Last night I found myself in a crowd that would not have bee out of place at an Obama coronation. Thousands around me pushed and squeezed like they were millions. I had just come from the Tower where I saw the crown jewels and learned about processions and where to use which crown and when. It all felt oddly familiar. People kept pushing ahead with no clear goal beside following those ahead and not getting in conflict with the guys in high visibility vests.
No king or queen was being put into a throne. It was the run-up to the official London fireworks, and everyone was there, heading down to the Thames for a good view. The pyrotechnics were to be launched from the Eye, with the best view from Westminster Bridge. Because of overcrowding of the area, Westminster Station had been closed since late afternoon.
We got off one stop later, just a few steps from the Thames. A sea of people spilled up the stairs and through the gates, which were open. Normally, every tube user has to touch a reader upon entry and exit to have the correct fare deducted from his prepaid card and the gates opened, magically. If you miss to touch out, you get an 'incomplete journey' and are charged four pounds. This hurts particularly if you've already reached your daily cap of about five pounds, after which further trips are not charged.
My friend and I had traveled a lot that day and were safely in travel-for-free territory. We walked through the gates but couldn't touch out. Tube officials verbally pushed everyone ahead, afraid that each little hesitation could lead full-blown congestion down the line. I fingered my pants pocket to get my card out, but the nearest attendant urged me on with utmost intensity. Don't worry, he seemed to say, it's free tonight. The gate is open.
It all might have been part of a scheme, Transport for London's great there-is-no-free-lunch scam as I call it. Free travel on the tube between late on the 31st and early on the first had been advertised abundantly. All the exit gates in the center of town were indeed open. But almost everyone on the train had started their journey somewhere outside that zone – by touching their card in. The next morning, some discovered 'incomplete journeys', charged at four pounds. I did. My friend did, and those I celebrated New Year's with did too. We got our money reimbursed, put back onto the card. I wonder how many did not. And I can't help to assume that Transport for London planned it this way to avoid financial loss with their travel-for-free night.
Last night, I didn't know this, and I had no time to react anyway. We were jolted from the station and into a back alley. Crowd control folks kept pushing everyone one way only. Turn left here, turn right here, keep moving. This is how we flowed down the car-less Strand all the way to Blackfriars Bridge. We could have stayed in the tube two more stops and we would have got to exactly the same place much earlier.
Not much was lost, though, since we found a good viewing point about a quarter of an hour before midnight. The air was calm and there were few clouds; perfect fireworks weather. We had two bottles of champagne and four real glasses. The New Year would arrive in style.
No matter what kind of year it's going to be, I hope it's gonna be good to all of you out there reading this blog. Best of luck and health to all of you.
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