Most annoying habits on London public transport
For all the moaning that goes on, public transport in London isn’t all that bad. But it could be so much better. Here are five things Londoners do on the move which drive Snipe spare. So cut them out, and let your fellow travellers love you just a little bit more.
Lack of spatial awareness
This one covers a multitude of sins: Not moving down inside the tube carriage; not going on the deserted top deck of a bus in rush hour, instead crowding downstairs so new passengers can’t get on; when two people try to squeeze off a train on either side of you simultaneously, making you the pâté in a horrific tube sandwich; general dawdling in tight spaces leading to raging bottlenecks. Just…just be more aware, folks. Look around you, that’s all Snipe asks.
Excessive fidgeting to warn that you’re about to get off
So you’re getting off at the next stop. How do I know? Because every 2 seconds since we left the last stop you’ve been rearranging your bags, faffing with your coat and looking nervously in my direction. I get it. You need me to move. I will do so when the train stops, and you’ll have plenty of time to get off. In the meantime, chill out!
Repeatedly pressing the open door button on the overground before the light comes on
More pointless impatience and rabid insecurity. The door will open. It’s opened at every stop so far, just wait. Wait for the light and the little buzz. The system will work. Don’t be so narcissistic as to assume that the only person it won’t work for is you. Are you one of those people who jab repeatedly at the button at pedestrian crossings, even though the WAIT light is already lit? That’s annoying too. Leave your control issues at home.
Failing to open ventilation windows
Slightly less of an issue now we’ve left the summer swelter behind, but still a rush hour concern. Open the windows, just a bit will do. The breeze is good for all of us. It’s also great for achieving that just-got-out-of-bed-look for your hair, so there’s an added reason for sorting this one out.
Being annoyed at someone reading the Metro over your shoulder
It’s one thing if you’ve paid a quid for The Times and someone is trying to steal the precious words with sly glances and covert looks, but ffs the Metro is free! All you’ve done is pick a copy up from the neighbouring seat. Share, why don’t you? Just share the newsy goodness. That way we can all get along.
Follow Mike
Twitter: @MikPollitt
Email: michael.pollitt@snipelondon.com
09 Nov 2010
London agenda for Tuesday 9 November
1. See untold moments from Iraq and Afghanistan in Battlespace [Le Cool]
2. DIY at Counter Culture [Run Riot]
3. Finally learn something with KRS-One [Spoonfed]
4. Drink at the Chandos [Tired of London]
09 Nov 2010
Girls / Napoleon IIIrd
Two great songs for you today. First up, the new track from Girls. Who should, perhaps, organise a tour with Women, Men and Junior Boys.
Girls – Heartbreaker by snipelondon
And, a bonus MPfree for you – the closing track from Napoleon IIIrd’s second album “Christiania”, out today, and deservedly receiving a lot of plaudits in the music press. He plays Koko on November 19th.
Napoleon IIIrd – MTFU by brainlove
08 Nov 2010
Raves are back, according to the Guardian
The Guardian hopes that Scumoween: The Squat Monster’s Ball will kick off a new era of resistance to the Man! Rave guy Miller is probably more accurate, ““There is a self-entitlement with the generation that has grown up on the internet. They’ve already destroyed the music and publishing industry, now they’re working on destroying the film industry. Next might be the event industry which is crying out to be destroyed.”
08 Nov 2010
Fewer than 30,000 people are making a living from music. And that's worldwide.
Songick co-founder Ian Hogarth shared his findings at the New Noise Santa Barbara over the weekend, music supports fewer than 30,000 people.
08 Nov 2010
Best firework displays in history
Fireworks are great. That’s surely the only conclusion to be reached from this weekend’s festivities. Without further ado, here are five notable displays from history so you can cling on to the magic for at least one more day.
2008 Beijing Olympics footprint fake
Such an epic idea…a trail of firework footprints wending through the city to the Bird’s Nest stadium. An echo in fire of the Olympic torch relay, a visual symbol of the event’s connection with ancient times, of the shared striving of humanity across the ages. All brought to you by the power of CGI . Great finale in the stadium though – that at least was real.
2007 London New Year
Turning the London Eye into a massive Catherine wheel, using Big Ben as a compositional foreground object, setting off a shitload of fireworks FROM BOATS. This was special.
