To wonder how people cope living in London?!

[WinterIsHereJon]

I'm visiting for the weekend. It's hot, sweaty, incredibly busy. We had the misfortune of travelling on the tube during rush hour earlier, people pushed and pushed onto an already full train, to the point where I became rather intimately acquainted with a chap behind me. Despite the complete lack of room people were still attempting to read newspapers! I think I'd snap if that was part of my daily routine, I don't know how people do it!

Gave up on newspapers- the print comes off in your hands so I have e-readers. Know what you mean OP. You have to know your line comfort to plan in advance. The Central line once it goes into tunnels is just pure hell at rush hour time, not only the tube itself but the platforms. So hot and humid you can't breathe....if you actually managed to get 3mm of space to expand your lungs to inhale. I live on outskirts of West London (round RAF Northolt way so I don't get Heathrow traffic over my house) and I get off the Central Line just before it goes into the tunnel section at White City and walk over to the Hammersmith and City line at Wood Lane and get tube into town from there. This line is above ground - and even better than the Central line - the carriages are air conditioned! Bliss :). They're also wider so accommodate luggage and papers a lot easier than the Central. Can be faff but this combination of keep above ground as long as possible and walk/buses in addition, means I keep sane in the daily peak time commute.

I presume tourists use the tube during rush hour because 'rush hour' in the morning can be anything from 7.30-9.30 and the evening rush hour seems to start earlier and earlier and finish at about 6.30. that doesn't leave a lot of time to get the tube at 9.30, get into town, queue for the attractions, have lunch and then head home again! You can easily get caught up either end. I occasionally have to go into Central London for meetings. If I leave late because it's cheaper, I always catch the evening rush hour, even if I leave at 4.

The tube in rush hour is hideous, yes. I do it most days. You learn to block it out after a while.

Rest of my life in London is great. It's worth it.

Mackarel could you share where you are in zone 2? amused by farm animals being there!
pearly, Cardiff?

There are plenty of parks with animals, and city farms too.

Vauxhall City Farm is virtually in Zone 1!

Too true, we sometimes flirt with moving somewhere cheaper but would miss it too much.

I find it interesting that people equate not wanting to live in London with criticising London.

I would HATE to live in London. I dislike cities, I don't like hustle and bustle. I don't want a "buzz".

But then I don't expect everyone to want to live rurally either.

LovePGtipsMonkey I don't want to give away my exact location but the park I walk through is Clissold Park.

Jacques, some posters here ARE criticising London and I think that's what the pro-Londoners are responding to.

Exactly Jacques. I don't hate London per se, but I really dislike city life. I get my "buzz" by visiting. I couldn't bear to live in it all the time.

Monkey- I live near Edinburgh. A capital city.

Really enjoying this thread and the Londoners fiercely defending their home - good on you all. I've never found Londoners to be rude or ignorant, quite the opposite actually. I have been helped with suitcases and pushchairs countless times and the sales assistants in stores are always chatty and friendly. I think each city has a certain "feeling" about it and for me London "feels" great; diverse, friendly, electric and even quite homely. I have only visited so maybe my opinion isn't realistic but judging from what Londoners are saying its a fantastic place to live. Maybe one day circumstances will allow a move

I love London. I live in a northern city, try to get down to London with the spawns every couple of years.

I made the cardinal error of using the tube during rush hour last week, but we had a train to catch so sucked it up and squashed in with the best of 'em and had a ball.

I'd love to live there, but it won't ever happen.

Love, I just don't agree with that reading of the thread.

Pro-London posters do mention downsides and are not saying it's all roses; just expressing how and why they like it.

Echoing others too, Londoners I've met have been lovely, it's other tourists that have been dicks.

Echoing others too, Londoners I've met have been lovely, it's other tourists that have been dicks.

I couldn't agree more. And people coming in, for a night out or whatever, from outer London too.

So easy to chat to people in London, easy to make friends and people are very tolerant ime.

Im with the others that say they wonder how people exist outside London.

London for me, is cosmopolitan, brings variety, open mindedness, great job prospects, nightlife - and any type of nightlife, restaurants, clubs, bars, landmarks. Yes you can find most things mentioned outside of it too but I love everything being on my doorstep and within walking distance or a cab ride away.

Tube is not great but that comes hand in hand with the city if you need to use it. You find your way during rush hour and eventually become 'one of them', those people who push past you to get on and read their newspaper. If you manage to grab a seat mid journey even better.

But saying all of that, I have just come back from a beach holiday abroad and wish I was out there for the majority of the year pah.

Im with the others that say they wonder how people exist outside London.

Strangely people do.
In my village we eat mud and usually marry close family members, but there is one guy at the top of the street that can read, so that's a bonus.

pearly, I thought of Edinburgh of course but didn't realise hat it's 10min to the coast! thought Cardiff fits hat bill!
Sapphire, hardly any criticism - only from those who moved out and aer happy to do that. It just comes across as all superior, we have this that and the other, how could you exist outside of London kind of thing. Note, OP said 'cope' meaning practically cope (with the tube and noise) she never said people couldn't exist there. Whereas many smug londoners say 'how can abyone exist out of london'.
I'm a Londoner myself btw, temporarily living outside but staying a few days there every fortnight. Personally I love the place(but still dislike some grim areas) but I think the best option is not to be there 24/7 unless you have a proper house with garden or an uncrowded park on doorstep. The tube can be horrendous and unavoidable if you have to be somewhere fast from 4pm to about 7pm, there are bad traffic jams over bridges on buses and worse for cars. So OP was right on that account - yes, people have to cope with transport and lack of living space (for many) for all the advantages they get in return.

I think some people do live in a bit of a London 'bubble'. When I left London, I was worried that my children would be the only mixed race kids in their school. They're not. Not by a long shot. And I'm in Norfolk! Both my childrens' schools are incredibly diverse, and very inclusive and friendly.

There are other fab cities outside London. I. just found it harder and harder to live in London, and we didn't feel the benefits of compared to what we were paying to be there. I would say that it will take a while to get used to the salary drop from London salaries to non London salaries. It's significant, but our housing, basic living and travel costs are significantly lower as well, so it's swings and roundabouts.

Mackarel, ah around Stoke Newington - I walked through that park once, but didn't know they had a mini farm.

Im with the others that say they wonder how people exist outside London.

I cringe when Londoners say things like that. It makes us sound like complete halfwits TBH.

just found it harder and harder to live in London, and we didn't feel the benefits of compared to what we were paying to be there.
that's what I keep trying to say - sadly it's more and more the case that even working people/couples struggle there financially (while working/commuting long hours) and the stress can diminish the enjoyment quite a bit.