Tube snot

Tube snot. I decided a while ago that if I ever had a blog, I’d write about it; and that I’d link to all the pages I could find about it. Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be that many (on Google, at least). So I thought I’d contribute something to the subject.

Basically, this lovely phrase describes what happens in your nose once you’ve travelled on the tube (the London Underground, that is). Blow your nose, it’ll be black. The more you travel on the tube, the more disgusting it becomes. It’s quite alarming, the only thing that reassures me it’s normal is that everyone else seems who’s lived here for longer than me (i.e. most people) knows about it…

I’ve no idea whether this is common to all underground/metro/subway systems or not. Being from Canberra, I’ve not spent much time underground, or even on trains. Perhaps it’s just a big city thing. Who knows — whichever way, I don’t like it.

I’m not entirely sure what causes it — someone told me that it’s the brushes that the trains use to pick up power from the power rails. They wear down and leave dust on (and in) everything. It can’t possibly be good for you, but I guess the only people who have to worry are the London Underground workers. It seems like a plausible theory, everything in the stations is pretty black as well.

So anyway, that’s my short introduction to the subject. I don’t do much except short introductions, I’m afraid. (Or possibly, in this case, it’s a good thing.)