Dangers of the tube ~ please read and other London, United Kingdom Warning Or Danger Tips

I don't want to unnecessarily alarm you, but as with everywhere you go, there are certain dangers on the London underground.

There is always the danger of falling onto the lines, and you will be killed, either electrocuted by the huge voltage on the lines, or being squashed by the next tube!

So please be careful, and wise. Stand BEHIND the yellow line as advised and always be aware of those aorund you. Sometimes the platform gets crowded and I often get worried that I might be jostled and fall onto the lines. I keep a certain distance between myself and the person next to me. Just be extra careful please.

Unfortunately there are people who choose to end their lives by purposefully jumping onto the lines. This is so tragic for the family concerned, and the driver of the tube more often than not needs psychological counselling to get over it! Trauma after an attempted suicide is one of the greatest causes of illness for Tube drivers. So whenever you hear 'this line is currently closed due to a person under a train at xyz station'... you know what they mean...

Millions of London people (myself included!) commute daily and there's certainly no immediate threat to you, I just thought you should be aware that there are dangers.

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Website: http://tube.tfl.gov.uk/content/m

In bad weather the transport system is always affected. Whether it is snow, wind, lightening... all bring with them delays and suspensions of sections/whole lines/stations.

This can be quite frustrating when all you want to do is get home after a long, hard day at the office.. and then you find you have to rethink your way home!

Last week on the Bakerloo line turned 100... (congrats!) but with that came a storm and some lightening touched down quite close to the track in Vauxhall, which rendered trains there helpless.

This meant that Waterloo was running with HUGE delays and cancellations! Of the 19 platforms they have, there were only two with trains, both over half an hour late already... so I gathered I wouldn't be able to squash my way onto one of those... and had to rethink my way home.

Thankfully I do have an alternative!

Such is life when commuting, but one never seems to come to grips with it, as we rely on it so.

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Website: www.tfl.gov.uk

'Uneven paving stones - please take care'

This is what the sign says.

The strange thing is, you have to REALLY turn your head UP to be able to read this sign hanging from a tree branch... and in doing so, are likely to fall over said uneven paving!

The best place to look when walking on uneven paving is DOWN ..

This sign is found in my little market at St James in Piccadilly.

It is a gorgeous market, and a personal favourite.. but this sign just makes me chuckle :)

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Nope, the TIP isnt under re-construction, London is!

There are many areas, buildings and streets undergoing rejuvenation in London and Greater London at the moment.

There are demolitions taking place, replacing old buildings with new, and alot of maintenance and 'cleaning up' of the historic and listed buildings, especially their facades.

This particular spot is on Piccadilly Street, between Waterstones Book Store and St James Church. It has been going on for quite a while.

A building was demolished and another is currently being built in its place. The area is well fenced off with these blue boards.

Take care when walking under them as scaffolding (although generally very safe), has been known to collapse (recently scaffolding collapsed in Milton Keanes, north of London, thankfully no-one was hurt), so be careful as you walk through.

Don't forget your hard hat! ;)

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this is what NOT to do!

This is a general warning (lol), not specific to London at all, but I thought as this is where it happened, I would put it here.

It was 3 days before Christmas, Jenniflower (moi) and her coleagues were busy working on the usual painful Christmas deadline, tensions were high and patience short.

My coleague felt like a 'warm' mince pie.

The next moment, pandamonium broke loose! He had popped the mince pie into the microwave and put it on for FOUR MINUTES!!!!!!! Needless to say, the green and yelow smoke took over the open plan office very quickly, the smoke alarm went off shrilly, we grabbed our bags, left things as they were, and headed for the exit staircase.

The entire building had to be evacuated. We all had to wait across the road and roll-call was taken. The people from the other offices were all asking what was going on... what has started the fire? We said there was no fire, just a smoking mince pie... The fire department arrived within two minutes. 3 of them arrived, and they checked the building from the basement to the roof.

In retrospect it is really rather funny, but at the time it was not. For us, or for my poor coleague. He just wanted to shrivel up and hide. He was so embarressed.

So.. please take note on 'How NOT to heat up a mince pie'.

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Some view them as a London icon, something to be fed, and enjoyed.

Others view them as a menace!

London has millions of pigeons, mostly of the grey variety, and now and again a white one.

When eating in an outdoor area, watch out for them.... if you leave your food for an instant, they will be all over it!

As can be seen in the first photo, the ladies left their seat for a couple of minutes to get their order inside, and whilst they were away... the pigeons did play!

The best thing to do with these now very tame creatures, is to ignore them. Do NOT feed them and encourage them in any way, as they will badger you... Alfred Hitchcock's scarey movie, 'The Brds', comes to mind!! Aaaaah.

Plus... bird poo aint nice... and if they suddenly take flight next to you... they may leave you a little green and slimey calling card!!!

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