The Horrors of Underpasses

[lxfe_mxtterz]

On my way home today, I decided to go the "quiet" way, which involves walking through an underpass which cuts under a bridge with a main road.

Quiet? How wrong I was. The underpass housed a congregation of around 20-30 suspicious-looking teenagers. A handful of them loudly coughing, yet not a single mask between them. Horrendous rap music, filled with never-ending profanities, was being blasted out at 500 decibels, and the ground was littered with empty crisp packets and the like. Not to mention the fact that half of them were smoking, looking very much underage.

Walking through the intimidating pack, I received a whole range of looks which would make you think I'd just that murdered their entire families! Either that, or that I was walking through one of their homes which I'd just broken into, rather than along a public thoroughfare in a town centre!

If they act so "tough", rivalling volcanic eruptions with their cuss-fests which they call "music", then why do they always decide to hold their gatherings in the gloomiest, shadiest, most hidden of places? Why are they never on the local high street, so that everyone can watch their toughness in awe?

Think I'll stick to the main roads next time. Not the first time I've encountered sketchy youth characters inhabiting this underpass, but today was too much.

Sorry for the moan, but after that nerve-wracking experience which made me feel as if I were about to get mugged, I had to get it off my chest.

Talk about feeling unsafe walking alone...

Anyone had any similar experiences?

Any thoughts?

 

[birchesgreen]

Any thoughts?

Bring back National Service?

 

[judethegreat]

So to clarify - you walked through the group and you didn't get attacked?

 

[Haywain]

So to clarify - you walked through the group and you didn't get attacked?

He got looked at though...

 

[yorkie]

Where was this?

I've not experienced anything quite like that in York (or anywhere else I've been)

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Bring back National Service?

Wouldn't mind if this were the case for those who deliberately drop out of school to cause trouble, etc. At least there'd be a chance to keep our streets a bit safer. I, myself, being not too much older than these people, have never even imagined practicing such vulgar, anti-social behaviour. Whereas some seem to treat it as a full-time hobby...

So to clarify - you walked through the group and you didn't get attacked?

I did, yes. Not fun at all, never again.

Where was this?

I've not experienced anything quite like that in York (or anywhere else I've been)

This was in my local town, which, possibly much like York, is widely regarded as a generally safe and rather affluent place. Some of the underpasses around here, however, seem to have an infestation problem - I've never experienced it as bad as this before though. The underpass in question joins to a long tunnel which forms somewhat of a shortcut between the shopping area and the station. Sadly, this kind of loutish behaviour is somewhat of a common sight here though.

 

[Starmill]

This isn't particularly unusual is it? Especially not in a railway underpass...

 

[mmh]

Bring back National Service?

Or the birch. It's the only language they understand.

 

[RichT54]

The number of reports in the media these days about youths carrying and using knives certainly makes me feel nervous when I see groups of them hanging about. I don't know if those feelings are justified, or whether the reports have been overhyped.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Total opposite in Milton Keynes - there are around a hundred underpasses and mostly they are lit and don't have anyone congregating under them, and the crime figures do not bear out them being dangerous. There are a couple of bridges that do have a bit of a reputation around some of the rougher estates. Yet people continue to get hit by cars on the fast main roads because they fear using them.

The only case where people were congregating under a couple of (central MK) underpasses was homeless people who had set up camps there, and seemed a little intimidating by their presence but in fact never did or said anything to you.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Person walks past a group of teenagers, who are smoking and swearing. And gets scowled at. It's hardly worth bringing back hanging for.

I get that it can feel intimidating but, by and large, these groups are as happy for you to go away as quickly as possible as you are. As with most pests, ignore them and they ignore you.

 

[Starmill]

Person walks past a group of teenagers, who are smoking and swearing. And gets scowled at. It's hardly worth bringing back hanging for.

Indeed. Walking past a group of teenagers smoking and swearing while giving hostile looks is otherwise known as city life in modern Britain...

As you suggest in almost all cases there is nothing more going on than a feeling of intimidation. That's very unpleasant, but it's not a crime.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

What I dislike, used to happen a lot at work: people standing either side of a corridor gossiping, one is expected to go through the middle. I think they should move to one side
Maybe people shall keep more distance after covid
l much prefer bridges to underpasses

 

[hst43102]

Northampton town centre is blighted by the stain that used to be Greyfriars bus station - it's been a wasteland, right in the middle of town, for nearly a decade now.
Unfortunately, for pedestrians such as myself, circumnavigating this post-apocalyptic hole involves at least 5 traffic lights/pelican crossings, and, on one side, there's no pavement at all - meaning you have to cross to the other side of the wasteland (round the traffic lights again!) or walk along the kerb (not recommended - I've seen plenty of people have close calls with buses and taxis there!), or use the underpasses underneath the roads.

One time, in the middle of the day, I decided to cut some time by going underneath the traffic and noise. Never again!
In one tunnel there was a small group of suspicious-looking young men who looked much younger than myself, playing loud "music" [awful noise] and smoking foul-smelling cigarettes, which were quite clearly cannabis. The next tunnel had one or two homeless men sleeping on the sides (to be expected in Northampton!) and the others were poorly-lit and silent, which almost made it worse.

I survived the experience, and it did save a lot of time, but I'd much rather take 10 minutes waiting at crossings than experience the fear and anxiety of those underpasses again. Whoever thought building such things was a good idea in the first place?

 

[Ianno87]

Person walks past a group of teenagers, who are smoking and swearing. And gets scowled at. It's hardly worth bringing back hanging for.

I get that it can feel intimidating but, by and large, these groups are as happy for you to go away as quickly as possible as you are. As with most pests, ignore them and they ignore you.

Indeed. Walking past a group of teenagers smoking and swearing while giving hostile looks is otherwise known as city life in modern Britain...

