Tunes on the Tubes
Balham LUL station has station has started playing classical music in its ticket halls this week (perhaps to appease for the lack of Heelies allowed on station?). Personally, i find it quite calming, and has brought a smile to my face each morning. Its a shame they don't extend it to the platforms. However, the reasoning behind it is rather more pragmatic (and perhaps Orwellian). My sources tell me that it was first implemented at Brixton station as a form of crowd control, or rather pushing on 'undesirables' who were hanging out at the station, mostly in the form of gangs of youths, who find it 'uncool' to be at locations where classical music is playing. A little googling turns up plenty of evidence to support that. You never see kids hanging out in the glassed off classic and opera sections in HMV, so it must be true. I think its kinda ingenious, although just pushes the problem on to other areas. I wonder if this was a result of the recent interactive questionnaires they had on the station asking how 'safe' people feel there in the evenings.
And whilst on the topic of tubes.. the new Barclaycard/Oyster/Cashless thingy seems like a good idea, and first mover advantage is definately key here. The minute you have two in your wallet, you're screwed, as you'd have to take the card out of your wallet to swipe, destroying (i think) 80% of the benefit. So.. wait for another cooler one to come out, or get this one immediately? Oh the questions an not-so-early adopter faces...
Labels: tube
