To be in two minds about going to London this Friday.

[katedan]

I have never been one to bow to the terrorists and change my plans, was in London the day after 7/7 but we have booked to go to winter wonderland with the kids this Friday and since the horrible events in Berlin I am feeling very nervous about it and wonder if I am being irresponsible to be taking the kids to London at such a high threat time. AIBU?

Op I am like you - and if your in London frequenlty or live there you do just get on with it - its different traveling in from outside you do worry, of course you do - we are going in too just before xmas and I am worried I am still going but yes I am worried!

After Berlin they have stepped up security so its probably quite safe to go now.

When I go to my office off Oxford Street I'm not standing up to terrorism, I'm paying my bills. I wouldn't stay away from the area for fear of terrorism; I don't think about it; but neither do I believe I'm striking blow for democracy.

I don't use Oxford Circus station in the evening because I think it's dangerous. Not because of terrorism, but because it's overcrowded.

I get the bus or walk. I pass through Mayfair where there are big signs up warning of mugging. As I don't wear a £20,000+ watch, I feel safe.

mrsgembles what an odd thing to say!

YANBU. In theory we should stick two fingers up at the terrorists and go and have a good time but it's not that simple when it comes to our own children is it?

London and other big cities are probably as safe as they can be right now but I wouldn't be keen to go with my DCs. I've been in cities when there have been serious terrorist attacks and it is not anything I'd recommend.

YABU. I live in central London, take the tube multiple times a day etc. etc. I'm not complacent about the threat of terrorism, but I have faith in our security services. I wouldn't say the threat is higher here since Berlin - it's always been high.

YWNBU to avoid Winter Wonderland though. Over-hyped shite.

I would avoid ... but for different reasons. It's so horribly busy at the mo and i'm not a big fan of crowds.

About 2000 people died in road accidents last year. You'll do rather more to keep your children safe by campaigning for more speed bumps than by avoiding London.

fabulous if you have information about possible targets that the general public don't have then perhaps you should share it?

Post I am referring to:

I wouldn't go as London is very very busy.
I know someone in govt and it isn't just London that is at major threat level. It is some local cities which really surprised me

YABU .... To go to Winter Wonderland.

UK has been on high threat for years.

London two days before christmas will be horrible . does this event carry on after? Go then.

www.mi5.gov.uk/threat-levels

This link shows threat levels.
Severe, substantial or critical since 2006

London 2 days before Christmas? Fuck that for a game of soldiers. You might not get out alive but it won't be because of terrorists.

I was on Oxford Street / Bond St etc today and it didn't even cross my mind. I do live here. I didn't think it was that busy to be honest.

Went to Winter Wonderland 2 weeks ago and it was horrific! But not in a terrorist sense. In a massively crowded, not very exciting and £9 for a G&T that had no ice or lime sense!

My teens are just back from winter wonderland. They said it was busy but the queues for the rides were fine (but £9 for the roller coaster!!!). In fact it's such a warm evening we walked through Green Park to meet them and it was lovely - so quiet. (WW is actually my idea of hell though so I can't advise you either way.)

Yanbu.

And I don't think you maybe not wanting to take a risk with your dd for something that's not all that great will help the terrorists 'win'.

Having spent a year working somewhere which had a big sign at the staff entrance with the security alert status, I can't see that it would be any worse now than it was then (threat level 'severe' I think). You're just more aware now. Which is probably good for you and DC.

Winter Wonderland is awful, we spent a lot of time looking for something to actually look at.

Lots of overpriced junk food, lots of queues, vomit underfoot, and people standing so close behind you that there wasn't room to fart. I had one woman practically glued to my back until I turned round and glared at her, and she stepped back.

Waste of an afternoon, never again.

Yes you can get run down, blown up, shot, mugged anywhere these days. You go outside, you take your chances. And while you are out someone burgles your house and steals all your Christmas presents.I am the voice of doom.

I lived in London during the IRA years and 7/7.

You know where I'm glad I don't live? Syria. Or Egypt for that matter. Pakistan, Algeria, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Myanmar, China, pretty much all of sub-Saharan Africa, and the Sahara, and North Africa actually, the Middle East. Any of the Stans. Russia is terrifying. And America. I am so glad I don't live there.

We forget how incredibly lucky we are.

We are booked to go to WW between Christmas and new year.
Everywhere I look people say it's rubbish. Oh well. We're booked now.

Based on the OP only......the safest time to go anywhere is just after a major incident. I had to take a TT ferry to France just after the Zebrugge disaster and I was all for not going until my dad pointed out that I would be safer than I would have been a week before the ferry had sunk.

I would be nervy too, but I would still go.

I love winter wonderland. We go every year.

YABU to not go because of terrorism.

YAC (you are crazy) to go to winter wonderland, not just because it's hugely overhyped but because it will be absolutely rammed.

On the one hand, having grown up in 1980s N Ireland and having been in more bomb scares and having witnessed actual bombs (and heard, but didn't see a couple of shootings) during my childhood, I do get a bit exasperated at people being outraged by terrorism which has always been at a really low level in the rest of the UK.

But having said that, it's easy to be dismissive of these things when they seem normal to you. 15 year old me found it normal. 40 something me never wants to experience it again, or for my children to experience it ever.

So, OP, if you think you'll be miserable and on edge all day, just give it a miss. You're under no obligation to go anywhere or do anything if it makes you uneasy.

I do kind of understand your feelings, but YABU really.

I went to university in London back in the 80s/90s, when IRA terrorism was still ongoing. Didn't stop me taking the train in every day. I realise that as a young single student, I had fewer cares than you do as a mother of small children (as am I, now) - but you can't give in to the terrorism fears, unless there is an active known, timed, threat on a place you're going to. You just can't. That's what they want. :(