The rules of the Tube are clear: head down, eyes forward and no talking to strangers.
It's true that Londoners have a something of a reputation for not being receptive to chitchatting with their fellow passengers, but it turns out that they're even less receptive to crusades encouraging them to do just that.
A new campaign "#tube_chat" has been supplying commuters with badges that ask other passengers if they fancy a "Tube chat?"
https://twitter.com/tube_chat/status/781093003087806464
Regular Tube users will be familiar with Transport for London's 'Baby on Board' badges available to pregnant women, and may have seen some of the new 'Please offer me a seat' badges for customers who are less able to stand, but the non-TfL #tube_chat badge is a little different.
Everyone can see the benefit in offering pregnant women and less-abled people a seat on the train, but asking commuters to break their vow of silence? Not a chance.
Naturally, Londoners weren't having any of it.
https://twitter.com/hcjourno/status/781449565421629440
https://twitter.com/RachaelvsWorld/status/781448656394317824
https://twitter.com/jakestory_/status/781448622437232640
https://twitter.com/MaggieLDNguide/status/781446043284176896
https://twitter.com/HPluckrose/status/781439713118945280
On the surface, it seems like #tube_chat isn't going to fly, but maybe there's a deeper meaning at work. Maybe the people behind the campaign wanted to create something everyone would rail against, something everyone would talk about.
Hey, wait a minute...
