A commuter bravely walked barefoot on the notoriously filthy London Underground after having a mishap with their footwear, but what happened next left them wishing they hadn’t
A commuter was left with a shocking reminder of why footwear is crucial on the London Underground after their flip flops broke, forcing them to walk barefoot. The Tube, known for its bustling crowds and fast-paced environment, is not a place you’d want to be without proper shoes.
Reddit user Hot_Vanilla_5811 shared their unfortunate experience with others online. They posted a photo of their dirt-covered foot with the caption “Top tip: do not go barefoot in the London Underground”. They revealed that they had been rushing in the morning and made the “terrible choice” of wearing flip flops, which subsequently broke.
The grime covering their foot is likely a result of the dust accumulation common in the Tube network.
As stated on the London.gov.uk website: “The Tube is the oldest metro system in the world. Similar to other underground railways, the bustling journeys of millions of passengers, the movement of trains braking and accelerating along its 250 miles of track, and continuous engineering works to keep the system running can all produce dust that accumulates in tunnels and stations.
“All underground networks around the world face issues with dust, and parts of London’s network are 160 years old.”
The website clarifies that the dust on the Tube is different from above-ground pollution and is composed of metal particles (mostly iron oxide), organic matter like skin and hair, as well as mineral dusts.
The site reassures commuters: “Our monitoring shows that dust levels on the Tube remain below occupational limits set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), but we’re not complacent.”
Hot_Vanilla_5811’s Reddit post has stirred up the internet with its 7,900 upvotes and 2,000 comments. One user urgently advised: “I’d go get your tetanus shot booster. Heck, get all of ’em.”
They added, pleading for cleanliness: “And sterilize your feet ASAP. May be overreacting but sheesh. Dangerous place to be barefoot.”
Another commenter didn’t hold back their disgust, saying: “F****** grimbo…that’s only after 10 minutes of emergency walking without shoe?!”
One person couldn’t believe the level of grime, stating: “Good god it looks black enough to be coal soot.”
However, another individual shared a lighter view with a pinch of humour: “It’s not always that bad!” They reminisced about their own commuting experiences: “When I was pregnant I used to commute barefoot from St James’s Park to Upminster three days a week and my feet were only that dirty once or twice. And that’s including the walk from my office to the station.”
A different user expressed shock at the sight: “I have never seen anyone go barefooted on the underground before”, sparking a response from an ex-night tube worker: “I worked [on the] night tube for four years and saw a lot of women walk barefoot carrying their impractical shoes.”
According to the London.gov.uk website, Transport for London is tackling this issue head-on. It reads: “Transport for London (TfL) has implemented an ambitious, multi-million-pound programme to reduce dust and improve air quality on the Underground network.
“TfL address dust through extensive cleaning and monitoring, and by exploring the latest innovations and commissioning world-leading research.
“TfL take a targeted approach to reducing dust levels in the most-affected areas on the Tube network, with specific cleaning in places where their monitoring has shown higher dust levels.
“TfL increased their annual Tube dust cleaning budget by a third to £2 million and have also introduced innovative new cleaning methods, including mobile backpack vacuum cleaners.”
TfL has been approached for comment.
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