To consider cancelling London trip?

[Anxiousannie89]

It's DH's birthday this weekend and we had booked a trip to London to celebrate.

With what happened in Manchester, we both felt a little uneasy about going but were resolved to go and "get on with our lives" and enjoy the birthday trip. Now I see that the threat level has been raised to critical meaning a terror attack may be imminent and I'm starting to think the trip may not be a great idea.

I've always had quite high anxiety about terrorism so I can't figure out whether I'm being irrational. I should also point out we would be going with our 2 year old and I worry that I'm potentially putting him at risk. I can't figure out whether cancelling the trip is a sensible move in light of the fact we'd be travelling with our young son and the threat level is critical, or whether I would be acting a bit irrationally? DH is happy to go but equally if I said let's cancel, I don't think he would mind.

What would you do?

We are even planning a trip to Westminster too.

Bad news the army is having to step in though that IS a scary reality.

Nevth That's kind of how I feel too - there's something a bit 'victim blame'-y about the implication that London is a huge danger, and if anyone gets caught up in a terror attack here they were taking an unacceptable risk and therefore were basically asking to be blown up.

I live and work in London, use the tubes, buses and bridges every day. I'm also travelling up to Manchester today for a pre-planned work trip. I could, of course, retreat to a tent in a field and cancel all my plans but I resent any implication that by going about my life I am somehow accepting a potential grizzly demise. I'm not. I really don't want to get caught up in a terrorist incident. However I also want to live my life, and whether that's going to work or going shopping or going to the theatre, I don't want that to ever be interpreted as accepting the risk of terrorism.

I grew up in a provicincial town and many people were afraid of London. People would tell me if I move there I would get mugged. I lived there nearly 25 years and didn't get mugged once. You can get mugged anywhere a bit like you can die anywhere really.

I think it's normal to feel a bit anxious. I live near London and am going into the West End next week to see a play, and there's a little bit of me that's thinking it's not such a good idea. But of course the odds of ISIS attacking the theatre I'm going to, or the tube train I'm on, at the exact time I'm going to be there, are extremely long.

ISIS do seem to have a particular fondness for attacking venues where people are having a good time - football games, street celebrations, pop concerts. But that does mean they could strike almost anywhere, at any time - the chances of you being caught up in it are very small.

I grew up in London with the IRA bombing campaigns. My attitude matches what was said at the vigil I attended yesterday evening in Glasgow: 'We will not change our way of life and we will not be afraid'. It's important we don't let the terrorists achieve their aims.
Coincidentally we are going to a gig at the London O2 on Sunday. I trust security will be tight, but it always is at London events. The police here are amazing and I trust them to keep us safe. :)

I have several unavoidable trips to London with my children in the next few weeks - important hospital appointments so not something I can cancel. I am nervous but reassured by the fact that security will be heightened because of the recent attack.

We're all going to a concert at the O2 next week, then staying overnight. Must say, I'm a bit uneasy...

DH and I work in London. I came in at 7.30 this morning and there were police everywhere at the station. DH said as he was coming home last night (works in Canary Wharf) there were also police everywhere - even as far out as Stratford Station.

This probably doesn't make you feel any better but there is a huge police presence in London at the moment.

There is no way we can ever "win" against terrorists. To be honest, I wouldn't honour them with the label of terrorists because that, to me, glamourises it.
They're plain criminals. And, painful as it is to say, I think Trump is right to call them losers. Because they are.

As for travelling in to London - people keep saying the odds haven't changed. Well they have, ever so slightly, but they have.

I work in London and I'm always really edgy after things like this - we had 7/7, we had the Lee rigby attack, we had the Westminster attack. 7/7 and Westminster were close to where I was at the time.

I wear flat shoes, I make sure my phone is in my hand at all times, I look around and am aware of my surroundings. I don't care if it means I'm paranoid. Logically my brain knows I'm being silly but it reassures me. Humans are typically irrational in many ways which is why it's difficult to predict what we will do.

I'm not in a battle with these criminals who like to blow people up. I don't see it as a win/lose. I just want them to fucking stop.

The fact that we need the army on the streets is a worry also. Have we cut police numbers such that we have to backfill with soldiers? It just makes people even more scared and creates a target. Why not have more undercover plain clothes officers?

Fuck carrying on, I want to live.

No way I'd go to London right now.

My office in the city is on lockdown with immediate effect. Frankly it's more a pain in the arse than anything, as I don't see offices as the type of target the scum have in mind, but I do appreciate the landlord making the effort.

I had the same anxiety issues with taking my daughter to school this morning and started a thread about it, but school is law and realistically I didn't have a choice, also her education is important. However it's not law to go to London for a birthday celebration, I probably wouldn't do that if I'm being totally honest.

It IS irrational. But it's not unreasonable to feel anxious, or edgy, you can't help how you feel. But there are millions and millions of us who work, travel to, and spend every weekend in central London. It's less of a 'risk' than you getting in your car in the morning. Neither me or anybody I know has ever been involved in or witnessed terror. It's not anymore dangerous than walking down the street, literally. Actually it's safer. Thousands are killed doing that each year. If you lived your life according to likelihood of accidents you wouldn't get out of bed.

It feels very safe here in central London. Lots of visible police presence and people going about their daily business as ever everyday preoccupations take over. But we should remember this isn't about London - we are just sending our hearts out to those poor people in Manchester who've lost someone.

I read the paper but had to stop as it starts to feel mawkish going over and over the details of events and injuries. I expect that as usual the security level may go down in a day or two and we will thankfully get on with our lives - driving badly, reading text messages or not looking when we cross the road taking on risk every single day. But we can go back to normal - some of those families affected will not and cannot and my heart bleeds for their loss of the everyday expectations of being with their loved ones.

Sionella, on lockdown rught now?

Soinella, why?

Any major city or major event or major transport link is a target and will probably remain a target for sometime. If you want to avoid those areas or events and continue to avoid them then that is your prerogative to do so.

Personally I will continue to live and enjoy my life as best I can and I want to see things and do things outside of a small area etc so if this was me I would continue with the trip as planned.

Yes but it probably sounds more dramatic than it is. It means only one door is working, passes must be shown at all locations, visitors have to be searched etc. It doesn't mean an invacuation (we practice those a few times a year and they are a gigantic pain in the arse but again worthwhile)

My office is the same as Sionella's. Doors shut, ID to be shown before you can enter etc.

It is what it is. I can't not come into work, I can't move out of zone 2 any time soon. I can be aware of my surroundings, be kind to people and carry on as normal.

Oh I see
Lockdown at my place means all the doors lock and wr can't leave
I'm on the ground floor so I'd probably climb out of a window and leave, the idea of being trapped at work sends me over the edge.

Yes, I don't know why they call it that, it's not quite accurate is it?! I'm on the twelfth floor and our windows only open after a fire (in theory, never been tested thank goodness!), so I'd be looking at abseiling off the roof terrace to escape!

I would go and carry on as usual . Ds is a teacher and he's taking a school trip to a London museum today , we went to DLP just after the Paris attacks a couple of years ago and I'm old enough to remember the IRA bombings - and they never stopped us going places or doing things either .

I work in London and Glasgow all the time, and a few other places. The only time I felt something was wrong it turned out the PM of somewhere was visiting the same place as me hence tons of security. I just carry on.