To be sick of London?

[schoolrunner2000]

I know the old phrase..."to be tired of London is to be tired of life" and I'm not tired of life in the slightest, I'm just so annoyed at lots of petty things about London that never bothered me when I lived up North (up until last year).

• I'm sick of the really rude and aggressive London drivers...what gives them the right to tailgate and cut you up and refuse to signal and generally drive like they want to cause an accident?! I have to actively avoid an accident at least twice every single fricking day in my way to work and back. That's 10 hours a week of being scared for my life...it's like I'm in the bloody army to avoid some of those cars
  
• I'm sick of not being able to stay out after 12am as that's when the Tube closes and it's nearly impossible to get home otherwise.
  
• The High Street is about 6 miles away and it's rubbish...Oxford St and the other big shopping centres are a nightmare to get through the crush.
  
• I get so excited when I hear another old Uni friend is moving to London, only to find that "London" means anywhere within a 40-mile radius and actually it was quicker and cheaper to visit them on the train up North than it is to see any of them now.
  
• Cashiers are really actively unfriendly at times and noone has time for a greeting, let alone a chat.
  
• £10 for a double vodka and coke!! £4 for a pint!!!
  
• Every single bar and pub I've been in Central London has been so full there's no room to stand inside, let alone get a seat, let alone hear your friend talk.
  

There's others...I'm just not seeing the glamour I thought I would see when I moved here. Thank God for London-born DP or I would have retreated long ago. I feel really disloyal now :\

[hermioneweasley]

Re black snot. I always get it in London. Haven't in Madrid, Rome or Istanbul. London is dirrrrrrrty (not in a good way)

[verytellytubby]

Maybe Londoners that are born and bred are immune to black snot I honestly have never had it and I don't know ONE person that has.

[VinegarDrinker]

Hah, maybe it should be an initiation type thing - blow in a hanky and see the colour of your snot. I've never heard of it IRL (born & bred inner Londoner)

[MammaMedusa]

I did have black snot when I visited in 1986. Never had it in the fifteen years I've lived here.

We're Zone 3 too and have two night buses to the end of our road. Was actually part of the purchase decision, we figure the two future teenagers in the house might need them...

[Mintyy]

I live in London zone 2 and travel all over the place on foot, on the bus, on my bike and on the overground but very rarely on the tube. Infact hardly ever on the tube [claustrophobic smiley]. I don't have black snot.

I'd move to zone 1 like a shot if I could afford it. I have said to dh I would consider selling our 3 bed house with very large garden if we could swap it for a 2 bed flat anywhere in zone 1. Think he is worried!

[VinegarDrinker]

Oooh are we competing on night buses? We have 3 from the end of our road, and 10 normal day routes, all running very frequently.

And 3 different overground stations within 10 minutes walk.

We still cycle everywhere though, it's free innit

[schoolrunner2000]

I swear to you the black snot is not a myth. Maye I just have big nostrils

[MammaMedusa]

Vinegar wins!!!!

(only five day routes here... and a train station 10 minutes walk, tube station 15 minutes walk)

I am too scared to cycle round here. :-( Am not a confident enough cyclist.

[AmberLeaf]

Tube travel will give you black, well grey bogies.

I second MammaMedusas suggestion that you try being friendly to cashiers and see what response you get back.

[VinegarDrinker]

Ironically I live in a borough which people who don't live here think is crap for transport because, uniquely for zone 2, it isn't on the tube (therefore revealing where I live to any Londoners).

[PseudoBadger]

I'm going for Hackney?

[Mintyy]

There are loads of zone 2 areas not on the tube!

[AmberLeaf]

I have 3 night buses at the end of my road too!

7 regular buses at the end of my road, next road along I have a further 8 other buses, so 15 within 5 minutes of my front door.

[VinegarDrinker]

Amber yes ours are similar, I only included the ones actually at the end of pur road. In fact, do you live next door?

Mintyy hmmmm probably true but Saaf London doesn't count ;)

[HollaAtMeBaby]

17 daytime bus routes. 6 nighttime/24 hour bus routes. 4 tube lines. Overground. And Boris bikes! Do I win?

[VinegarDrinker]

Actually Mintyy Google says only two inner London boroughs are not on the tube. not trying to delay doing the housework, oh no

[PseudoBadger]

Am I right Vinegar?

[VinegarDrinker]

Oooh this is a fun game. Trying to work out where you live now Holla

[VinegarDrinker]

Holla - Aldgate? Whitechapel?

Pseudo yes indeed I am a proud Crackney resident, born & bred

[bigTillyMint]

Vinegar, how can you say Saaf London doesn't count?!

[abbyfromoz]

I have lived in Croydon, Stratford, Fulham, Parson's Green, Oxford Circus, Queens Park & Battersea. (Zone 5, 3, 2 & 1).
I HATED Croydon
Despised Stratford
Liked Fulham
Loved PG (although not c&d line)
Liked Oxford Circus (but not our small apartment)
Loved Queens Park
& so far enjoying Battersea
I have concluded that a) London is not for everyone and b) to give it a real chance you really do require a bit of money and a lot of free time.

[PseudoBadger]

Islington or Westminster for Holla?

[Yfronts]

London - a nice place to visit but i wouldn't want to live there.

[AmberLeaf]

Vinegar Im actually in zone 3, so we can't be neighbours!

Im also in the dirty souf!

[motherinferior]

Saaaf Lunnon only doesn't count among norf Lunnon softies, innit.