apologize for knocking your elbow into someone's head because ... she was in your way. Yes, that "you" was "me". Not all of the time, but most of the time.

I hate this mentality. I hate it because I'm an active participant in this kind of rush hour madness. Any etiquette or kindness or courtesy I have is completely eroded in the face of a crowd lurching forward to tube doors.

But mostly, I hate this mentality because it fosters a kind of nagging anxiety that doesn't go away - not even when I've regained my composure above ground. It's pervasive and all-consuming. And to think that this is how the majority of us in the city start and end our day? It's a crazy thought.

By the way, this is what the entrance to Oxford Circus tube station looks like at rush hour:


Whether you're sitting in traffic or squeezing yourself into an impossibly small subway car, what's your commute like? What are your coping mechanisms? Do you struggle with anxiety? I'd love to hear.

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49 comments

  1. Actually when I was younger I used to suffer from horrific panic attacks on the tube, it was so hot and claustrophobic that I was convinced I was going to faint. There were several times when I got off before my stop because I thought something bad was going to happen.

    I eventually had to stop using the tube and only get the bus. Fortunately as I no longer commute I can avoid it! Obviously avoidance isn't a coping mechanism. The best coping mechanism I've found is talking to yourself (in your mind not out loud...I don't want to be that person on the tube!) in a calm voice, and tell yourself everything is ok...it's just panic / anxiety and you're unlikely to faint. Also having water on you really helps!!
    I hope that helps you!
    Lots of love,
    Angie

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    1. That's so interesting to know, Angie! Glad I'm not the only one. I think it's getting used to it too - I haven't taken the tube for such a long time after commuting by bus/on foot for so long.

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  2. That is and has been my commute every single day, twice a day, for the past three years. It takes me 1.5 hours to get to work. I have to leave my house, drive to the station, get on a train to Waterloo (50minutes), then I have to walk to the underground, and get the tube to Bond Street, then I have to walk to work from there. Then I do it all over again in the evening.

    The worst time of year for commuting is summer and Christmas - the tourists. So. Many Tourists. And they all insist on using the tube during commuter hours. I always feel like shouting at them 'WALK OR GET THE BUS! YOU'LL SEE MORE!'. It's so frustrating as they all walk so slowly when I'm tryna rush for my train, or they complain out loud about how many people there are. Just, ugh.

    Sad to say it, but I'm one of those people you described in your post, but what other option do we have? I have to work in London as that's where the big agencies in my industry are based, but I can't live in London as otherwise I'll be stuck renting for the rest of my life and won't be able to afford to save up to buy somewhere! It's hard.

    C x | Lux Life

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    1. OMG, Catherine! I think you have the longest commute of anyone I know. I get stressed out by people who are in my way or who stop at inappropriate places (like right at the bottom of an escalator - WTF?!) on the tube. I guess commuting is just a part of city life, but sometimes I look around in amazement when I see people all scrambling and rushing about and think, what are we doing to ourselves?! Thanks for stopping by to read and comment! x

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    2. I feel the pain. Been doing it for several years. Am now moving to zone 4/5 (hopefully if it goes through) and hope to have a less commute and not deal with trains. I blame all the companies and jobs getting sucked into London. Not sure why they can't move outside it. The last few years have been so bad on my health. Four hours a day nearly for me, in to waterloo and then across to east london. I sure do hope the move happens and happens quickly. good luck. I actually could not cope…I'd get stressed. There weren't enough seats. There's been a sharp increase in others commuting, especially the last 4 years. Half-terms are bad with families and kids taking all the space on the trains, and January/February is also bad because more people are back at work. Not to mention where the rail is crippled for some reason. I've seen London triple or quadruple in tourism / crowds in the past 15 years..

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    3. 1.5 hours from somewhere pretty close to London ouch! My commute is around 2.5 hours each way, into/out of Euston or St P then Victoria and Jubilee lines to Southwark but that does mean I get to live in a little village on the edge of the Peak District national park! Agreed on summer and Christmas, well any time from now the week before when most of the commuters have given up and it is one time of year I get a seat on the tube in the morning.

