SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST Dog-eat-dog world on London Tube
‘*In Overcrowded Trains, People Discard Good Behaviour To Grab Seats’* London: Chronic overcrowding on London’s Tube network turns people into animals who adopt a “dog eat dog” attitude to fellow passengers, according to a report released on Tuesday. Travellers ignore pregnant women or parents with babies in a “survival of the fittest” atmosphere on the underground train system, which is struggling to cope with never-ending tides of commuters and tourists. “I’m a different animal on the Tube to normal life. I’m not me. I’m a bit less interested in others,” one person told researchers for the study, compiled for City Hall bosses. The capital’s vast underground network — embodied in the iconic London Tube map — is a perennial source of grumbling for weary workers. Some parts draw more gripes than others. The Northern Line has the worst reputation, but many others can be hellish at rush-hour, with packed platforms and even more sardine-line trains, often so full that noone else can get on. Other examples of how people cope with the daily Tube grind include “suspension of the normal codes of behaviour — for example, going after a seat regardless of who else might want it, ignoring pregnant women and people carrying babies; adopting a Tube persona, more ruthless and selfish; switching off/shutting down — going into an automatic pilot routine, listening to music, turning one’s back; “developing strategies to reduce the impact of overcrowding — for example, by going the opposite direction for one or two stops in order to get a seat.” Transport for London, which runs the Tube network as well as London’s buses and other travel infrastructure, insisted it welcomed the report. The report’s authors said: “The overwhelming majority of passengers perceive overcrowding as a highly abnormal and unpleasant situation.” AFP
