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Public Transportation Love-Hate: The Tube

Jaunted is always in the midst of a public transportation celebration. Join us in celebrating the ultimate travel tool: a cheap way to get around. Share your stories in the comments or by emailing us at tips [at] jaunted [dot] com. Today's tale comes from Annabel in London.

The infamous London Underground. Perpetrator of the much-maligned "Mind the Gap" catch-cry, from the announcement that you'll hear every time you board the train and see brandished across tourist shop t-shirts throughout the city.

But that's not the worst of the underground. Used by by 3 million passengers every day, it's not uncommon for Londoners to stand for the duration of their daily commute and experience frequent delays caused by signal failures, staff shortages or "a person under the train". (That being the morbid euphemism for suicide that the driver won't hesitate to announce to all on board.)

Passengers and staff alike are prone to distress when riding the tube, with drivers and station workers addressing commuters over the loudspeaker like Catholic school nuns dealing with naughty pupils. "Please allow passengers to get off the train first!," barked the exasperated driver of my train a couple of weeks ago. When the bulk of passengers clambered aboard anyway, the driver sighed and muttered, "Go on then, pack yourself in like sardines, see if I care. I'm going home," much to the amusement of those of us left on the crowded platform.

Overheating, overcrowding, crotchety staff, delays, strikes and fumes; the London Underground is a hectic experience but you should experience it at least once. After that, you can investigate the city's bus routes.

Related Stories:
· London Transportation: The Best and The Priciest [Jaunted]
· Public Transportation Love-Hate coverage [Jaunted]
· Public Transportation coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: kk+]