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  3. That last picture is terrifying.

    I feel just like you in a rush-hour tube. It happened on our second day in London two weeks ago, and that's when we remembered why we only took the bus on our last trip there. We didn't step in another tube for the rest of the trip. :)

    Charlotte | The Midnight Blog

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    1. And you made the right decision, Charlotte! I know - the last picture terrifies me too. And I've been in that crowd! Actually, people there are pretty civilized ... they just patiently wait and read the paper or stare straight ahead like robots. Ha! It's so weird.

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  4. I can't. I can't can't can't. Working from home has been incredible for my stress levels because of this, and especially Oxford Circus was my Tube station for the first two years I lived here. I could go one forever about why they choose to close the gates (it does NOT help to regulate traffic or provide a safer commuting experience in any f-ing fashion) but alas, I won't.

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    1. ah yes, I used to work near Oxford circus and would use that tube every day. It would annoy me when they shut the entrance too.

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  5. Looking at those photos literally makes me shudder. I'm SO lucky, I live and work in West London, with work being slightly further West, so my 3 stop tube journey is against the flow and very brief. I don't miss the days of squeezing on to the Piccadilly line with fresh off the plane tourists every morning!!

    Rosie xx

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    1. Yes, you *are* very lucky, Rosie! That must be a dream :) Makes life simpler and easier.

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  6. I can totally relate to this Jaime! I no longer work in the centre of town, which is a breath of fresh air but I remember those commutes and how brutal they are - it's that horrible each person for themselves mentality that bothers me and I know I become that person, as most of us do, when I'm on that commute! I used to always have a newspaper in hand but on the real rush hour trains, there's not even enough space to breathe nevermind read the paper! On the upside though, I now find the underground system of almost every country I've ever visited, a refreshing revelation :)

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    1. Haha, that's the funny thing, Shikha - I turn my nose up at all other underground systems because I feel like London's the best (certainly better than NYC's ... omg, don't get me started on their dirty platforms, trains that never come, lack of communication, random closures without warning, etc.) ... it's the people that makes it so insane! Glad that you no longer work in the centre of town though - what a relief!

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  7. I actually love the tube....but don't work in London....so never have to catch trains at rush hour!!!!

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    1. I agree that the tube is fantastic - if you're not on it during rush hour or tourist season!

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  8. Thankfully I'm able to walk to work but we're all familiar with the rush hour tube. Central line being the absolute worst. Having read this post I really can relate to that all-consuming irritation that doesn't actually wear off for a while after, even though I've never thought about it before - such a shame! Always try to think of happy places though when you're feeling claustrophobic :) Lots of love, Andrea xxx

    Andrea's Passions

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    1. Central Line is really the worst, isn't it?? Yes, next time I'll try to channel the crashing waves of Sri Lanka instead, Andrea ... good idea! All I could think of at that point was "GET ME OFF THIS TRAIN", but I really should have mentally transported myself elsewhere instead. :) xxx

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  9. This is why I'm so glad we live on the Overground now - 7 years commuting on the Jubilee Line in rush hour was hideous! But, still interchanging at Liverpool Street, I certainly get snapshots of the worst of people.

    The other morning I was walking along the Cirle Line platform (and when I say walk, I mean *walk* and not saunter or dawdle, because that's one thing that does make me rage) and a woman grabbed my arm and shouted MOVE in my face, before shoving herself into a carriage that had no room. I was so shocked I just turned and said politely 'you're so rude!' and carried on walking - trying not to shake at her horrible behaviour.

    Ugh.

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    1. That's HORRIBLE, Laura. Believe it or not, this mini panic attack happened when I was trying to get to Liverpool Street to change for the train to Wood Street ... trains were messed up so crowds were heaving at the gates, people were pushing to get on, a woman angrily shouted at someone, "You're so arrogant!" as I walked past and ... yeah. It was an all-out mess. I understand where it's coming from, as the stress makes people so mental/insane (though I would NEVER, EVER lay my hands on anyone and shout in their face!) ... confrontations are bound to happen. Lots of transport police there that day too to control the crowds! Not appealing, but there are other options for getting from point A to point B, thankfully!

