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How long underground on the DLR?

freedapeople

Asked by freedapeople 4 months ago for 10 kudos
Best answer by Floatykatja
Last active 3 months ago 15 responses

Ok, I am a complete freak, I whole-heartedly accept that, and I need some travel advice, advice of the sort that I cannot get on Transport for London because they don’t cater for claustrophic nut-cases.

Anyway, to the point: I have an interview near East India Dock at 11am tomorrow morning. Travel via buses/trains will take me approximately 8 days. If I take the DLR from Bank it will take approximately 12 minutes (thanks TfL). But I need to know how long of that will be spent underground. And therefore how long I have to persuade myself that the tunnels will not collapse on top of me, nor that we will get stuck behind a broken down train causing me to be stuck underground for 3 hours. I’m panicking already.

Seriously, I am so traumatised at the thought of taking the DLR that I am thinking about cancelling the interview. If it’s just a couple of stops I might be able to cope but otherwise I might just set off now.

Thanks to anyone who can advise…

Ps. this will not be an issue should I get the job as I will be moving to Hackney soon and can quite easily cycle there. (Well, I say easily... there will be sweating involved.)

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15 responses

Floatykatjaonline

Freeda, I think you should be OK. Have a look here – their info tallies with my recollections, which is that most of the DLR is overground. There’ll be a nasty start at Bank, but you’re pretty quickly above ground again.

Posted 4 months ago by Floatykatja

freedapeople

Oh you are MARVELOUS! Thank you so much. That link is spectacularly helpful. Have some kudos! And a large sloppy virtual kiss X

Ooh and I just noticed that I can’t spell claustrophobic either. The shame…

Posted 4 months ago by freedapeople

iSleepDiagonal

Once the train starts moving, you’ll be underground for a minute or two. If you get in the front seat, you’ve got the added joy of being able to pretend to drive AND feeling like a Viper pilot launching from Battlestar Galactica in slow motion.

I bet if you start from Tower Gateway you’ll have less time underground.

Posted 4 months ago by iSleepDiagonal tipped with 1K

iSleepDiagonal

I bet if you start from Tower Gateway you’ll have less time underground.

He’s right you know:

Posted 4 months ago by iSleepDiagonal

Floatykatjaonline

Aw shucks!

blushes

Posted 4 months ago by Floatykatja

freedapeople

you may well blush but thanks to ISD’s video link I am now wiping vomit from my chin, so you may not want a virtual kiss. You’re still marvelous though.

Posted 4 months ago by freedapeople

iSleepDiagonal

Golly, you are a sensitive traveller aren’t you.

Posted 4 months ago by iSleepDiagonal

freedapeople

I was feeling slightly nauseous anyway. And thanks for calling me ‘sensitive’ and not ‘shit’.

Posted 4 months ago by freedapeople

PrincessBride

Don’t go to Tower Gateway (this is a bit late, sorry). It’s closed. They’re rebuilding the bridge so it can take bigger DLRs or something.

Posted 4 months ago by PrincessBride tipped with 1K

CravenMaven

Oh you have my sympathies, freedapeople, and thanks for reminding me that I’m not the only one.

Posted 4 months ago by CravenMaven

Carlaonline

I love the DLR. It gives me a Simpons ‘MONORAAAAAAAAAAAAIL MONORAAAAAAAAAAAAIL’ earworm.

Monoraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaail!

Posted 4 months ago by Carla tipped with 1K

freedapeople

I went on it and I sat at the front and made brum brum noises until I noticed an elderly man in a TfL hi-vi vest staring at me with immense pity in his eyes. It was fine in the end and thank you for all your support.

Posted 4 months ago by freedapeople

ellie

I went on it and I sat at the front and made brum brum noises until I noticed an elderly man in a TfL hi-vi vest staring at me with immense pity in his eyes.

I’m glad it went okay. I don’t mind tubes but I’ve had other horrible experiences due to vertigo. I once went on the London eye as I thought “how bad will it be, I must be over it surely?”. I ended up sitting in the middle while a kid with special needs stared at me with pity and confusion, as he tried to work out why I looked ill and would not move. The person with him tried not to smirk but failed.

Posted 4 months ago by ellie tipped with 1K

freedapeople

that’s it Ellie, it’s the being trapped, with no control over where you are. Perhaps I should apply to become a tube driver to overcome the fear. Then I could make brum brum noises legitimately. Over the tannoy.

Posted 4 months ago by freedapeople

Zabadak

The DLR rocks my socks! Don’t tell anyone, though, or it’ll get crammed!

Posted 3 months ago by Zabadak