Going to London tomorrow - what to do :(

[pinkunicornsarefluffy]

Posting here for traffic, I am going to London tomorrow, train from here to Paddington, then Euston, then Watford Junction.

Having just seen the news about the bomb, I am now terrified. I rarely go to London and this is so scary. There will be 3 adults and 3 children aged 9, 10 and 13.

If we don't go, we lose £600, but what price your life or your kids life?

We are still thinking of going and doing bus or taxi from Paddington.

Has anyone got any advice on transport ?

What would you do?

I think pinkingshears is out of order - Butterbeer is lovely!

Take a cab if you need to. There are black cabs that look like minivans, and they take six people - I think the model is called "metrobus". They line up with the other cabs at taxi ranks, and are counted as any other black cab.

Have fun, OP.

I've commuted from Watford to central London for more years than I care to think of, I'm 65 i'm still here, there are no guarantees in life think of the poor folk in Grenfell tower, they were all at home!

Sorry, just saw bookworms helpful post on the fire train closure.

Never go in a field with a bull!

allthecheese the Wimbledon branch of the district line's been suspended. You'll need to get the bus.

Oh ffs just go! What about us who live and work in London!
I'm sorry but I really hate all this! Think of the bigger picture. You'll be fine!

To be fair, as others have said, it's the 'what price my kids' lives' bit that really riles - as if all of us who live in London are playing fast and loose with our children's lives. Every time you get in a car you are risking your kids' lives more than you are getting on a tube. Every time they get on a bike they are risking their lives. Maybe they use stairs on a daily basis. That's a risk. Going swimming is a risk. Eating food is a risk as choking is a significant cause of accidental death. Living is a risk.

Of course it's natural to be a little anxious but you need to put it into perspective. You can't live a risk free life.

If you're worried about the tube it's a fairly short black cab from the Paddington rank to Euston. There are 9m people in London (including my 2 DD and 2 DGC) but you have to be very unlucky to be caught up in anything.

Argh, the OP has made it clear her group doesn't want to go on the tube! This is why going on the Bakerloo is not an option.

How much of it is actually underground at that point? Outside central London most of the tube is actually above ground.

From Wiki:
North of Queen's Park, the [Bakerloo] line shares tracks with the London Overground Watford DC Line and runs parallel to the West Coast Main Line.

There will be a tunnel to go under the hills north of London, but mainline trains go in tunnels for that too.

Going to Euston just seems to make the journey unnecessarily complicated.

I completely agree that we are all far more at risk every time we get in a car.

Sorry. Not read the whole thread, but yes do come to London. My dh sent me a text to say he was ok and hadn't realised he might not be!!! Risks are minor compared to other daily risks.
There may be more police but take that as a good thing. My son was excited yesterday to see a policeman with 3 guns at Victoria station. Turn it all into a positive. Oh look at all the people here to look after us etc etc!
And if it's not been mentioned get the city mapper app. Tells you how to get anywhere on tube/bus/ any combination.

Go. Don't give in to terrorists.

ArcheryAnnie
well my dd, who will eat / drink absolutely ANY muck if there is sugar in it, couldn't force it down. Paid for the special 'butterbeer souvenir mugs' too. Plastic with a sticker on that came off upon first washing. Something like £4 a pop? Yak. Have nice fake pic of her slurping tho! :)

Not read the whole thread but I think your anxiety is entirely understandable. My son attends school in Westminster and for a long time after the attacks earlier this year, I was anxious every morning he left for school. But as others have said, thousands of us Londoners travel around the city every day without falling victim to an attack. Go ahead and enjoy your weekend.

Glad you've decided to go.

I used to live in London, then moved out and have lived rurally for a long time. I go into London about 6 times a year and I do get nervous about it: the number of people, the noise, the traffic etc is a bloody shock after country lanes, fields and knowing everyone you walk past. However, it only takes a short time to get into the swing of things and I'm sure you'll have a fab time! .

why is that statistic comparing 15 yrs of deaths caused by cows to 7 yrs of deaths by terrorism?
Why are the time frames different? Just because I was taking the data from two different articles that came up when I googled "death by cows" and "death by terrorism". I did give a per annum breakdown, but it was all a bit tongue and cheek and i didnt read the articles. Maybe we should crowd fund a proper statistical study?

@pinkunicornsarefluffy

Just google maps the Studios address from Paddington and click the public transport option ?

Thanks for all the help and advice. Yes, we are definitely going, and all we have to do is to agree on how best to achieve that.

My friend texted me which made me panic, and it all went from there.

and to anyone who has been in a terrorist attack or whose family has suffered in an attack. My post was in no way meant to belittle people who have been through things like it.

and neither am I saying that if you use the tube you don't care about your kids. it wouldn't even occur to me that your kids would get a tube to school, as round here it is school buses only.

Stay safe everyone who is in London and everywhere else for that matter!

If you still need help with non underground :

Beatrice I wasn't aware that I could look at public transport on google maps, as I only ever use it from A-B entering postcodes for driving as I never use public transport.

I have now done this thanks, and it shows the Bakerloo to Harrow and Wealdstone as most direct. It is wether my friend will do the underground though. I am pysching myself up to whatever is necessary, whether its under or over ground, it will be cheaper.

and working on the lightning doesn't strike twice theory...

*Beatrice, thanks for the screenshot, I have printed that out.

The more info I have, the less anxious I am, and the more I can show my friend as to how we can get there.

This thread has reassured me and given me the boost I needed to show me that it will be ok and that we should go.

Sorry OP don't mean to sound harsh but you do need to get a grip. Use this as an opportunity to challenge yourself and your anxiety rather than giving into it and allowing avoidance to rule your life. You're a grown up, set an example for your kids by going about your life as normal!

I live around 200 miles from London and have a pre planned trip there tomorrow for the day, including a busy gig venue and lots of tubes through busy lines. I can't wait. Wouldn't have crossed my mind for a second to change plans. No need to make a drama about something that isn't necessary.

Are you having therapy to learn appropriate coping strategies for your anxiety?

When I lived in London, I didn't evacuate every time there was terror attack/ alert. How does everyone else manage, businesses don't grind to a halt, etc.. people keep on living.
When I worked at a shopping centre in Watford in the 90s we had IRA threats nearly every week, sometimes a few times a day. We had to close the shop I worked in and assemble at a designated area. It was disruptive. But you just carry on.What else can you do?

BTW, my dad's best friend was killed by a cow.

If we don't go, we lose £600, but what price your life or your kids life?

Prize for the most drama llama phrase of the day!