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    2. Oh my! That's so mean, and totally uncalled for. Liverpool Street definitely seems to have the ability to turn people into huffing, fire-breathing, shoving, stomping dragons...

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  10. As a tourist I loved the tube! Compared to trains in Sydney, the tube is so efficient. You never have to wait more than a couple of minutes for one to turn up. Of course, as a tourist I never had to catch trains in peak hour. Trying to board the Northern Line in the morning when I lived in Clapham was a nightmare. Some days the platforms got so full they closed the barriers so you couldn't even enter the station! I hated it so much I moved east and now have the option of catching the bus to work (or even walking when the weather is nice and I'm feeling energetic). Buses can be slow but at least you've got some room to breathe.

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    1. EXACTLY, Stacey! I'd much rather be above ground, crawling at a snail's pace, than being stuck underground with a bunch of angry, unhappy people rushing around. I've been so spoiled by the buses here in London.

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  11. It's one of the reasons I wanted to change my working situation and be a freelancer at home. I was ALWAYS late, and I would be so stressed that it would wreck at least the next hour of my day, if not longer. The boss never ever believes you're late due to the tube either, they always give that sarcastic 'yeah right!' look! In Japan it is too amazing, not only are there women only carriages, they actually line up in single file to get on. OMG! it's brilliant! and I once witnessed someone turn around and 'back in' to the carriage to squeeze on!

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    1. I'm super impressed by the Japanese commuters, Annmaree! But their trains get supremely full too, don't they? Probably a lot more civilized than London commuters though! Oh, and I thought of my other nightmare other than the tube at rush hour ... SELFRIDGES AFTER WORK. Ha! Luckily, we had you leading us around like a pro that day!

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    2. haha I just saw this! Let me tell you what is worse than Selfridges after work. Selfridges before Christmas. Actually, there's even worse than that, Harrods Christmas World one week before Christmas. I remember a time in my PA days when I had to rush in there, arms loaded down with bags, my boss calling me from Notting Hill asking where the hell I was, and I was literally a crazy woman, shoving angrily past people and barking at a sales assistant 'I need £200 worth of christmas crackers! Where are they!?' THAT is worse than Oxford St and Selfridges combined. Especially because it took me 10 minutes to locate an exit afterwards.

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  12. Honestly my coping mechanism is simply to avoid it - not ideal for most people but I get into town for work early & leave a little later - otherwise I would utterly hate London!

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    1. Haha, yup - that's been my coping mechanism for the past 4 years, though I dread to think of the day when I'll have to commute on the tube again!

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  13. Arrgghh, Blogger just ate my comment! The gist of it was to imagine your fellow travellers in the nude ... never fails to lighten the mood. I've even been known to laugh out loud and temporarily become that weird commuter!

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  14. I am so glad that I no longer commute into London for work but I used to work for London Underground for a few years and what they do is just amazing as they move around millions of people each day on a network that is over 100 years old!
    I suffer really bad tube rage when I see men sitting with their legs wide open taking up as much space as possibly; in my rage I have told a few men in my commuting days that I am sure their balls aren't that big and could they shut their legs to make more space for everyone else - this is normally met with evil stares and giggles! xx

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    1. GOOD FOR YOU, Kelly!!! I love that. I used to find myself getting confrontational too ... especially when men used my head as a book/newspaper rest in the morning - I kid you not. Always the men in suits. xx

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  15. I've been at my parents for the past week or so recovering from my injury and I do NOT miss my morning/evening commute on the tube. I'm lucky that I don't have too long a commute to my office (but it still manages to infuriate me) and it probably takes me 25 minutes door to door, but I am so envious of people who can just jump in their car and be at their office in a matter of minutes. I guess it's the price we pay for living in this beautiful city of ours!

