How long is a Tube minute?

2007-05-16T22:35:49Z

Do Tube minutes really have anything to do with real time? Or is our view of reality warped by the mind-numbing tedium of waiting for the next train, making it seem like a lot longer? Is there a man somewhere with a dial slowing down time? I’d be very interested to find out if any research has been done into this, and how the length of a tube minute varies from one line to another.

Likewise, what about Bus minutes? Is the amount of time until the next bus any closer to real time? What does “due” really mean – should I be able to see the next bus? Smell it? Hear it. Imagine it. I don’t know.

What’s the exchange rate between bus minutes and tube minutes? Can I save up some and exchange them for others?

Exciting development in tube minute information: Elephant and Castle now has the industrial strength displays shown below, which present us with approximately 50% more minute-related information.

2007-05-17T15:33:50Z

Isn’t it a measure of Ungeneral Relativity?

Whereby the length of time you have to wait is inversely proportional to the actual number of minutes you have before you are so late for work your boss is going to kick you all the way to High Barnet….

2007-05-17T15:41:30Z

Time Unrelative Dimention In Space – TURDUS.

The alternate Dr. Who meets TfL.

The time indicated is relative to the virtual time preceived before the bus/tube actaully arrives.

Therefore ‘Due’ actaully indicates that the bus/tube is about to enter your virtual space, this is the space where you’d expect the bus/tube to be.

Proving that us humans work in the real world and TfL work in the virtual world.

In summary I’m in happy mode and this is total bollocks.

Cheers all

Colin

2007-05-17T15:47:26Z

I’d have to say its the mind numbing tedium. For example I have 12 minutes until I can switch off my computer and go home, but waiting for it will feel alot longer. A watched pot etc etc

2007-05-22T09:44:16Z

I think a tube minute is shorter than a bus minute. I was waiting for my bus claiming to be 2 minutes away for at least 10 minutes once.

2007-05-22T09:56:22Z

On a similar, yet converse, note, why, so often when I get to the Northbound Victoria line platform at Stockwell does it say 13 minutes until the next train so I sigh heavily and tut loudly and then, just moments later, it changes to 1 minute, at which point, although I’m obviously happy, I roll my eyes at the total incompetence of the tube and those who run it.

(I’m sure there should be a question mark somewhere in there but I can’t work out where to put it)

Why is this? (The tube thing obviously, not my incompetence with punctuation and overly long sentences.) Is it that it’s set for a default 13 minutes and that the actual forecaster doesn’t kick in until the train leaves Brixton?

2007-05-22T10:03:42Z

I think that may be because the bus stops don’t actually know how far away the bus is, they just display when it’s supposed to arrive.

I’ve waited for several busses that just never materialised, despite only being 2 mins away, I assume that the bus is stuck in a pothole in space-time and the passengers on board will get off the bus 2 mins later to find that its now 2057 and the bus stop is now a hover-bus stop.

2007-05-22T10:14:57Z

SeeSee – I think the “13 minutes” is the Underground equivalent of “40 days and 40 nights” in the Bible, or “ninety nine and one-half days” in the blues. ie it’s a really long time, we don’t know exactly, but if you wait for that long you’ll have waited for longer than you’d expect.

2007-05-22T10:39:24Z

I once read something about being able to control your perception of time at will, so if you’re bored waiting for lunch, like me, you could just speed up your perception of time and not have to wait so long. It was about a book that taught you how or something, but now I can’t find it, anyone else heard of it?

2007-05-22T10:44:09Z

I seem to recall some age old edict about being able to claim back a fare if you waited more than 15 minutes for a tube, which may explain the 13 minute wait (which is probably 17 earth minutes).

2007-05-22T10:49:33Z

Crikey Iain. Lookit this: http://www.tuberefund.co.uk and http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/refunds/1092.aspx

“If your Tube journey has been delayed for more than 15 minutes by circumstances within our control, use the Tube refund link to claim your refund.”

2007-05-22T10:52:42Z

That TfL forms looks easy enough (the tuberefund site wants you to pay them to do it for you, pffft they can shit off). I’m going to give it a go next – I wonder how much I’ll be refunded for one15 minute delay, given I’ve got a monthly zones 1-2 oyster travelcard?

Your guess on one side of a single from Charing Cross to Embankment.

2007-05-22T11:36:51Z

My friends set up a site called latetube.com which helps you claim the tube refunds you’re entitled to under the customer charter of being delayed by 15 minutes or more.

The TfL site makes it a lot of work as you have to fill in loads of info every time you apply. If you register with latetube.com, it saves loads of time as it can store your usual journeys, oyster card details etc etc.

I know it sounds like a blatant plug but they are just two people who got fed up with the tube being so rubbish and are techie enough to be able to to do something about it. Apparently a very small minority know about the customer charter refund thing and even fewer claim through it. They wanted more people to claim so that the tube is financially penalised for not doing what they ought to in the hope that it provides an incentive to improve service.

Public Service Announcement over

2007-05-22T11:39:55Z

What is your obsession with the tube all about? I mean you’ve got two threads going at the same time about the tube! Is it something Freudian?

2007-05-22T12:14:41Z

I’ve claimed about £40 worth of refunds over the last year, they were £3 per refund, then I got a couple for £4 and then I got one for £3 again and I’m not sure why they changed like that…

2007-05-22T13:12:32Z

AppleDave, I tried that book, but it took too long to read, so I gave up.

2007-05-23T18:40:42Z

On the spot research: on the way home today, I timed a train coming into London Brideg, southbound on the Northern Line

Tube Time: 2 mins starts clock: 0m00s
Tube Time: 1 min real time: 1m15s
Train arrives: stops clock: 3m48s

Conclusive proof right there friends of London. I am lots of fun at parties.

2007-05-24T09:10:26Z

Exciting new development: it turns out my boss runs a delayed train refund website for commuters on One trains, which serves Liverpool St from the general direction Essex.

If anyone wants the address, drop me a line.