Tube Tricks...

Conversation over a Chinese dinner with friends yesterday drifted to the tribulations of traveling on The London Underground...

She's a Londoner...and seems to have lots of tricks up her sleeve...I actually think that she should write a hands on... (Which I think is a must have for all first time travelers / tourists to London...)...

But till she comes up with that...this is what she shared with me...

1. a. If a lady sits with her legs crossed in such a way that her foot is bit too high and touches you...you do just the same and make sure your foot touches her...see how she sits up straight...
1. b. Similarly if someone is reading their newspaper with their arms spread out so that they overlap over you...you do just the same...

2. When traveling on lines where the tubes have the seating arrangement in the form of cubicles, try to get into the 1st carriage and the first seat - that one has no seats opposite to it so there would never have been anyone sitting with their feet up (which is quite common) and you have a clean seat!!!

3. Getting into the first carriage is also a good idea for women traveling alone at night...its just safer as you are closer to the driver...

4. Know your stations well...get into a carriage that is close to the steps/ escalator of the destination. Being among the first out, you would be saved the jostling on the escalator...

5. Exception to point 4...if you find that the tube is overcrowded...check the route...e.g. if u take Metropolitan line...then better to get into the carriage in the middle as that is the carriage that maximum no of people are going to get off from at Baker street (see rule no 4) so chances of getting a seat are higher...

I have often had people pushing me to grab a seat when it gets vacated...and I lose the seat even though I am closer to it...need to get some ideas from her on that...so part 2 of this to follow after I catch up with her again...