Posted by Peter H on June 19, 2004 at 17:52:24 from 81.131.216.179 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: Helpfulness on the UndergrounD) posted by John Nichols on June 19, 2004 at 17:39:52:
I have a slightly different tack on all this (which is why I, over-hastily, accused Andy B of sarcasm). I worked in London for 35 years. I cottoned on to 'big city living' pretty quickly. On public transport you keep yourself to yourself. You just do. It's something to do with the huge mass of people. You have to keep your own integrity together. Once you start getting involved with any stranger, you're going to feel the strain, and if you carry on . . .
The corollary to this is the experience of fell-walking (and Andy must have noticed this). There comes a point at which you always greet other walkers when you pass. I reckon it's about 500 ft, but on a popular fell it might be more like 1,000 ft. If you pass the same person in the street in Keswick or Ambleside that evening you ignore them as usual. Can't explain all this, and it may not be much consolation to John, but it's definitely some sort of instinctive reaction to crowds of people, or lack of them.