As you suggest in almost all cases there is nothing more going on than a feeling of intimidation. That's very unpleasant, but it's not a crime.

Best trick is just to walk past (at a reasonable separation) and don't pay any notice.

If you look at them or react, you're just giving them what they want.

 

[alxndr]

The second week I moved here a 60 year old man died after being stabbed multiple times (I seem to remember it was 40 or so) in an underpass next to the station. Certainly made me wonder if I'd made the right decision in moving to a town from the countryside.

 

[Haywain]

The second week I moved here a 60 year old man died after being stabbed multiple times (I seem to remember it was 40 or so) in an underpass next to the station. Certainly made me wonder if I'd made the right decision in moving to a town from the countryside.

Really? Has there never been a murder in the countryside?

 

[Mojo]

When you say "underpass" do you mean a subway?

 

[Darandio]

Sounds to me like the most horrific part of the ordeal was the choice of music.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

When you say "underpass" do you mean a subway?

Yes, although the one in question was more like a cutting under a rather wide main road, rather than an underground tunnel. An actual tunnel (to the shopping area) adjoins it just a few metres away.

But speaking of scary subways...

 

[AndyCK]

Total opposite in Milton Keynes - there are around a hundred underpasses and mostly they are lit and don't have anyone congregating under them, and the crime figures do not bear out them being dangerous. There are a couple of bridges that do have a bit of a reputation around some of the rougher estates. Yet people continue to get hit by cars on the fast main roads because they fear using them.

Whilst the crime figures may not reflect it, from personal experience there's always been certain underpasses to avoid in MK, particularly around CMK and the surrounding estates (Fishermead, etc), and taking a long way round is always preferable.

I must admit I did think of the film Harry Brown when I read the first post!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whilst the crime figures may not reflect it, from personal experience there's always been certain underpasses to avoid in MK, particularly around CMK and the surrounding estates (Fishermead, etc), and taking a long way round is always preferable.

I must admit I did think of the film Harry Brown when I read the first post!

Those estates are best avoided generally, though they are only a bit rough, they are nothing on rough estates in say London or Manchester. The bridges I was referring to that do have a crime problem are the ones by the Four Bridges Roundabout which is on the corner of Fishermead, Oldbrook, Netherfield and Eaglestone, none of them particularly nice estates though the latter is sort of OKish.

There is also an issue on the bridges from CMK to Fishermead/Conniburrow/Downs Barn.

But it is mostly bridges rather than underpasses! If nothing else it's easier to get away from someone from an underpass, they are wide and short, whereas the bridges are narrow and long. Two people, each with a knife, could corner someone on one of the bridges quite easily, whereas it'd take a small team of people to do that under an MK underpass, as they are typically about as wide as a single carriageway road plus pavement (even if that road isn't present), they aren't the typical tight pedestrian ones you get elsewhere.

 

[AndyCK]

Those estates are best avoided generally

No arguments there!

Very OT but I remember MK when it was half the size it is now, and most areas now best avoided were actually quite pleasant at one point (even Fishermead!). I don't know what it's like now but the estate that used to have the worst reputation was the Lakes Estate in Bletchley, but bringing it back to topic (sort of), I don't recall any underpasses in the Lakes Estate.

The old Bletchley leisure centre carpark and bridge/walkway from there to the leisure centre was also best avoided at times, but I think they've knocked that down quite a few years ago?

 

[Bald Rick]

Where was this?

I've not experienced anything quite like that in York (or anywhere else I've been)

Does York have any subways? I don’t remember any from my time there! (Although, to be fair, I don’t remember much when walking around York in the evening as it usually followed several pints of lager).

 

[Ianno87]

Does York have any subways? I don’t remember any from my time there! (Although, to be fair, I don’t remember much when walking around York in the evening as it usually followed several pints of lager).

Only one I can think of is the Leeman Rd foot tunnel to/from the NRM (which I may have been through once or twice...)

 

[Bletchleyite]

The old Bletchley leisure centre carpark and bridge/walkway from there to the leisure centre was also best avoided at times, but I think they've knocked that down quite a few years ago?

Long gone - it was removed I think in the 90s, but the leisure centre itself has now been knocked down and fully rebuilt. It does have a multi-storey, but it's kept nice and has good CCTV coverage so is not at all dodgy.

The Lakes Estate is still unpleasant but I wouldn't call it dangerous. There's one underpass I know of, over to Hunter Drive, but that's the only one I can think of.

 

[Bald Rick]

Only one I can think of is the Leeman Rd foot tunnel to/from the NRM (which I may have been through once or twice...)

Ah yes. I’ve done that sober. But it would be a little congested with more than a handful of teenagers listening to Cardi B.

 

[Bletchleyite]

One with a railway connection that is decidedly dodgy (to the point that they repeatedly talk about closing it) is in Edinburgh, from Dalry past the platform entrances (bricked up) of the old Dalry station (of which there's a bit of evidence on street level - platform edges etc) to by the Cineworld cinema. Has a big drugs problem, I understand. It's called the Telfer Subway if you want to find out more about it.

 

[yorkie]

Does York have any subways? I don’t remember any from my time there! (Although, to be fair, I don’t remember much when walking around York in the evening as it usually followed several pints of lager).

It depends on how you define it, but most are either short, narrow, or not in areas which would be deemed convenient for such a group to hang out.

 

[eoff]

Talking of underpasses,

I was hit by cancelled trains last year (TPE) on a journey from Manchester Oxford Rd to Edinburgh. Not sure but I think we went back via Preston (Lancs).

At one of the stations there was lift access to platforms via an underpass and as far as we could see the only access to this was via the lifts.

Sign in underpass: In event of fire do not use lifts.