Anyway, lol, enough rambling on my amusement over London's weather patterns. After living here in London for 3 months, I feel like I am assimilating into this culture. I have begun to realize that there are many things about London culture that everyone needs to know, especially if they are considering moving here. First off, every Londoner needs to remember to stand on the right hand side of escalators, especially when in train or tube stations!!! I have realized that people are in such a rush to get anywhere 2 minutes faster than everyone else that they have no issue pushing people out of their way, or even flat out pushing them down, on escalators. I have seen so many tourists that did not realize this rule and were pushed, shoved and even sometimes cussed out! People can be vicious here in London, particularly when it comes to escalator etiquette! Secondly, always always remember to mind the gap. I don't know how anyone could forget this rule though. Not only is this message painted every 3 feet on train and tube platforms, but they also run an announcement over the intercoms at every station stop! Despite these constant reminders, people still forget! There have been plenty of times where I have seen people listening to their ipods or reading a newspaper not paying attention and stumble off the tube carriages, as if they expected there not to be a step or a gap! This leads to my second point about London culture, they really seem to care about your well being here! At almost every building or attracting here in London, you are bound to find a sign telling you to mind something! At the stations you are informed to mind the gaps. At restaurants and bars you are asked to mind the step or mind your head. It's everywhere! I am waiting for a sign that says mind the drunks, or mind your business! I am not sure if they are just overly concerned with every resident or tourist's safety and health, or if they simply are an attempt to prevent people from doing stupid things that the National Health Service will undoubtedly have to pay for! Thirdly, always avoid reading your neighbor's newspaper, magazine, or cell phone while on the train, tube, or busses. It seems like every time I am standing on the platform or sitting on the train or tube and have a newspaper, someone is bound to be reading along with me over my shoulder! I hate that too, there is nothing worse than having an unwanted nosey reading buddy. People here get pissy about it too. More than once, when someone has realized that someone is peeking at their newspaper or whatever, the person reading along has gotten a telling off... People here really value their privacy, though I think everyone secretly is an unwanted reading at some point in their commuting life. Commuting, that's another thing about London culture that took me time to get used to. It's not that Im bothered about not having a car, it's not that at all. In fact, I prefer not having a car because it is one less thing to worry about maintaining and whether it will have all its parts still attached when I wake up. No, I actually enjoy taking the trains and tube in the morning. But, people in this city get vicious when it comes to getting on the trains in the morning! If you are standing on the platform and the train is arriving, you better get ready to get cosey with 20 different Londoners. No matter whether there is another train or tube or bus coming in 2 or 3 minutes, everyone HAS to cram onto the very first one that is available. This means pulling people who are trying to get off out of the way and sometimes pushing everyone else that has already gotten on just to make sure they have squished themselves in. Also, commuters LOVE pulling the emergency handle! There have been several trains I have been on that have been delayed or halted because some idiot forgot to get off at the station he needed so he decided it was necessary to pull the emergency stop handle. Not only does this halt the train, but then, THEN!!, the station officials have to perform an investigation to find out why the handle was pulled. And these aren't just simple investigations that take 2 or 3 minutes and then the train can go on it's way, no... They bring 3 or 4 people with note pads who interrogate the driver and all of the remaining passengers to figure out what happened. What they fail to realize is that the idiot who pulled it has obviously already ran off to get to wherever he is going 2 or 3 minutes quicker.
Ok, time to move onto another subject. British television is... well.... interesting. I have realized that British people looovvvveee game shows. I could name 5 or 6 that come on on a daily basis right off the top of my head. Also, I know, no matter what time of the day it is, I will always find one of 4 show on t.v. You have Friends, Frasier, Star Trek, and Top Gear. One of these shows will AALLLWAAYYSS be on, no matter what! Good thing I like all of these shows or British television would certainly be a blast from hell's past! Well anyway, London is fun. I love it here!! The snow today has been absolutely amazing! Well it is time for me to go and enjoy my episodes of Friends, Frasier, Star Trek and Top Gear ;-). What does everyone think... I am thinking about turning this into a blog to write about my experiences here in London and then in Helsinki next year.
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