aibu.. to cancel this London trip?

[earplugsahoy]

I am not the type to scare easily, however I am due to go with DD and DM on the train to London, go on tubes and christmas shopping on Saturday.

I am a bit freaked out, as the police have been handing out leaflets at train stations giving instructions on what to do in a terror attack. Surely if the police feel this necessary then there is a real threat?

So AIBU to cancel going? I keep having flashes of DH and dd2 sat at home with no wife / mother.. and then flashes of DD1 in a huge city in the middle of a terrorist attack. I am being nuts aren't I?

Op, I get where you are coming from.

I am off in Manchester tomorrow to do a bit of Christmas shopping and I'm off to London for a meeting on Monday. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't more anxious (not sure if anxious is the right word, maybe more aware) this time than usual, but the way I look at it is that I won't let the bastards win by running scared and changing my day to day life. If we do that, well they've already won, haven't they?

I understand but if you think like that then you wouldn't go anywhere. There are much higher statistically likely dangers of death to be worried about before a terrorist attack.

I live in London. Right now I'm sitting in a cafe just off Piccadilly, having taken the tube to get here. And I have a husband and children too. London life continues in its usual, energetic, wonderful way - we can't cancel daily life because of 'what ifs'. Terrorists want people to feel the fear. Don't give in to them! Hamleys and Harrods on Sat before Xmas - now that would scare me.

I take the tube centrally every day and I haven't seen any of these leaflets! There was a strong police presence at my home station the other day. Turned out they were trying to get people to register their bicycles against theft or something along those lines. Those who live and work in London just can't let these things effect them too much or we'd never get anything done. But the run up to Christmas is extra busy (there is no way I'm going anywhere near Oxford Street now!) And I don't think there's any harm in the police asking people to take care/be extra vigilant, or what to do in the case of emergency. I think it's a good thing that the police are stepping up their safety measures. When my mum visited for Christmas shopping last year we did everything centrally enough to walk, as she's not good at coping with the squash on the tube.

I would go and enjoy your trip, attacks can be anywhere, not just London, are you going to never go anywhere. The Government often does these leaflets, its just to make people aware and so they know what to do.

This is an example from the 80's for a nuclear attack.

www.atomica.co.uk/main.htm

The only reason I wouldn't go is just because of how horrendous the crowds will be. Winter Wonderland is godawful, Harrods will be too packed for you to have lunch. It sounds like hell!

I agree with those saying don't cancel because of the leaflets (there are just more people in town than usual and they want to spread awareness), but cancel because shopping in central London on a Saturday near Christmas will be miserable!

If you're so anxious you wont enjoy it, don't go.

But millions of people live in London and do those things every day.

Op I totally understand your fear, I also planning on going to London.

On a recent trip I was parking by the tube station and could hear " evacuate now, " over and over again, it was scary and it turned out to be a blip .

I also imagine somewhere like oxford street or WW would be a target...

However, as people have said, go and enjoy just have a plan maybe get bus not tube....and do go to WW early this cannot be stressed enough, early early early it really does get un pleasantly full.

I am not stopping my plans, and will just try and avoid the tube as I get very claustrophobic anyway and I feel worse with two small children in tow, as you cant run and flee as I have done in past when panicked ( about lack of air and space).

Good luck op and do enjoy.

The Government often does these leaflets, its just to make people aware and so they know what to do
the leaflets say hide and have a plan...not really much instruction.

Op if you're nervous about losing your DD a good tip is to get a permanent marker and write your mobile phone number on her daughter's forearm.

Tell her that if she gets lost she should find another lady and say 'can you ring my mummy please.' (if she's old enough to)

We did this when we took DD (a terrible bolter) to the Olympic park

Why are people outside London getting leaflets about terrorist attacks???

I hadn't seen the leaflet so googled it, thats not an information leaflet, what use is that, a plan??

If DD's very young, I guess she is because you mention a wrist strap, ages troupsing around London at Christmas time is probably not a good idea anyway, better when they are a bit older and can look after themselves a bit or at a quieter time.

No leaflets given to his londoner yet. From what i hear its all stations not just london but they always raise the risk at christmas. London is lovely in the christmas period as long as you avoid oxford street etc. i love getting lost in london. We tend to choose a tube station get off there and get lost. Its amazing what you seen....

