Thamesblink*

Although I think there is at least a PhD thesis if not an entire book to be written on the British and their inability to complain, or deal well with complaints, and how it relates to race and class complexes (particularly on trains), I believe there is something actively poisonous about the Thameslink* trains (probably the seat layout, smelliness plus inevitable delays) between Bedford and Brighton that causes psychotic, antisocial behaviour.  In the past few months on the few times I have unavoidably travelled on Thameslink I have witnessed a violent rant from a working class black mother convinced that a white, middle class man (started off polite, then became increasingly snotty) asking her to stop her daughter from kicking him was racially motivated, through to an entire carriage staying quiet, or moving to another carriage, or rolling their eyes at each other until a cool, young, blonde haired, attractive woman finally asked the hormone fuelled, mixed sex, black, working class teenagers ricocheting  around the carriage to think about how their behaviour was upsetting others (turned out she was a teacher in Lewisham) with brilliant effect.  The rest of us just  watched and admired her hitting exactly the right tone, which none us, I suspect, would have been able to reach.

In fact Thamesblink trains are so toxic and usually overcrowded that there doesn't even have to be a class or race angle for people to succumb to trainrage - I got to the point where I actually wanted to punch a woman (standing) who took exception to my asking her to stop leaning on me (sitting) by continuing to lean on me and then occasionally biffing me on the head with her bag or hand 'by accident' and then saying "oops sorry" in an exaggerated way.  She was white and middle class, as am I.

*OK I know it became FIrst Capital Connect a while ago, but until they change the rolling stock and improve reliability it will always be Thamesblink to me.