    Kam xo
    A Married Couple & Their Travels

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    1. Glad you're having a break from your commute, Kam, but also sending you healing thoughts for a quick recovery!!! xx

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  16. You are not alone in these feelings at all. Before my current job I did commutes like this every day and hated it, tube rage is real. My anxiety pushed to it's limits. It was horrible. I actually work on the railway now so I have to be at work before the rush hour starts, meaning the trains I now get aren't even half as busy. In fact everyone gets a seat (unless they want to stand for fun). However, I have to watch the crowds through the station I work in and it is awful at times.
    My best advice is to carry water with you. Try having some earphones and listening to music. During the Summer months my anxiety gets worse so taking my mind off it with music really helps and takes up less space on busy trains than a newspaper or book.
    Does anyone else think Thursday is the busiest day of the working week?! I'm certain more people travel on that day!

    Tamsyn-Elizabeth | Peaches and Bear

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    1. Great tips, Tamsyn-Elizabeth - thanks for passing those on! And yes, I definitely think Thursdays are the busiest ... maybe some people work from home on Fridays!

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  17. Oh I'm really not looking forward to commuting. Determined that I'm going to have to find a flat within walking distance of work or at least bust distance! The one that really gets is me is people who just... stop. In the MOST inconvenient places! "Oh, I think I'll just stand RIGHT HERE". Rage.

    I find that people get more stressed when they're on the tube which just makes the situation so much worse. My parents can't take the tube when it's busy, or the bus, which has resulted in many an expensive taxi when we're in London!

    Lauren xx
    The Lifestyle Diaries

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    1. I definitely think the worst of us comes out on the tube because it's so stressful! Here's hoping you find a flat with a good commute :) xx

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  19. Aw dear, this post just hit a nerve.
    --- Just the thought of the Tube during rush hour causes me stress!!!
    AVOID at all costs!! Arghh
    Need to relax, *breathe* *Breathe*
    Marilia: wanderingislander.com

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  20. You brought it all back for me in this post. I used to live in Clapham, which I'm sure you're aware, is a hub for middle class young professionals all of whom tend to work in the city. Attempting to catch a train at 8am on a weekday was similar to playing a game of sardines - and I'm ashamed to admit that I became one of those horrible people that shouted "Can you all move down please so that people can get on the train!! Yes YOU - there is definitely some space there in front of you!!!" BIG CRINGE.

    I love going to work in a taxi every morning in Doha :-)

    Polly xx
    Follow Your Sunshine

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  21. When I moved to Lewisham, I also started working at Canary Wharf and let me tell you, knowing I was the first stop on the DLR and was pretty much guaranteed a space on the train every morning made me feel a million times better about work and London in general! Coming home, however, completely different story.

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    1. That is the ideal commute, Jade! And I find that one direction can sometimes be definitely better than travelling in the other direction ... I guess the only other option is to wait it out! Thanks for sharing.

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  22. Large chunks of politeness have already been sanded away from my personality in tube situations. Especially at peak hours. Now I get angry when someone steps in front of me like I wasn't there first. So close to cutting someone, you don't even know...lol It's never fun to have someone's "plentiful rear end" nestled against you, bahahahaha.

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  23. I feel like living in Moscow has more than prepared me for any rides on the London Underground. The Moscow Metro is horrendous during rush hour and I was shocked by how angry it used to make me. I completely understand what you mean about it being all pervasive. Let's just say I'm grateful that I won't need to travel at rush hour for a while.

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    1. Oh wow - I can't even imagine, Amy! I took the Moscow Metro once, but it was quiet and relatively uncrowded, so we didn't have too many issues. In Hong Kong, however ... an entirely different story. Getting on the HK metro also stresses me out ... but not as much a the tube still!

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  24. I like the tube,
    ...not always but it's just the easiest way,anyway lol
    lingerie

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  25. Taxi is one and only suitable vehicle for travel in London it provides reliable services.

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