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The Tube Chat badges encouraging commuters to talk to each other have totally backfired

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Features Editor, Time Out LondonThursday 29 September 2016

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Everyone knows there are certain things you don't do on the Underground - stand on the left side of an escalator, make eye contact, or selfishly lean one of the poles. And you definitely don't engage in conversation, unless it's to boom down the carriage: 'Can you PLEASE move down?'. But no one wants to be that guy. Still, that hasn't stopped someone starting a campaign encouraging commuters to talk to each other with new 'Tube Chat' badges.

The badges have been inspired by TfL's official 'baby on board' badges and the recently launched 'please offer me a seat' badges. Y'know, the ones which actually serve a practical purpose. Unsurprisingly, the 'Tube Chat' badges haven't gone down well with London commuters.

Here's how people are reacting on Twitter to the new badges:

Some people are just confused about the use of an underscore:

But this guy's asking the important questions:

Er, not long, apparently:

And he's not the only one with alternative ideas:

In other transport news, the night tube is (possibly) launching on the Northern line on November 18

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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