It has to be the altitude.

[madwitch]

Daily journey to work just reminds me how much I hate the tube. Aaagh. However, a non-tube journey to the Wharf from Battersea would take forever, something I am due to find out all about when the strikes happen. Joy.

But enough whining about tubes, there was a reason for posting.
A few days ago, over on stupid_free, there was a long rambling discussion about Anglophiles and people who don't seem to realise that not all of England is London. I suppose I can kind of see why you may think along these lines if you're not from old Blighty, dim as it may be. It causes no fear.

What does cause fear is the conversation I had yesterday, with a colleague born in the UK and living in London. Said only other woman in the office was expressing the growing fear she felt living in London, what with crime rates and such things, it's so terrible, people get shot every day here on the streets of LONDON. Most of this is being background noise until she utters the following:

"See, someone's just been shot in Letchworth and there was that boy shot and killed outside that pub the other day..."

I blinked for several seconds, as I tried to work out if I'd heard right. "Um, V, you do realise that neither of those things you just mentioned happened in London, yes? Okay, Letchworth isn't hugely far away, but the kid shooting? Completely different city?"

"Oh, as far as I'm concerned they're all the same place. London, Manchester, Liverpool, the same city."

And now I'm starting to wonder if this is why she's late for work every morning.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_grimtales_/]

That and crime rates have fallen, lots.

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

I told her that.
I pointed out that the reason we heard about more crime was increased media coverage, that 15 years ago we couldn't find 300 news sites online within minutes, that things like this made it look like the crime rates had gone up.

She looked at me as if I was really stupid and proceeded to say London, Liverpool and Manchester were all the same city.
I gave up.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_grimtales_/]

No, no, that's where you stab them in the eye with a rolled up copy of the British Crime Survey.

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

I shall keep one in my desk for future usage.

[puddingcat.livejournal.com]

Can *sort of* understand, being generous about it. There was a shooting in Letchworth yesterday as well - possibly she just got mixed up?

Ok, I'll stop giving her too much credit now.

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

No, she meant the one in Letchworth yesterday, she knew they were different.

Also Letchworth still isn't London. Liverpool really isn't.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

or the M5

Then again, if you think about it, Greater LA covers an area that would stretch from Portsmouth to Birmingham...

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

True.

But she's from London. She has no excuse.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Ah, that wasn't clear. *shakes head*

[vulgarcriminal.livejournal.com]

LOL. What?

Honestly though, Sunday night in Hampstead I felt way safer than a Sunday night in Manchester....

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

THE STUPID, IT BURNS.

Every day in London I feel way safer than I did in the 15 minutes I spent around Gloucester bus station this week.

[vulgarcriminal.livejournal.com]

It does burn, yep, yep.

Everyone should go to Wigan on a Friday night at least once. Then they will know the true meaning of terror.

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

But I don't want to. It's Wigan.

[windzswept.livejournal.com]

Been there, done that, felt remarkably safe.

Course, I had traveled down from Lancaster. ;o)

[vulgarcriminal.livejournal.com]

Also: Liverpool is just next door to London. Obviously.

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

Oh, is Liverpool Street not in Liverpool, then?

[vulgarcriminal.livejournal.com]

I wish, I mean, I is American so London to Liverpool is like going for milk.

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

I have enough issue getting myself on the bus to ASDA, it's too bloody far to want to go. I would DIE in the US.

Or get minions.

[vierkilau.livejournal.com]

I live at edge of letchworth so does seem close to me but see your point

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

Oh, I can deal with the Letchworth thing, that's close-ish.
It's the 'London, Liverpool and Manchester are all the same city to me' comment. THIS MAKES ME SCARED.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Which station do you go from in the morning? I never see you at battersea Park.

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

I get the bus to London Bridge and then the Jubilee from there. Also, I leave between 6 and 7am, depending on whether I'm swimming before work or not. Sane people are asleep then.