I must have a screw loose! As a daily commuter using the Jubilee Line on the London Underground I have heard just about every excuse possible for late and delayed trains. My 30 minute commute twice a day on the Jubilee line is what makes me grumpier than the grumpiest grumpy.
However, this week yet more delays on the Jubilee line were attributed to a loose screw which had fallen from a platform edge door. The screw lodged in the mechanism of the door preventing it from closing. This in turn prevented the train from departing, and other trains continuing their journeys along the Jubilee.
The Jubilee line is one of the busiest on the London Underground network and services more than 600,000 passengers a day. Worryingly it is one of the principal routes for next years Olympics at London 2012.
When the trains are moving, my commute consists of eight stops, getting intimate with various people during the journey. It is not for the faint hearted and getting into a carriage is a matter of gently pushing your way on until you know your in; whilst at the same time being pushed from behind from those also attempting to join the hot stuffy cattle truck (sorry the carriage). We then endure the sweet fragrance of hairspray, gel, dandruff, sweat, and just about any other human aroma you can think of. The intertwining of arms and legs and the exposure of sweaty armpits ensure an intimacy that is much more than you would ever enjoy with your closest family or friends. Even when you do find an inch or two of personal space, the sudden jolt and movement of the tube ensures another intimate encounter with a fellow passenger or two; and the best bit, you pay for the experience.
Enduring such experiences twice a day five days a week are a clear sign that just like the Jubilee line I to have a loose screw!
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