The mood…

Aline writes: I thought I would post an update on the mood in London these days. Besides the ecstasy due to the ashes win, there is still that lurking concern about terrorism. But it’s very muted these days. People pay more attention to each other on the tube. Fewer people listen to music. More people listen to the incomprehensible announcements. Tube ridership is back up to pre-July 7 levels (although the spike in bike-riding is still around), but there is no forgetting. There are reminders everywhere – not only in the news, but every day on the tube and in the streets. Posters like this one are still displayed on the tube and buses


And a new campaign by the Mayor of London is visible on the tube, buses, and in banners along many London streets


New tube posters also make it clear that there is a dual responsibility: tube personnel are there to respond if an emergency occurs, but it is everyone’s responsibility to watch for unattended packages and report strange behavior. The posters say, “it’s your tube.” It’s interesting that they are intentionally distributing the responsibility on the community. It’s a strategy that works very well here, but I wonder how well it would work in the US where there is so much more emphasis on individuality.