Am I the only Londoner...

[Mustbemad123]

Who is flinching every time a firework goes off? Can't shake the feeling that London will be the next target...

[MidnightAura]

I'm in London for the weekend. I feel a little anxious I must admit. Flying home tomorrow. Will be interesting to see if security is tighter st the airport tomorrow. On the way down we weren't asked for ID once. It's a domestic flight but was shocked didn't have to show ID at all anywhere.

[mrsmalcolmreynolds]

OP I understand you are shaken and shocked, and you must do what you feel is right for you and your family to feel safe.

However I would like to echo the sentiments of those who have encouraged us to behave normally if we feel able to do so. I will never be a political ally of Ken Livingston but his words after 7/7 were very important.

I lost a close relative on the King's Cross train on 7/7. I work in the City and as it happens today for the first time since the 10th anniversary I went through Russell Square tube. I will continue to live my life as normal in the absence of official guidance to do otherwise.

[Garlick]

Ijust, I remember somebody cancelling a visit to mine (in London) while there was high IRA activity. You have to respect other people's choices, but I thought "Hang on, this is where I live and work. All day, every day. It's good enough for me but not for you?"
Ungenerous, and I didn't say it out loud ...

As the Parisians are saying: Life is for living. Don't be afraid to live!

[austenozzy]

I used to live on the isle of dogs and commute to Chelsea through a load of what I expect would be prime targets: Canary Wharf, Tower Hill, Victoria, etc. In fact, I think Tower Hill was the next stop along from where one of the tube bombs was, at a similar time to my commute, a couple of months after I packed that job in. Wouldn't fancy that commute again at the mo. Yanbu.

[lorelei9]

sorry to hear that mrsmalcolm

it's so weird - I know it's unimaginable to those who have lost loved ones the day after - I still have nightmares about the days after - but the #ParisIsAboutLife hashtag is so important. And our lost loved ones wouldn't want us hiding either, I'm sure.

[Dinglethdragon]

I lived in London from mid 70's to mid 90's - as a student my journey home was frequently disrupted due to bomb scares and tube closures. The street I walked down every day to uni had a bomb go off on it (I told my DM that it wasn't on my route ). I heard the Harrod's bomb go off. When I had dd1 I had to dicide whether it was safe to go shopping on Oxford st pre Christmas with a small baby.

I now live outside London but commute in for work. This is not new territory for me. It's probably still less risky to travel in London by public transport than drive a car along a motorway ... We all have to do our own risk analysis and work out what we can cope with. I will be in London on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, using the tube and train. The week after I will be there for 5 days. Will I be extra vigilant? Probably yes. Will it stop me going there? Absolutely no.

[hefzi]

I grew up with the IRA bombing campaigns; after university, I went to Israel to work until my early 30s (I am not Jewish) - during the 90s, we were subjected to bus bombings and suicide bombings. My bus to work was targeted two Sundays running (that felt a bit personal) as well as my bus to University. Our University refectory was targeted. Teenagers were killed whilst queuing up to go into a nightclub. Markets, coffee shops, shopping malls and bars were bombed. I didn't stop going out, studying, going to work, shopping or anything else - because that is how terrorists win.

You adapt a little - of course you do: you keep an eye open for bags left alone, and ask about them (I still do this in the UK, and have done since I returned - just like we used to in the bad old IRA days) - for a while, I was hyper-alert if I ever needed to queue outside for anything. It has taken me literally years to be able to sit in the window of a coffee shop or restaurant (you don't sit by the window to avoid being shredded by the glass if there's a bomb outside) in the UK. But you don't stop or change what you are doing, because you will not let them win. Yes, of course, sometimes you are frightened (in Israel in the 90s, they would sometimes release when there was a suicide bomb suspect on the lose, to encourage the public to be hyper vigilant at the time) and sometimes, you stay home (when there are announcements on the radio that everyone near the MFA asks the public to stay in because there's a gunman on the loose): but that's not the same as allowing disproportionate fear to interfere with your plans.

What happened yesterday was a tragedy: but if you let it dictate your movements, then the terrorists have won another small victory.

(For reference: fireworks sound nothing like a bomb, and not very much like gunfire)

[OhIAcheAllOver]

I'm in London, my daughter works in quite a popular, touristy bit of the city and uses the central line to get to and from work.

I'm very apprehensive of her going into work tomorrow.

