London, it’s time to get with the program!

A group of us were riding the Underground around London today. After “minding the gap” we entered a not-so-crowded train on our way back to Piccadilly. I stood aside and offered an empty seat to a colleague of mine whose fashionable shoes (and a few blocks of cobblestone streets) were making her feet hurt. Before she could move, a London businessman muscled his way between us and plopped down in the offered seat. Uncharacteristically, I simply gave him a quizzical look (well, I thought it was quizzical) and said “pardon me”. As if he had grown up in New York, he gave me one of those “What?” looks as if it was me that was self-centered and rude. Ignoring him for the rest of the trip (much to his liking I’m sure), we were all pushed aside as he again showed his “I need to be first” tendencies exiting that train at our stop.

Work is being done all over this (already) attractive city, I guess, in preparation of hosting the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. They are busily sprucing up and refurbishing many aspects of the city center – I’m sure it will be wonderful. But these preparations are only window dressing, if visiting guests are treated in such an ungentlemanly fashion. I’ve always found Londoners to be kind and well-behaved, so I can only hope that this self-centered bloke is an exception, rather than the rule. If not, preparations in London need to be extended to etiquette classes!