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January 14 A commuters view (1)I've been a commuter around the UK and the world for that matter for many years. Initally in company cars, but over the passed eight years I hung up the car boot and put on walking boots and used public transport. Although somewhat fearful of what beckoned when travelling with the masses after twenty year in the comfort and conveience of my company velocipede, I soon found it to be a whole new set of rules and experiences that can actually bring a lot of pleasure, relaxation and opportunity.
Now don't get me wrong, public transport in the UK can often be an arduous experience and very uncomfortable, let alone damned inconvenient and whilst I hated it in the early days, it did give me time to think. So think I did. Often I thought about work and then I thought, nah, they get enough for their money ... I'll read. Then I began to think of what I can do for three to four hours a day whilst travelling. Reading of course, but what else? The crossword? Play games on the laptop? Talk to people? - oops no, they are looking at me like I'm an alien. Sleep? - oops missed my station on the way home and ended up with a £40 taxi bill.
In the end I do most of the above and some others whilst travelling, but there is something I've been doing since day one as a public transport commuter (ever without realising it in the early days) .... and that is observing. Watching people and how services are run and I have to say there are lot of things that could be very annoying if I didn't take the view that I find them amusing.
So, I've decided to have a go at authoring some of these observations and potential annoyances and use this blog to let the world know of my views (not that that matters of course, but you never know someone might read it).
Where do I start.....
It would not be right to start anywhere but with the public transport system itself.
Buses
The government and environmently correct amoungst us are constantly campagning to get people to use public transport and leave the car at home. But let's be honest, I'll stop using my car, when there is a bus outside my house, when I want it, going exactly to where I want to go, at an affordable price and there is no one else on board incase I have to sit next to them because there are loads of other buggers on it too. Buses are just not convenient!
Trains
As for the trains, the timetables deliberately work against me - or am I being paranoid? - if I have to make a connection I can guarantee that my first train gets in to the station exactly one minute after my next train left. Of course the the rail company (who charge emmense amounts of money) will argue that they set timetable to suit the majority, fine but that doesn't help me .... where's the car keys?
Planes
Unless you are a trillionaire who can afford their own air transport, you are stuck with the annomoly of economy air travel. You have to get to an airport a billion miles from home, probably by means of the other public transport networks and their unfriendly timetables and costs, then queue up for hours feeling like the member of a chain gang to get rid of the bags you have lugged for seven hours to get there. Then it's through passport control (feeling like some form of terrorist) to wait for your delayed plane, only to be herded on to take your three and half inches of DVT inducing leg room, locked in like a sardine....Oh! enough, this one deserves it's own blog entry later, but you get the gist I'm sure. All this and to do it all again when you get to the other end because the airport it another billion miles from your eventual destination .... you need a holiday to prepare for the return journey.
and Automobiles
I can accually drive to paris quicker then flying .... well I could if the channel tunnel trains and ferry boats were on time. The car, bliss. Sorry Prime Minister and Eco Friendly peeps I'm selfish, my car is the best form of transport. At least I'm comfortable in my environment, with my music and my chosen companions when I'm delayed. And I start and end my journey in the same vehicle (mostly). Mind you, I did have to take out a third mortgage to pay for the fuel.
Delays
Yep, they happen everywhere and all the time and mostly for reasons that are quite frankly bazaar .... another blog there I think. Every form of transport suffers delays and more often than not they end up being the result of some form of human error, bad service or lack of forward thinking, but it's mostly us humans that cause the problems and these are what this series of blog are going to be about .... observation of human behavious and human cock ups.
See you all (if any) soon with the next thrilling installment of Mike's travel observations.
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