Mugged :(

[fluffymark]

Got attacked on the Cambridge-London train on my way home from a lovely day out in Cambridge. I'm home now, but horribly shaken and really won't be sleeping very well I fear. *shakes* My fingers are still trembling as I write this.

10-12 idiots boarded the train, and roamed up and down threatening people (about a dozen people in my carriage) obviously looking for a target, asking people what was in their bags, and being overfriendly with the single female passengers - train approached a station and they picked on me, attempted to grab my bag (which I was holding very tightly by this stage) and pulled it away from me. I kept hold of it, but they managed to open it and my things went everywhere. They quickly fled and jumped off the train. Witnesses helped me up and I gathered my belongings, minus my mobile, which they must have taken. Nice woman offered me a lift back to my place from the station, refusing to let me travel any further on my own.

Disbelief that they struck so openly in front of so many witnesses, on a route I use often. Relief that it's now over, and they didn't get anything else, nor am I hurt physically (although I'm sure hurt in other ways). Mobile is replaceable, may cost money I'm short of right now. Argh.

PLEASE SEND ME YOUR PHONENUMBERS!!! Stupid me had not copied most of them from my mobile, so assume I don't know your number now. Also (obviously) don't try and phone me on my number (I'm trying to immobilize the phone) and if you get do get phoned from my old number (or have already had a call from my number in the last 2 hours) it was not me.

Comments

[emarkienna.livejournal.com]

In future i'm going to be very wary about travelling alone in the evenings on slow trains that stop at the small local stations.

Apologies if I'm pointing out stuff you already know, but the Cambridge-London route has one-two hourly that go direct to/from Kings Cross (called "the cambridge cruiser"). I've always felt safer on that one, and I think in future I'll be making more of an effort to get that one if i can. Of course that's no help for other places.

I once got attacked (many years ago) and although i wasn't really hurt and had nothing taken/damaged, i know that the psychological effects can be bad:( But I hope you don't let them stop you from wanting to travel (I continued to go out at night after it happened).

*hugs*

[fluffymark]

I know about the Cambridge Cruiser - however in an effort to save money I've found the train from Tottenham Hale (on the Liverpool Street Line) is about 3 pounds cheaper than others from London, and also saves me 4.50 on a travelcard to zone 1, which makes it heaps cheaper overall for a broke PhD student such as myself - however it is the slow stop-lots-of-places train, which now i realize isn't so safe.

Sorry to hear you once got attacked - like you said i'm a lo shaken up, but i htink i'm already getting over it. :)