[SleepIsForTheWeakAnyway]

I am a born and raised Londoner. Throughout my childhood I heard the ira bombs go off, at my first job I was trained how to answer a bomb threat phone call and when 7/7 happened I was on a train heading out of London. I got straight off and got the next train heading back into Waterloo and after checking in family went into central London to do my job there for the day instead. I was raised to carry on as normal, to acknowledge the risk and carry on with normal life regardless. Anything less would be a victory to the scum that wanted to install fear. what happened in Paris is absolutely awful but for people to change their routines because of something terrible that hasn't even happened here seems a bit odd to me

[jellybeans]

I suffer with anxiety and panic already. I feel so worried about commuting next week in a busy city.

[AnnekaRice]

I was near to one of 7/7 blasts on day and I live in zone 1. I am a bit ashamed to say, yes - I am worried - but the main thought I have is 'I need to tidy up and do all the laundry in case I die' I am worried about DC also growing up in this environment, but likelihood of death from crossing the road is sadly much higher.

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

I'll never let those bastards make me afraid. I live and work in central London, so fear is not an option.

[Timri]

I remember the Canary Wharf bomb. You couldn't have mistaken that noise for a firework
I lived in Stratford then, and we felt it. The house literally rocked.
I can understand your feelings, that's the whole point of terrorism isn't it? To incite terror? So you have to try and put your logical head on. And logically, we're probably safer today than we were on Friday...

[Iwasbornin1993]

OP I'm in the suburbs up north and still felt twitchy upon hearing fireworks earlier tonight, so YADNBU. Thought it was very insensitive of anyone anywhere to be setting them off tonight whilst everyone is understandably feeling nervous. I have a work trip to London scheduled for next week so will have to go, but I do admit I'm not looking forward to it. Security and vigilance is probably at its highest at the moment though.

[WyrdByrd]

I heard the Harrod's bomb go off. When I had dd1 I had to decide whether it was safe to go shopping on Oxford St pre Christmas with a small baby.

Our trip yesterday was shopping and lights - Harrods, Covent Garden and Oxford Street - I must admit I purposely wanted to go no later than this weekend, mostly because of crowds but it went through my head that if there was a terrorist attack it was likely to be closer to Christmas.

Then 'Jihadi John' was killed on Friday morning, and the Paris attacks on Friday night. Couldn't have picked a much worse time to go. Even my elderly Dad, who lived through WW2, partly in East London and is normally very much 'don't be daft and get on with it' called me very late on Friday and asked me to reconsider going.

Like a PP said, I spent a fair bit of time initially trying to clock exit routes and hiding places but as the day wore on I was too busy enjoying it to even think about those things, and now I'm planning a weekend there with DD next spring.

[LavenderRain]

My parents were in London on 7/7. I've never been so relived to hear their voices that day. As they said at the time 'if it's your turn to go there's nothing you can do' They hate undergrounds and have never used them, and were using buses that day. .......

My DD was came home from Paris on Tuesday. It has freaked me out a bit tbh but life goes on. We can't let them win.

I think that Ken Livingston speech is brilliant.

[lorelei9]

I've got to get on the Tube shortly. I expect to see random bag checks....

[MajesticWhine]

I work in central London and DD goes there to school by tube. Next week will be uncomfortable, but we will grit our teeth and carry on.

[wannaBe]

afaik there's been no mention of bag checks etc, and this has never happened in London to my knowledge.

The only thing you might notice is an increase in security, transport police etc but I wouldn't be expecting bag checks at all.

[lorelei9]

Wanna, we have had bag check staff at the local station many times. The week after 7/7 it became a friendly joke "what sandwich does Lorelei have today?"

[MothershipG]

I lived near Staples corner when the IRA bombed that, I worked on the Strand when they blew up rubbish bins there, I lived just down the road from the BBC when that was bombed. I lived in sight of Shepherds Bush Market tube station when that was targeted by Al Quieda and had to walk home from my work place in central London when everything was shut down after 7/7. And I still had to get the tube into work the next day.

But I can't stay in my house, l still have to work and go about my life and statistically I am at far greater danger every time I get in my car or cross the road.

For those of us who live and/or work in London we really don't have a choice.

[lorelei9]

Paper, yes I've lost people and known people who have lost people. It wouldn't make me want to move though, the tragedies of life go on quiet places too, just different tragedies.

[Shesinfashion]

I work and live in London. Use the central line daily. I'd be lying if I said that I'm nervous about tomorrow's journey and subsequent ones. It may or may not be irrational but I can't help it. Scary, hideous times.