Comments on: Comments on 5687

Post number 5687

Foaf — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 09:26:54 -0800

Tube drivers strike and the queue system falls apart! Getting to work was bad enough thanks to strking tube drivers and crack smoking officials at Hammersmith Bus station, now how the hell do I get home?

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 09:46:07 -0800

Don't you Brits still have a few of those big red busses?

By: thirteen

thirteen — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 09:52:24 -0800

Got any vacation time saved up?

By: Foaf

Foaf — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 10:13:10 -0800

Lots of big red buses, this morning full of people. Quite a few people turned to the trusty double decker as an alternative to the tube today. Many more probably stayed at home. The best bit of my morning was being told that the Hammersmith bus station was being closed because too many people were there wanting to catch a bus. They told us to seek alternative transport. With the tubes out and taxis protesting or stuck in traffic that left flying carpets or teleportation.

By: Avogadro

Avogadro — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 10:44:34 -0800

The strike action is the first of three planned one-day actions. Further strikes are planned on 12 and 19 February. I'm not familiar with this form of labor protest. How is this an improvement over traditional forms such as "walk-out until negotiations are over." If the reason to strike is to pressure management, wouldn't it be better to have one three-day strike (or a strike of indeterminate length) rather than this?

By: Dreama

Dreama — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 10:59:14 -0800

Avogadro, it probably would, but given the reliance on public transport, this is probably considered a more humane way of getting the message across. Today being a nightmare, the 12th being less so, and the 19th finding everyone prepared to face the travails of a commute sans Tube. Our public transportation system was shut down in its entirety for 8 days about a decade ago, and it was a nightmare. I give a tip of the cap to the union (or whatever) for the London Tube drivers for not wanting to cause total chaos while still getting their point across.

By: kindall

kindall — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 12:25:03 -0800

... the 19th finding everyone prepared to face the travails of a commute sans Tube Aren't they concerned that they will merely prove that Londoners can get along without the Tube and seriously undermine the purpose of the strike?

By: Avogadro

Avogadro — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 12:28:47 -0800

Ah...that makes sense Dreama (confound those Brits and their sense of "fair play"). It also gives them a bit more time to negotiate. Kindall, I've lived in London for a while, and with or without a car, it is damn difficult to get around in a timely manner without using the Tube. In reconsideration, I don't think that the strike would be undermined.

By: tobyslater

tobyslater — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 15:47:03 -0800

Kindall.... Of course Londoners can't get around without the Tube. I saw a fair number of people walking but what today's strike proved is that London without public transport is nothing but a sprawling gridlock. This isn't LA we're talking about; London isn't a city designed for cars. In fact, London is barely 'designed' at all. London's public transport system needs to be drastically improved and people need to be given an incentive to stop taking their cars into town.

By: dfowler

dfowler — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 20:43:57 -0800

Tube drivers, huh? Sounds to me like parts of a guitar amp. Tube drivers might be found in both the preamp and output stages of pre-CBS Fenders, Marshalls, and Hiwatts. P'raps I'm just showing my colours, tho'. I'm sure they'd be "valve drivers" on your side of the drink.

By: thirteen

thirteen — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 21:03:12 -0800

You still at work foaf?

By: alexfarran

alexfarran — Tue, 06 Feb 2001 02:56:50 -0800

Foaf - flying carpets, teleportation or *bicycle*

By: fullerine

fullerine — Tue, 06 Feb 2001 03:36:51 -0800

Hundreds of drivers belonging to the union Aslef are protesting over safety concerns in the run-up to the partial privatisation of the tube. Members held peaceful pickets at depots on Monday Doesn't anyone strike over PAY anymore?

By: Foaf

Foaf — Tue, 06 Feb 2001 04:17:44 -0800

Cycling - the most efficient form of transport. If I wasn't living in London I would most definitely bike to work. But the traffic, fumes, insane drivers and shit weather have put me off it. And yes - I am still at work :->