Due to a series of unfortunate events this month, I have found myself on crutches. I have a broken leg. For the first time since getting the break, I decided today was the day to venture out of the house and attend an event for work. The event was called ‘Meet the Communities’ and was held at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (great event, ps). So, I had to venture onto the tube, London’s underground. TFL told me it would take about 34 minutes from where I was traveling to get to Whitehall place. No big deal.
I had to change lines 3 times. I spent time on the Northern, Central and Circle lines. Besides having to navigate masses of people and climb up countless levels of stairs (quite the workout!) the most frustrating part of the whole travel experience was the people. I’d board a train and I’d see people sitting down reading newspapers, playing on their phones, speaking with their friends. They’d see me and immediately turn away as though it was a game. Last one caught looking might just have to give me their seat.
I was on 6 different trains today and only once did someone offer their seat to me. The one person that did off was well over retirement age and is the kind of person I’d offer my seat to, if you get my drift. It was appauling.
Not a single able bodied person got up to offer a seat on 6 different trains. There is something very wrong about that. I am so fortunate that I am only on crutches for a month and I’m not someone who has an acute or on-going disability. But honestly, this is just ridiculous! Where has common decency gone?
I really really hope that my experience today was a fluke and that the over the next month I will be pleasantly surprised. I seriously hope so.
Ps.- After writing this, all I can think about is Accesscity, something Dominic Campbell and co. have been trying to get off the ground. Dom, make it happen. I need to channel my rage towards something productive during this time 😉