Commute Ranting Thread

[Badgers]

Bet that this has been done before but could not find one....

Need to rant a bit about my commute home yesterday

Got on at Wandsworth town where tickets are never checked and no guard is ever seen on the train. Had to stand all the way home but that happens a fair bit and does not worry me too much.

Got to the bus stop right outside Waterloo station and the 188 was pulling in which is my bus. The driver let everyone off but would not let anyone on
He then started to pray (Muslim) which we all watched for about 5 minutes and was still going when another 188 pulled up (could not pull up at the stop because the prayer bus was parked in it) and I jumped on.

Headed up to the top deck and three charming young lads were sitting in the back smoking, playing tinny rap music on a mobile. I was pretty worn out and was not feeling in a good frame of mind so chose to ignore them. Next stop a girl got on and the lads hurled a bit of abuse at her so whilst another 10-12 people sat ignoring these teenage pond life I got up and had a word. I was not rude but raised my voice a little and one of them flicked his cigarette at me then all three started making threatening moves towards me. Nobody else on the bus did a thing and I was trying to work out whether I should start fighting with three blokes or what to do. As luck would have it I spotted 2 Community Support Officers waiting at the next stop so shot downstairs and got them to sort the lads who denied everything and said I was out of order. The Community Support Officers did deal with them well but there was little they could do I guess.

I strolled off the bus and the Community Support Officers got off at my spot and I was chatting to them. I told them that what I really wanted to do was give the little pricks a slap and they said that they felt the same way every day. They also said that they don't feel safe going out when not in uniform now as they have had so many death threats and the like.

Fun stuff eh?

 

[Kanda]

Wankers

Buy a bike

 

[Isambard]

Got to the tube station just as my train arrived.
8 minute ride, got off and walked to the office. Nice.

Sounds like you had a dreadful communte, sorry for that.
But why make you day worse by socialising with police?

 

[Badgers]

But why make you day worse by socialising with police?

I don't have a problem with the police....
I just have a problem with the laws that they are made to enforce!


Also I had to get a cab in the evening and was picked up by a really nice Asian guy....

Was asking how his business was and found out that he works 120 hours a week normally (over 17 a day for 7 days) and earns about £600 a week.

One thing that he did say which bothered me is that he now insists on payment in advance when picking up black people!!!! I asked him if he thought this was a racist attitude and his response was that he had driven 9 people who had done runners this year. Of those 9 he said that 8 were black and numbers did not lie....

I just gave up talking and stared into space

 

[Radar]

But why make you day worse by socialising with police?

Why wouldn't you pass a few minutes with the only other people willing to back you up in a sticky situation ? I didn't hear tell of any of the others willing to put their necks on the line to help out. Doesn't acab get a bit tedious ??

I was on the 100 on the way home last week after a few beers with mates. A chap hopped on bus and walked past the driver. He looked pretty hard done by, so I suspect the driver just let him ride. A minute later, the cunt sparks up, after first eyeballing everyone on the bus

I could hear this couple of OAPs sitting across the aisle, the old dear was winding her husband up something rotten (giving it the "Someone should do something" spiel non fucking stop) In the end the old guy snapped, shot out of his seat and tried to grab the fag straight from his mouth. A pushing session developed, so I got up myself and asked the smoking chap to please fuck off and leave the bus if he wanted to smoke. TBH I was more worried about the old guy, the smoker didn't look violent, but the old chap was bright purple at this stage and looked ready to pop a blood vessel.

Eventually the guy fucked off, but the whole time this was going on not one cunt on that bus apart from the old guy and his missus would acknowledge that anything out of the ordinary was happening (initially not even the fucking driver, surely he could smell the smoke).

One guy went to congratulate the geezer on standing up to the smoker, and the old guy told him to "piss off as you kept yourself pretty quiet earlier on"

 

[Isambard]

It's a pity people don't get more involved with anti social behaviour on public transport. A lot of it is of course well grounded fear.

Nothing wrong with calling on the police to help out in a situation but i wouldn't want to hang around with them engaging in their canteen culture of slagging off the population at large.

There are exceptions but generally yeah, ACAB and its a pity there seem fewer and fewer people on here these days who see the police as an enemy.

 

[Badgers]

Public transport is a horror isn't it...

I am no good on a bike though and don't like (or can afford) driving in London.

