Christmas tube etiquette

I normally take the Tube every day either to or from London Bridge to work in Moorgate and walk the other journey to get some exercise.  However, over Christmas, it became necessary to walk both journies, even despite the severe weather: wind, ice and snow.

I know tube etiquette is normally lacking but over Christmas it became truly dismal.  Although tis the season to be jolly, there were so many highly strung and obnoxious people using the London Underground that I had to take myself out of it to keep sane.

The carriages were busier than usual, everyone had multiple shopping bags, we were all wearing many more layers which became intensely hot when all crammed in together sardine-style underground.  All of this translated into pushing, shoving and then a lot of shouting at each other.

I jumped on an already busy tube carriage a few days before my Christmas holidays began and as quick as lightning encountered two fully grown adults full-on screaming at each other because one may or may not have accidently bumped the other. I mean, for goodness sakes, accidental bumping - really worth losing all self control and dignity?  I really hoped that one of them would suddenly realised one of their colleagues was standing nearby and had witnessed their total lack of maturity.

So when the holidays came and I no longer had to trudge through the snow and blistering winds across London Bridge to avoid this drama, I rejoiced.  Now, as the holidays draw to an end, I dread the inevitable post-Christmas and January blues that will mean the Tube once again is a place to avoid...

The Little Book of Tube Etiquette is out now at http://www.amazon.co.uk/ priced at £8.99