This evening - travelling by public transport in London

[keely79]

Am very much of the mindframe that you have to carry on and not let the terrorists win - but I work in Central London and need to get home to South West London - and am slightly freaking out about getting public transport home tonight given they haven't caught whoever it was as yet and there's no guarantee there was only one bomb...

I know chances are microscopic that I could be caught up in another attack, but can't help worrying.

There's already a lengthy thread about people wondering about going to London tomorrow - it's in trending. Go and read it and you'll see that you are more likely to die falling down your own stairs or in your own bath or being trampled by cows than by terrorism and that there is far less terrorism in the UK now than in the 1940s-1990s. Seriously.

Well said Shatners

Handhold. You'll be fine, but I get it.

Walk. You'll probably get mugged, run over by a car and drenched in a downpour, but at least you won't get blown up.

What's the alternative?

Given that the network is still running and there are loads of police everywhere, I really think the risk is very low and ironically this might be a safer time to travel. I would leave early though of your route is affected by extra people from the district line.

It's probably safer to make the journey that you're making than it was this time yesterday. People will be more vigilant and there will be more police.

You're probably more likely to get a seat than usual, too.

Buy some chocolate and eat it during your journey. Put your favourite music on your phone. Think about planning something really nice for breakfast tomorrow and focus on what you are going to do in the morning.

I've been travelling around London all day on buses and tubes and would have had nobodies anything had happened did it wasn't for social media. You'll be fine.

Thanks all. Think I'll walk down to Waterloo and get train - good exercise, in any event!

I'm fully aware that would likely be fine (would otherwise be taking District Line) but having been stuck on a tube underground at time of 7/7 bombing as was in tunnel going opposite direction at Aldgate, for tonight will keep myself above ground.

Tomorrow is another day - just need to give myself a little time to come to terms.

thecatfromjapan - excellent suggestions - thank you!

Too busy fighting the battle for a seat on the Northern line to worry about any crap some twat might pull. Odds of something else happening, particularly when security is likely to be heavy after this morning, are so vanishingly low.

I just crossed central London. Barring noticeable increase in police presence it felt just as it always does (ie packed and irritating!)

It'll be fine. I was on the tube at Baker Street when it happened, and it didn't even occur to me to be worried. I'll be taking my usual route home tonight. Honestly, don't let it get to you.

I lived in London earlier in adulthood and every time an IRA bomb went off I was about to go to the same place, or had just left it. Same with the Kings Cross fire etc. It probably made me more immune to all this.

I think you just have to hang onto the fact that a. They can't get us all at once, and b. Giving birth is more dangerous than getting the tube yet we all wade into that with aplomb.

In terms of practical strategies, doing things you enjoy in terms of little treats can help. I would be on the tube with a Crunchie, a novel and posh hand cream in a couple of hours' time if it was a commuting day for me. I tend to choose the end carriage as well.

Ho hum. I work central and live south-west too. I intend to take my normal route home, as I would on any other day. Unless the District line is still closed (I know they closed it this morning) I really wouldn't think twice about it.

They've had sniffer dogs all over the place all day, they'd have found another bomb in the area by now if there was one.

I can understand why you feel nervous. I flew from JFK 2 weeks after September 11 and it is the only time I have ever felt nervous on a plane. My husband also worked for quite a while in 1 Canada Square in Canary Wharf around the same time and that made me nervous. However, given the security it is statistically likely to be safer. Definitely walk around London if this makes you feel safer.

Sorry you wnet through that OP. Give yourself a bit of time as you say, then back on the horse, so to speak.

Sometime these event have the opposite effect than you expect. I usually commute through central London in the rush-hour, starting from outside London. On a normal day a traffic incident or a road closure in central London or a protest can cause chaos meaning a 1 hour commute becomes several hours. On the day of the 7/7 bombings I though there would be chaos and gridlock and seriously considered finding somewhere close to work to spend the night. In the end I risked the journey, and London was like a ghost town, the roads were empty.

It is unsettling I agree. I'm about to leave my office at Marble Arch and need to get a bus then train right down to deepest, darkest Kent.
My view is I need to get home to DP and DD and I'll do what I have to do to make that happen. The chances of me being injured or worse are actually very, very slim (not that I don't feel sympathy for those caught up in this mornings incident).

AnotherWinePlease your post made me laugh but yes now it's rush hour and home time it's understandable to be nervous.
There is a huge police presence and helicopters circling so I'd say things look covered right now. Just remain vigilant and get to where you need to go.

There aren't many cows in central London so you should be okay. But stay alert and if you see any piles of steaming shit in the road then leg it quickly (minding where you step, obviously)

itshappening - hmmm, a horse - now there's an idea .

Thanks for all your comments - feeling a lot calmer now and have decided to meet DH in Soho and have a nice big glass of wine (or several) and some dinner before heading home.