“Mind the gap”
As a Londoner who doesn’t drive, I use the London Underground a lot and constantly hear the injunction “Mind the gap”. Today we have the news that the woman whose voice makes these and other announcement for LU has been told she can no longer do work for the organisation.
It seems that Emma Clarke offended LU bosses with her criticisms of LU. As a result of all the publicity, her web site is overwhelmed by visitors who want to download MP3s of her spoof Tube announcements such as :”We would like to remind our American tourist friends that you are almost certainly talking too loudly.”.
It looks like London Underground has shot itself in the foot here. I wouldn’t be surprised if public reaction forces LU to change its mind.
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Roger, Urban Myths (http://victorian.fortunecity.com/finsbury/254/) provides a useful insight into the origins of ‘Mind the Gappe’
“Once on the platform, though, beware! Approaching trains sometimes disturb the large Gappe bats that roost in the tunnels. The Gappes were smuggled into London in the early 19th century by French saboteurs and have proved impossible to exterminate. The announcement “Mind the Gappe!” is a signal that you should grab your hair and look towards the ceiling. Very few people have ever been killed by Gappes, though, and they are considered only a minor drawback to an otherwise excellent means of transportation.”