 

[Badgers]

Nothing wrong with calling on the police to help out in a situation but i wouldn't want to hang around with them engaging in their canteen culture of slagging off the population at large.

Police are exposed to the worst parts of the population on a daily basis. To be honest a lot of people on here and generally in life also slag off the population but don't have to deal with them anywhere near the level of the police.

 

[Auberon]

Police are exposed to the worst parts of the population on a daily basis. To be honest a lot of people on here and generally in life also slag off the population but don't have to deal with them anywhere near the level of the police.

yes, the police are exposed to society on a daily basis - and large sections of society don't like what they see.

edited to add: the police are 'exposed' to all sections of society on a daily basis - why do you fall back on the tired old line that only the 'worst parts of the population' make any impact on them?

 

[Radar]

yes, the police are exposed to society on a daily basis - and large sections of society don't like what they see.

edited to add: the police are 'exposed' to all sections of society on a daily basis - why do you fall back on the tired old line that only the 'worst parts of the population' make any impact on them?

That's clever, I see what you did there

I wouldn't say "only the worst make any impact", just that the worst parts make a disproportionate impact above their weight.

How many people post on here about the perfect journey they had back from the office ?? You know, the one where everyone smiled, had appropriate levels of deodorant, there were no delays on the tube, you got a seat that was clean and dry and you didn't get hassled by even one free-sheet pusher. Answer ?? Bugger all !!

Whereas "Journey from Hell" threads appear on here regularly (we're in one ffs )

It's human nature for the arsehole in your face to make a bigger impact on you than people quietly minding their own business. I suspect coppers aren't immune to this effect either.

Yes, it may be the same mentality that badger's cabbie displayed and worthy of the same disdain, but IMO it is understandable. Not excusable (professionals should be able to rise above it), but understandable.

 

[Badgers]

Whereas "Journey from Hell" threads appear on here regularly (we're in one ffs )

I spend 20 hours a week commuting so it is a big part of my life....

Moaning is a British art form and no bleeding heart liberal is going to rob me of my right to moan about stuff

 

[Radar]

I spend 20 hours a week commuting so it is a big part of my life....

Moaning is a British art form and no bleeding heart liberal is going to rob me of my right to moan about stuff

God given right.

Have spleen ? must vent Anyhow, a decent rant is good for you !

 

[Badgers]

I like this thread....

Arrived at Waterloo in good time this morning
Strolled across the station to check times and platforms
Every single display simply said 'If you do not have a valid ticket you are liable for a penalty fare'



Looked around at the confused zombies who were berating the station staff and trying to work out what was happening. Strolled over to the usual platform my train leaves from and asked a confused looking fellow in a yellow waistcoat if this was the correct train. He spoke very little English but I did manage to get the words 'I think so sir' from him.....

Jumped on the train and asked a couple of passengers if they knew what was happening and they knew about as much as me. At this point I just decided to stay on the train and see what happens. The train pulled out of the station with no announcements but after we got going the recorded announcement confirmed that it was the right train

I really need to buy a bike

 

[Biddlybee]

I really need to buy a bike

Do it!

Your journey to work would be pretty nice too... straight down the river

 

[detective-boy]

Doesn't acab get a bit tedious ??

In my experience, no ... they never find it tedious ... everybody else does, but not them, oh no!

 

[detective-boy]

why do you fall back on the tired old line that only the 'worst parts of the population' make any impact on them?

It's not that the rest don't make any impact - it's just that the nature of their work means that police officers spend a massively disproportionate amount of their time with peolpe who are (a) trying to attack them; (b) telling them to go fuck themselves; (c) pissed, drugged or generally not at their best; (d) out and out evil cunts who have done really nasty things to others; (e) victims of crime who are extremely distressed and there is little, if anything, that can be done to ease that distress; (f) the dead; (g) the dying; (h) the sad, lonely, ill and incapable who should be being helped by social services, etc. but who, instead have been abandoned to "care in the community" which is failing miserably ... and, yes (i) ACAB twats who stereotype police officers and who have not got the faintest fucking idea what the job is all about.

But apart from that, it's really easy to have a cheery smile every fucking day ...

 

[marty21]

i commuted in london for about 15 years, no real hassle apart from the usual; delays, cancellations etc

now i can walk to work (in london) and it's bliss

 

[Badgers]

Do it!

