“Louise, call my 12 o’clock, it seems I may be a tad late.” “Damn strike it took me four hours and three buses to get to work this morning.” “Three buses drove past before I could get on one!” “Out of my way I’m late!”
Just some examples of the conversations I was privy to on my rides into work during the infamous Tube strikes in June 2009. I, along with over 3 million others, sought ‘alternative modes of transport’ during the RMT unions’ 48hr strike. For me this meant a three hour bus ride from East London to Oxford Circus, followed by a one hour walk to
Call me crazy, but it was actually more enjoyable than I had anticipated. I wouldn’t want to do it everyday, especially at that pace, but seeing London from atop a Big Red Bus made a nice change to the dull and robotic monorail that is the Tube. It made me feel like a tourist again and appreciate the beautiful things about London. Not to mention the walk being a great excuse for a stroll through Hyde Park.
Sure, I was two hours late for work and at the time I was bitching and moaning over a pint down at the local for weeks, but let us be thankful it wasn’t permanent. At least London has a decent bus system that was able to keep the city going, albeit at a slower pace!
Don’t get me wrong, I certainly didn’t agree with the strike. A man who was fired for accidentally opening the doors on a very busy line while the Tube was still running and a RMT employee who stole thousands of pounds from the company certainly didn’t deserve to have their jobs back let alone a strike planned for them. I also firlmy believe the RMT staff are paid VERY well considering we were in the midst of a recession and many tens of thousands of brits were finding it hard to pay for bread, a pay freeze is not the end of the world but apparently enough reason to cause chaos across the entire London transport system. Greedy bastards
I would be all for making the RMT bosses reimburse the estimated 100million pounds the strike has cost London and that they be made to seek ‘alternative modes of transport’ for a year. Really we should be applauding those Tube workers who did show up for work regardless, and we mustn’t forget the incredible bus drivers who worked over time and under intense pressure to help us reach our destinations. I hope at least some of us stopped to thank them over the course of the strike. These are the workers who truly deserve a pay rise and job security.
Next time there is a tube strike (never far on the horizon) let’s all take the chance to live by example, get creative and explore London.
Pack your camera and get out your bike, sports shoes, skates, unicycle or scooter and make the most of your ‘alternative mode of transport’. Trust me, you’ll love it!
Oh, you'd better believe it, I've got my bicycle ready and raring to go!
ReplyDeleteJust a shame everyone knows I only work just down the road, haha.