Friday, October 21, 2005

Rant or diary entry?

Today's answer is a rant. The subject 'puddles in London'... maybe it is just the segment of West London I spend much of my time in - but it seems to me that whenever it rains in London - the drains overflow, enormous ponds form on roads - and pedestrians get drenched by passing vehicles.

The bus I got this morning was virtually swimming down parts of Wood Lane - and earlier in the week the junction outside the BBC White City complex was basically submerged.

All this from a little bit of rain.

The reason one surmises must be insufficient drainage - whether this is because the infrastructure is crap or because London councils are too stingy to clean the drains frequently I don't know. Though I am inclined towards the latter as it adds further fuel to my opinion that my council tax bill doesn't provide me with very much service for the £125 a month it costs me!

At least this time the rain doesn't appear to have broken the underground system - which it has been known to do in the past. It always surprises me how the rail systems deal so poorly with weather. As a mate suggested at lunchtime - if the Trans-Siberian Railway can manage in what are clearly vastly more challenging weather conditions - why can't London's transport infrastructure cope with the odd bit of drizzle.

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1 comment:

Wreckferret said...

And even with all this rain- you know the rezzies will still be half empty come next year.

Certainly don't make walking to & from work pleasant tho- damp ankles, and then there's all the traffic that sprays up water onto the pavements- taxis & London Buses- who needs em eh?! =P