moving hogs

One of the things I have learned, or rather observed while in London is that Londoners are similar to herds of cattle or hogs, especially in the tube stations.

First there are shoot type gates are what you must enter through to get on to the tube also. So huge crowds of people must file down into sometimes only 3 open gates, sort of like in our finisher building when we are trying to get all of them out of the pen through one tiny gate sometimes into small hallways, like the ally way.

While some of the tube stations are larger and there is room for the big crowds, others are defiantly not. One prime example of this is the station at Goodge Street, which is where we get off for our classes. It could be because of the time we go but it is very crowded. When the tube stops everyone must go towards 4 lifts (elevators, these must be used because other wise it’s like 132 stairs, which are not fun to do, we tried it our first day not knowing).

It is seriously like a herd of livestock going towards shoots to be sorted. When we pick the lift we want to take we are then told to move all the way to the front and squeeze together so as many people as possible can fit. Just like trying to get that one last sow on the hog cart. You know there’s enough room if you can just get them all to squeeze together a little bit more. So we are now all facing the same direction and can’t move. The lift takes us up and we exit in a less than orderly fashion through more shoot type gates.

It is also like a hog cart on the actual train during rush hour. The doors open and some people get off as others try to get on, sometimes at the same time even though you are supposed to let those coming off go first. We have this happen all the time when moving hogs, that one just has to get off and won’t stay on while another one is getting on and they end up getting stuck in door or the door being closed on them. (The getting stuck part doesn’t really happen on the tubes; although I am terrified of getting stuck…they don’t close all the way though if something is in the way.)

So when we are finally on the tube we are told to move towards the centre using all available space. Squeezing together so as many people as possible can fit (see above for the hog reference :) ). You are crammed in this little carriage with people you don’t know the slightest thing about. It’s a fun time. I also some times get squished near the door and have to lean because not all of the trains are accommodating to six foot people near the edges. (I don’t know what similarities that has with livestock but it’s still a good point I think. Haha.)

So that is briefly why Londoners are like livestock. There are other reasons why I think Londoners are like livestock and I’m sure I’ll remember some later and probably give you another run down of it sometime.