I was very impressed by the subway system in London. I have to say - for anyone coming from NYC, it's very easy to figure out a lot of systems in other cities, and the famous London tube system was no exception. It seems that it almost goes out of its way to create a pleasant and easy experience. I loved especially those electronic signs that tell you when the next train is coming. The NYC MTA is very slowly getting around to implementing them, but it's taking years. We have them on the 4/5/6 line, though they're often not working, and now they're on the 1/2/3 as well, and the L (if I'm missing one let me know). I love those signs, because often they can let me know whether or not I should start reading my book, look for a bench on the platform, or just give up and take a cab. I also very rarely had trouble finding a seat on the London trains. I'm not saying this even should always happen, but invariably some nice man would get up and offer me his seat. That doesn't happen here. In fact, I've actually had men push me out of the way for a seat on the train. We're a city filled with George Costanzas here in NYC. I've also never had to struggle with a heavy suitcase up or down the stairs in a tube station. Someone *always* offers to help. People will occasionally help here, too, but it's not something to be counted on. In fact, I offered to help a woman struggling with a suitcase yesterday, and the thing was so heavy I almost instantly regretted it. I can't always blame people for not helping. It sure is nice when they do, though.
There are things I think NYC does better - such as air conditioning in the train during the summer. It wasn't overly hot in London in mid-July, and I doubt they get as many scorchingly hot days as we do here, but stepping onto the train upon leaving Heathrow, I was a little taken aback by the warm air that hit me. And when the train gets crowded in the summer, that A/C is quite a blessing. Another thing I noticed in London in general, but also in some of the tube stations (I say some because I wasn't in that many of them, and can't say whether this is universal) - the absence of trash cans, or "bins." The stations seemed perfectly clean, but it left me wondering what people do with their trash! I remember holding the same paper bag that I wanted to toss on two different trains on my way to the airport, and then finally asking the woman behind the desk at Virgin Atlantic's check in counter to throw it out for me, because I simply could not find anywhere to do it myself. Not that NYC's stations are any cleaner for having trash cans. There are still rats running around, especially late at night, and there is still tons of litter on the tracks. It's pretty gross. I heard recently that there was a proposal to do away with trash cans in subway stations here, and I don't think it's a good idea. I'm not sure how the London stations stay clean, but I'm pretty sure here people would just start using the tracks as a garbage can even more frequently than they already do.
I loved the aesthetic of the London system, though. I like ours, too, in a lot of the stations, but I loved the clean lines, the iconic signage, the way people move to the right on escalators so those of us who want to walk can pass them .... (OK that's got nothing to do with aesthetics, but it's something people are supposed to do here and don't, and it drives me crazy). So here are some of my favorite photos of the London Underground:
More Charing Cross, because they're just so much fun! Is that a raven in the one on the right? And look at those guys with clubs on the left. What are they doing?
Finally - I will be traveling in Europe in August - France, Switzerland, and Italy. I look forward to doing another edition of Signal Failures Abroad at that point!