I didn't know about the leaflets but I go to London (and use the tube) every Saturday and have never given the issue any thought at all. You can't help how you feel but I think it's just unfamiliarity with London. Realistically you're massively massively unlikely to be in any danger (unless it's danger of being squashed getting into Winter Wonderland!).

Listen. London IS a target. It was a target for the Germans in WW2 and my entire family managed to escape that (including my lovely grandad who patrolled the City on foot night after night as a firewarden). It was a target for the IRA in the 70s and we all lived through that too (although the IRA did leave a bomb outside my house once, but that's another story), a homophobic racist nutter let off nail bombs in the 90s. Vile, but no one I know was hurt. Ditto 7/7. All horrific.

Of course there will be an attack on London at some point in the future, but the odds of you personally getting caught up in it are so infinessimally small as to be considered nil. You are far more likely to break your neck slipping on the ice at Winter wonderland. It really is not worth worrying about.

Go, have a great time. Don't let the twisted bastards who's only joy in life is terrorising innocent people win.

Unfortunately there is a very real threat. Its been on the news recently about how many and what kinds of terrorist acts have been stopped in the last few months, on the balance of probability someone at some point is likely to succeed.

I know its not what you or anyone wants to read but its the world we live in and it has to be recognised. The 7/7 bombers weren't the first to try it, they just stayed low enough on the radar to not get caught and as others have said its not actually anything new (IRA).

The leaflets and other activity by the police are to try and educate people, remind them to keep eyes open, don't be complacent and report anything suspicious.

If you are really worried and you don't feel its essential then don't go, but be mindful you are more likely to have a car accident driving someone where else than be caught up in a terrorist act.

I would stick with your plans and I pass no judgement on your selfless parenting madness in heading into pre-Christmas hotspots in London

The primary reason, I presume, for the leaflets is to make people think about where they would go, how they would evacuate, how they would update family and friends during/after an incident [particularly pertinent as mobile networks are usually suspended].

Increasing awareness [in case of a lucky public tip off of suspicious activity], and ensuring the millions of people who use public transport every day in London are a little bit more conscious of risk and how to help themselves in an emergency can only be a good thing imo. I pass through the same stations every day - I can honestly say I haven't the first clue where the emergency exits are so that's my plan for the way home, to check out their location.

I think YABU but mainly because you are planning to go Christmas shopping on a Saturday in central London. That would stress me WAY more than the threat of terrorists blowing me up! I live in central London, 5 mins on the tube to Oxford St, and will be avoiding the West End like the plague until after Christmas, I don't do crowds.

I take the Central Line to the city every day and don't even think about potential terrorist attacks to be honest, I just don't live like that. Life is to be lived and let's face it, we are more likely to be injured or killed in a car crash on the way shopping than being blown up in a shopping centre. Sorry to be morbid! I just think you have to get things into perspective. You have to take risks in order to live a full life.

YANBU. I have cancelled our trip to London for the same reason. Better to be safe than sorry.

I grew up and used to work in London, my mum used to say if we cancelled something every time there was a IRA bomb or alert we'd never go anywhere. When they closed the stations we'd walk.
We were on the tube the day of the 7/7 bombings. Yes it was scary but next day I got back on with my daughter.
I love london the risks are tiny.
If you're worried about losing your children, I have 4 a?d haven't lost one yet just make sure they know where to go if they do get lost ie London Underground staff and know to tell them your name. ( as a note make sure your children know your name, my son got lost at a fair once and could only say my name was mama! )
I'm ñot belittling your anxiety but the odds are so massively in your side it seems silly to miss a lovely day out.

Terror threats asides — shopping in London on a Saturday!?! Incomprehensible.

I've read about these leaflets in the paper, but haven't actually seen them, odd. I live in Zone 2 and work in Central London.

TBH I still get the tube, buses, overground and don't think anything of it. I have to get to work - and would rather take my chances on public transport than cycling, which is likely to get me killed far more quickly than a terrorist attack to be honest.

If I were you I'd go, have a lovely time, and not worry. You are highly unlikely to be caught in anything.

On a lighter note, seriously, Hamleys on a Saturday this close to Christmas?! Carnage. And do make sure your bag is zipped up - I had my phone nicked in there on a Saturday. Tons of harassed, distracted parents, screaming children and things whizzing around - a pick pocket's dream.

Yes YABU, you sound like those people who stand in the park telling us the end is nigh!

Well, it's not just London. Could be anywhere there are crowds - Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham. Why not just hole up forever? That's what they want. That's why it's called terror ism.