To change my xmas plans because of terrorist threat

[questabelletreetop]

We have afternoon tea booked in London tomorrow, I was planning on taking my two DC ages 12&4 with my sister. The plan is to do that then take the open top bus along Oxford Street to see the lights, ending in Trafalgar Square for carol singing.

My question is with such a huge terrorist risk in London this Christmas would you be taking your children, especially a four year old who can't run?
Is this a sensible thing to do?!

I live in London OP, and work in the centre. I’m still going in every day.

The danger is negligible. It's probably more dangerous walking to school.

If you don’t go then the terrorist will have won. I do sympathise with you though as I have really bad anxiety around death etc (I know I should seek help).
I have to go to work to London quite a lot so I just look at the route I would need to take and process of elimination says a terrorist probably won’t be there because the area I’m visiting isn’t busy/visited enough. Where abouts are you supposed to be going?

My SIL missed 2 attackes (spread years apart) by about 10 mins so this really does play on my mind when I have to go for work.

In all likelihood, you’ll all be fine though! I say you should still go

I live in London too. I wouldn’t think twice about it. This is my bloody home, what else am I going to do? It sounds like a brilliant day you have planned.

Be alert by all means, but have a lovely day out.

I live in London too. I'll be in central London tomorrow with my 21 month old son and 32 week bump. I'm not in the slightest bit worried.

I wouldn't even give it a second thought. I've just come back from a couple of days in London for my son's 5th birthday a d had a fab time. Go and enjoy yourself.

I wouldn't take them for the carol singing-but I doubt that you would be in much danger taking tea or on a bus.

Statistically you are likely to be fine; but if you are going to be on edge you will not enjoy it, so cancelling makes sense.

I have huge anxiety around terrorist attacks, ever since Manchester. Which is bizarre as I am born and bred central London.
My DS1 is going out with my good friends for lunch and a panto in central, at the weekend. I'm consumed with panic, but I am not gonna let it affect myself, and no way in hell would I let him miss out because of it.

What terrorist threat? I live in London. Do you have information the general public/police doesn't have?

You are more likely to be killed on the bus/train/car journey there.

You’ll be fine.

I'd worry more about going on a car journey than a terrorist attack, it's statistically more likely to kill you (but obviously doesn't make for tantalising headlines.)

Why did you book it then? What's changed since you booked?

You are far more at risk whenever you travel in a car on a motorway. There are tens of thousands of children who live and go to school in central London....of course its fine to go on the tour.

Definitely not. You should all stay home under the kitchen table until the threat is lifted - sometime around 2050.

You are more likely to die in the car/ on the train there so your perception of risk is completely skewed. This is want the terrorists want. Just live your life..

For context OP, there were 1,780 deaths on uk roads in the year ending March 2016.

There have been 126 deaths following terrorist attacks, in the last 17 years.

The likelihood of you being on that tube carriage, on that line, at that precise moment, and within the blast radius, is utterly minuscule. (Or piece of pavement when a truck drives down, specific table in a pub when a mentalist storms in with a knife).

It is a scary thought, especially when you have your children with you, but please try to rationalise it so that you may enjoy your life rather than try to avoid a very much unlikely situation.

If you are going to be utterly miserable during the whole day, then stay at home. You will make it a horrible day out.

But you realise they are far, far more likely to die any time you take them out in a car, right? Does that stop you taking them out in a car?

Things that are also more dangerous:
Trampolines
Garden ponds
Etc

You are more likely to be killed by a dog - genuinely. I looked up the stats before my son's school trip to London recently.

I'll be heading to Oxford st tomorrow for a Christmas meet up. Wild horses wouldn't keep me away, although this sore throat might do the job.
Go and enjoy yourself !

Live in London, you’d be ridiculous to cancel sorry .

Why did you book it then? What's changed since you booked?

That’s my question too. Seems a strange thing to do.

I live in London too. I work near Westminster. I don't have kids but I see plenty on the tube every day, just getting on with life where we live.

And I wouldn't go anywhere near Oxford St right now but that's simply because I know it's going to be utterly heaving.

Just go! Don't let the evil scum win, I narrowly avoided being at the christmas market in Berlin last year when the lorry hit. I left the market minutes before it happened but I continue as normal anyway.

Is there a huge risk from terrorists? I live there, I work there, I socialise there,my children go to school and nursery there. Have I missed something?