2006 Madeira New Year
The world record holder for biggest ever fireworks display. The video is a little grainy, but you get the idea. There were a lot of fireworks, and they went on for 40 minutes. Snipe wonders if it’s possible to get bored of fireworks?
1749 George II’s display
Back to the Thames for this lovely looking event, held to celebrate the signing of some treaty or other. Tragi-comic-ironic farce ensued. Says Wiki: “Unfortunately, during the display, one of the fireworks landed on the pavilion of the Temple of Peace, igniting the several thousand fireworks inside and killing three spectators”. Oh dear. At least they went out with a bang.
c. 13th century Chinese ‘ground-rat’
Back to China, where it (maybe) all began. The ground-rat was mysterious type of firework which once frightened the Emperor’s mother at a feast by scurrying along the ground very quickly. Snipe likes to think she jumped on a chair, hitched her petticoats around her knees and screamed blue murder, which as we all know is the traditional female response to an unexpected rodent.
08 Nov 2010
An amazing night in Shoreditch at ABSOLUT's Limited Edition event
The Nicholls & Clarke building in Shoreditch is an amazing Victorian monstrosity. It’s a five-story warehouse but instead of vast empty gloom, it’s a warren of brick-walled rooms, stairways to vast unseen studios, and exposed ducts and beams. Back when it was built, it was located in the Liberty of Norton Folgate, a tiny bit of territory that lay outside both the City and the borough of Shoreditch. It’s a cool space.
To gain entrance to the ABSOLUT Limited Edition party, you must go go down a narrow passage way to find the door, unmarked, but guarded by the first of many boiler-suited actors. A quick pap shot by the photographer and you’re inside a regular schmooze. But that’s where the disorientation begins.
A chap in tails selects people at random, removing them from their conversation bouquets and hustling them through a dark door at the far end. To the people left behind (if only temporarily), that dark door is an object of dread and anticipation.
To the people who go through the door (and, don’t worry, everyone did), their night became much more surreal. Alice just went through the looking glass.
Breaking up the social groups was a genius idea – not only does it heighten your senses, it creates new alliances with people you’ve just met.
It would be tempting to give away why that’s important, but ABSOLUT is treating people in other cities to Limited Edition parties, and we’ve heard that they get the Internet as well, so we’ll keep quiet on the details.
But we will say that the event has some wonderful payoffs. You react to a crazy situation — and 15 minutes later, you see the result of your decision in a completely different context. Quite brilliant. Another piece of advice, you will not be unrewarded by treating the hosts you meet along the way in character.
It’s over for London, but ABSOLUT is having Limited Edition parties in these cities:
12 November 2010: A disused office block, Northern Quarter, Manchester
18 November 2010: psl, Whitehall Waterfront, Leeds
20 November 2010: South Pavilion, The Quartermile, Edinburgh
Also, of course, enjoy ABSOLUT responsibly!
08 Nov 2010
London agenda for Monday 8 November
1. Ponder, with passion, What if Latin America ruled the world? [Le Cool]
2. Punk by post with Wire, Factory Floor @ The Lexington [London Gigs]
3. Experiment with one’s indie at School of Seven Bells [Spoonfed]
08 Nov 2010
06 Nov 2010
Snipe MPfrees: October playlist
Our MPfree compilation is a slightly slimmer volume than usual due to an epic holiday for me, but sporadic replacement posts from Snipe scribe Jon Fisher included one of our most popular tracks to date in Jai Paul, about whom you can read more in the current issue.
06 Nov 2010
Snipe Highlights
Some popular articles from past years
- Only 16 commuters touch in to Emirates Air Line, figures reveal
- Nice map of London's fruit trees shows you where to pick free food
- Silencing the Brick Lane curry touts could be fatal for the city's self-esteem
- Nice Interactive timeline lets you follow Londoners' historic fight against racism
- Punk brewery just as sexist and homophobic as the industry they rail against
- Hope and despair in Woolwich town centre
- 9 poems about London: one for each of your moods
- Random Interview: Eileen Conn, co-ordinator of Peckham Vision
- The five best places in London to have an epiphany
- The best church names in London, and where they come from
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