The urban traveller

I have come to the conclusion that urban rail travel produces a different set of behaviours from non-urban travel.

In the countryside, people often appear more conventional; they stand or sit neatly. There is often a pleasant, expectant atmosphere, as if something important or extraordinary is about to happen.

In the city, I sense the mood is different. There is often a feeling of restlessness or uncertainty. Travellers are renamed ‘commuters’; they stand alone with their heads fixed on newspapers or books, and conversation between strangers is rare.

Unlike the calm, disciplined country folk, city rail travellers appear uncompromising. Their faces are often masks of stress; some impatiently stomp about, kicking at discarded Coca-Cola™ cans or cigarette butts, others fiddle with travel cards or play with mobile phones.

Tonight, I am an urban traveller; I am one of the stressed ones. If I wish to get to my destination, I must travel on the London networks. It’s a necessary evil!

On the plus side, it feels like the start of spring. The air is warmer than of late, and the early evening sky is pink instead of grey. I board my train, find an empty seat, and gaze out of the window.