Your journey to work would be pretty nice too... straight down the river

Just had a look at a rough route from SE1 to SW18 and it actually does not seem bad at all.

Cycling makes me a bit nervous as I have bad balance and no sense of direction. I guess I can overcome these things with a bit of practise thought....

The only other thing that makes this an issue is that we have no shower here so I may be a little stinky at the office

Has anyone sorted out that teleportation thing yet?

 

[Onket]

Has anyone sorted out that teleportation thing yet?

I've not got a bad commute these days, 10-15 mins down the road on one bus, but even so I've had a woman fighting with a pregnant woman & a bus driver refusing to go anywhere after a woman started reading out loud from a bible in the past month or so. Both on the way to work too, so about 8:30 in the morning. How do people have the energy?

 

[Badgers]

I've not got a bad commute these days, 10-15 mins down the road on one bus, but even so I've had a woman fighting with a pregnant woman & a bus driver refusing to go anywhere after a woman started reading out loud from a bible in the past month or so. Both on the way to work too, so about 8:30 in the morning. How do people have the energy?

Quality

I remember leaving a free party in Hackney (I think) when a women started shouting passages from the bible from memory and kept going for about half an hour. Quite a lot of people were telling her to shut up but it was having no effect!!!

 

[Isambard]

Pity how Urban75 changed into a we love coppers boards

 

[Biddlybee]

The only other thing that makes this an issue is that we have no shower here so I may be a little stinky at the office

I don't have a shower at work either - just change when I get to work (after showering at home). I don't really cycle that fast though

 

[Badgers]

Pity how Urban75 changed into a we love coppers boards

I don't get this police slagging thing personally.....

I am far from a law abiding citizen in some respects but my crimes have not been to hurt or abuse people. My personal dealings with the police (whilst I would rather not have done) have been ok.

There are bad policemen
There are bad politicians
There are bad doctors
There are bad nurses

There are bad people in every trade or arena of life and I choose not to tar them all with the same brush

 

[Radar]

Pity how Urban75 changed into a we love coppers boards

No, just that acab is lazy stereotypical bollocks

It like saying all blacks are feckless crack addicts, all muslims are crazed suicide bombers. You're taking a specific case (at best) and using it to try to justify a general position

I know it's a great tactic to be let hang with the cool boys though

 

[Isambard]

There are nice people who go into the police.
Just they get processed by the culture and become "bad coppers" - or they leave.

I don't dislike the police cos I want to look "cool" and hang out with the bad boys. It's a reaction to their role in society and what they get up to.

I reguarly see the police on my commute. Their activity is usually either hassling anyone who looks "foreign" and/or searching teenagers and nicking them for pocession of a single joint.

Do I feel subjectively safer when they are on my train?
No. The opposite.

 

[detective-boy]

Their activity is usually either hassling anyone who looks "foreign" and/or searching teenagers and nicking them for pocession of a single joint.

You get a full briefing before they are depl9oyed, do you?

You get a full report on what they did, do you?

You get a copy of their stop and arrest reports, do you?

Do you fuck! So you really haven't got a fucking clue what the fuck they are doing, have you?

You are simply spouting sterotypical bigotry and prejudice. Simple as. Which is pretty ironic, seeing as that seems to be one of the things you whinge about the police doing ...

 

[Isambard]

How the hell do I know what they were briefed or the reports afterwards?
What relevance does that have?

I reguarly see uniformed police in action on my commute.
They are invariably either stopping and searching a teenager for even the tiniest bit of hash or they are hassling people who look "foreign".

I don't feel subjectively safer when there are police on my train.

 

[Onket]

I don't think this is the thread for this childish nonsense.

 

[Isambard]

Stupid prick on the bus today who would NOT stand clear of the doors so they could close despite the sign and the bus driver saying. I shot him evils twice and he FINALLY got the message.

 

[Badgers]

There are nice people who go into the police.
Just they get processed by the culture and become "bad coppers" - or they leave.

I don't dislike the police cos I want to look "cool" and hang out with the bad boys. It's a reaction to their role in society and what they get up to.

I reguarly see the police on my commute. Their activity is usually either hassling anyone who looks "foreign" and/or searching teenagers and nicking them for pocession of a single joint.

Do I feel subjectively safer when they are on my train?
No. The opposite.

It would be wonderful to live in a sunny utopian society where no police are needed