How safe do you feel in London?

[RHB]

In light of the latest events in Paris it made me think back to the 70s when I was working in the West End and the IRA boyos were letting rip. They were pretty hairy times and you never knew when the next big bang would go off. How safe do you people that still work in London feel after today, and is there any noticeable increase in security as a result of today? We don't visit London much any more but when we do I can't say that I've noticed any more security as a result of the latest terrorist threats, apart from the London airports of course.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Pretty safe. Canary Wharf is always crawling with security.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Most danger I feel in London is when I cross the road.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I worked in London during the early 80s when there were frequent "bomb alerts"...evacuated from Bank branches frequently, dealt with station closures...you just get on with it. I never felt threatened but I don't know how my parents felt. When my kids go up town I'm more worried about them being mugged or something than becoming victims of a terrorist attack.

 

[Firestorm]

Didnt feel particularly concerned working in the city during the late 70's early 80's, primarily as the IRA targetted the infrastructure of the city as opposed to targeting the population. I think the 3 main attacks (St marys axe, Bishopsgate and Canary wharf all occured after "closing time" for the city and did not result in widespread deaths.
7/7 Was an act of terror against the population and could have had a serious effect on peoples feelings of safety, but the terrorists were largely acting in small stand alone groups as opposed to well supported cells of a large well organised group and this has severely limited their impact.
personally I am more jittery around groups of drunks than I am about anything else. Particulary as I have been attacked more often by drunks than I have by terrorists

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Live and work in London.

Feel far safer in London than in Southend High St or Lucy Rd after dark!

 

[Uncle Leo]

Must admit, this didn't even occur or me until I read this post. Not worried at all. Although ******** adults riding their scooters on pavements is getting my goat right now.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Perfectly safe, always have. MK, however, is a ****ing jungle and I need to be on my guard 24/7.

Or something.

 

[maninasuitcase]

I worked in London from the late 70s until 2008 and never felt any less safe than anywhere else, though I did walk past the old P & O building a couple of hours before it got blown up. I always thought Fenchurch Street would be pretty safe as it doesn't have an underground station attached to it (for a quick getaway), and nobody knows where it is anyway, unless you actually use it.

I was staggered by the number of IRA attacks there were on London from the 70s onwards. Check out the list here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents_in_London#1970.E2.80.931979

 

[londonblue]

Most danger I feel in London is when I cross the road.

That's exactly what I was going to say!

You can add walking on the pavement to that. It's amazing how many people don't look where they're walking and either bump into you or cut straight in front on you, leaving you the choice of tripping them up, or tripping yourself up whilst trying to sidestep them.

 

[slapheadsteve]

I started work in St James Park. In mid 1974.
Remember some of the bombings very well. Did not stop us drinking in the pubs in those days around the incidents,
and going about our usual business.
Was working near Bishopsgate when that massive bomb went off.
Also the 2005 bombings now that was the most frightening. Was aware what was going on before it went out to the public

With my kids getting on the public transport system making frantic calls to not get on any trains or buses.
One was on the tube train before the one that was bombed.
I do remember that evening having to walk to Liverpool Street to get a train and the pubs were packed with people.
Just getting on with normal life laughing and acting in a defiant mood. Suppose the old Brirtish spirt kicked in.

Then finally hearing the bus bomb at Cambridge Heath Road just 25o yards from my office in Bethnal Green
and again making calls to members of my team who had yet to turn up for work. Thankfully none of them were effected.

After 40 years of communting i early retired a short while ago. I still go up to London often. I dont fell any less at threat than i do when i go about my normal daily business in Rochford.

 

[Jim Levenstein]

No worry at all

 

[ozzie]

remember a while after the Birmingham pub bombings,the ira c$$$s done a christmas bombing in London,either Regent st,Oxford st,etc..i went up London with my ,then,girlfriend...just to show them "up yours" you ira C§§§s..the street was closed off,but you could see the damage,had a few beers in London,then went back to Southend...was not worried

 

[Jam_Man]

Pretty safe. Canary Wharf is always crawling with security.

See how they cope with assault rifles.

Ive always felt safe in London, I have wondered how long before we had one of these sorts of attacks, but I think they would aim for Canary Warf and as I dont work there anymore it doesnt bother me as much.

Even so, I worked through London during the IRA era and remember the Marys Axe bombing well as used to drink yards from where the bomb went off, but luckily not that evening. As others said you just get on with it.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

It all depends which part of London, and what time. There are many no go areas after about 9pm.
As for terrorist attacks, I think it is just a matter of time and could be any part of London.

 

[LCBB72]

When my 3 eldest children were young we always took them to see Father Christmas at Selfridges and see the lights , we went up in 1981 and went in the Mcdonalds across the road and had a burger before we went to see Father Christmas the time was 11 oclock , the following week on the same day and the same time the IRA B******s let of a bomb in the Mcdonalds that the week before we had been sitting in .

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It all depends which part of London, and what time. There are many no go areas after about 9pm.

Too right, I wouldn't go South of the River.

Out of interest where are the other no-go areas?

 

[EastStandBlue]

Too right, I wouldn't go South of the River.

Out of interest where are the other no-go areas?

Nowt wrong with South of the River. Places like Peckham and Lewisham are too filled to the brim with hipsters these days to be remotely frightening, unless of course you've a severe aversion to spray-on denim and ill-judged facial hair.

The no-go areas seem to be more concentrated in the east than they are in south now.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

The no-go areas seem to be more concentrated in the east than they are in south now.

Where would you actually say is a no go area in the East though?

 

[Mad Cyril]

Out of interest where are the other no-go areas?

Sonny and Terry's bar.