Dutch Student Living in LONDON

[timo9]

Nice pics thanks for sharing

[Pansori]

Some spectacular photos here! Usually I'm not even bothering checking London photo threads because it must be the most (over)publicized city in SSC but your photos are truly beautiful.

Originally Posted by Ni3lS

It ranges from not getting served at restaurants/pubs to very arrogant waitresses, waiters that include tips in the bill trying to trick you and make you believe you have to pay the 'service charge' while it's optional. Besides, for what service am I paying really? Waiting 45 minutes for a diet coke? And this is not one place I'm talking about, but 6 different places till date.

This is an interesting topic you have touched here. I agree with what you say but just in part. I have had experiences like ones you have mentioned. However I wouldn't say London is worse than most other cities I have been to in Europe. Generally London is ok for service. And if it's not, I just probably won't go to such a place again unless I have a good reason to. It's a big city and there is a choice which I quite like. Which is why it helps to do a little research and read some reviews and stuff. This way you can actually find some good places with good service.

However it must be said that Londoners (or Brits in general?) tend to accept rather low service standards even for more upmarket places. It is simply assumed that the service is 'good' because the place is 'posh' and 'expensive' while ignoring the actual service. I guess this is where all the prejudices of 'English snobs' come from.
Once I had a rather horrifying service experience in a Michelin-star rated restaurant in Central London. Twice. Yet it is considered 'good' because it's got a Michelin star.

I have noticed, however, that fast foods like McDonald's tend to be of lower standard than, say, in Germany or some other countries in Europe. I don't know why this is so.

Last friday someone got so aggressive in traffic that after driving for 10 minutes with his middlefinger out of the window, he got out and wanted to fight me. I wasn't even the person driving. It did not make sense at all. Right in front of my office I saw an accident happen about a week ago. In the middle of a junction the two drivers got out of their cars and started fighting. I have never seen that before lol.

I am a cyclist and have had lots of experience with traffic in London. Generally I find London drivers to be rather nice. This, however, much depends on where you are. Drivers in East and parts of North London are much worse than, say, South West or some Northern suburbs. This is often to do with the ethnic/cultural environment in those locations. I would be worried if I had to cycle in East London on the streets. I feel completely safe doing that in my hood in Wimbledon though. So it really depends on where you drive.

I have also been harassed by a security woman at the O2 arena for taking a photo of it. I started a discussion because her arguments didn't make sense. After telling her that if it were private property, they should put up a 'no photography' notice and a permit should be for press. Not amateurs. I just didn't believe that North Greenwich station is private property, and the surrounding area isn't either. Except the inside of the O2 arena of course. I wasn't on the premises though. Anyway, when I brought up that as of that moment 50 people all at once were taking a photo of the O2 arena behind her back, she said that didn't matter because I was using a tripod. That just pisses me off, it isn't a proper argument. Just one of many more examples.

This is very true. If you take out a tripod they start harassing you. Sometimes even a tripod is not necessary. Last time a security guy was messing with me near the City Hall and also in the City of London near the Broadgate Tower. In both cases the excuse was 'private property' even though I was on a public pavement and away from any private property. In one case the security guy seemed too nice and too simple to make me want to take a piss of him and in another case I was on my way home because it was late and I just couldn't be bothered... but the only way to explain this is retardation of those who tell them to mess with photographers. If you have time and will, try to humiliate and take a piss of them. And/or ask to call the police. See what they'll do

I know this may not be a good place and I don't want to start an argument but nowhere else I was so much annoyed by security guards messing with me taking photos as I have in London. And I am a very curious tourist and often go to places where I may not be welcome (such as closed construction sites). It is funny when poeple talk of 'personal freedoms' in places like China or Singapore. Ironically, Shanghai or Singapore are much much more open and welcoming for photographers (with or without tripods) than London is. That is a shame.

Anyway, I will watch this thread. Oh and I did "Like" your FB page.

[jb_nl]

Great pictures again Ni3ls, thanks for sharing!

[Influence]

Well done bro!!

[Ni3lS]

Thanks for all the comments guys!

57. Bokeh shot

image hosted on flickr

Tower Bird [Bridge] / London by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

58. At the National Gallery / Trafalgar Square

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Photographing Trafalgar Square / London by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

59. Skyline from Point Hill

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London, United Kingdom / Panorama by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

60. Canary Wharf from Point Hill

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Canary Wharf / London by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

[Ni3lS]

61. Central London pano

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Central London by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

[christos-greece]

Lovely, very nice updates; i really like your (last) photos

[ramyad]

Just saw your post, will read through it when I get a chance, I'm off to Dubai tomorrow.

Went through your images on the first page, nice views of London, well done.

[RobertWalpole]

image hosted on flickr

[FFILIPP]

The pictures are great! Well done!

[Koobideh]

Originally Posted by Ni3lS

I was actually hoping someone would start a discussion about this. Of course there are a lot of people here that are hospitable, that's the case in any city/country. It's just that the experiences I've had, the majority of it was quite negative. It ranges from not getting served at restaurants/pubs to very arrogant waitresses, waiters that include tips in the bill trying to trick you and make you believe you have to pay the 'service charge' while it's optional. Besides, for what service am I paying really? Waiting 45 minutes for a diet coke? And this is not one place I'm talking about, but 6 different places till date.

Last friday someone got so aggressive in traffic that after driving for 10 minutes with his middlefinger out of the window, he got out and wanted to fight me. I wasn't even the person driving. It did not make sense at all. Right in front of my office I saw an accident happen about a week ago. In the middle of a junction the two drivers got out of their cars and started fighting. I have never seen that before lol.

I have also been harassed by a security woman at the O2 arena for taking a photo of it. I started a discussion because her arguments didn't make sense. After telling her that if it were private property, they should put up a 'no photography' notice and a permit should be for press. Not amateurs. I just didn't believe that North Greenwich station is private property, and the surrounding area isn't either. Except the inside of the O2 arena of course. I wasn't on the premises though. Anyway, when I brought up that as of that moment 50 people all at once were taking a photo of the O2 arena behind her back, she said that didn't matter because I was using a tripod. That just pisses me off, it isn't a proper argument. Just one of many more examples.

I just feel like whenever you request a service from someone and you actually pay for it, it doesn't feel like they do it happily. From colleagues here I got the excuse that it's because the majority of employees in London hate their jobs. That shouldn't be an excuse.. I've seen so many more shittier jobs in for example the States, but they keep on smiling and serve their customers well. It's simply policy.

Anyway, there are of course many good sides to London. Not disputing that because otherwise I wouldn't go here in the first place. I'm having a great time nonetheless and I will get used to the mentality, it's fine. Could be possible that I just had a shitty and unfortunate experience until now and things will only get better. Let's hope for that

And I have met btw a lot of nice and hospitable people here. I think the British just don't really socialize outside their social circle/inner circle and start random conversations with random people. Is this true? That could explain why I have such great experiences within my working and living environment.


Thanks for the compliment by the way

It's definitely true that British people generally keep to themselves and are quite cold and unfriendly. They are not particularly social people in comparison to other nationalities. My experiences are not that the British are sociable with their co-workers either though, because I've found them to be quite distant too from my experience of working here. I go to university in London and even here it's a struggle to even get a hello or a smile out of other students, so I've already given up on trying to make friends in my university.

Where are you staying in London though? Your experience with waiters and people on the street seem quite unusual. I find British people to be very cold (which is annoying) but I don't find them to be aggressive and rude for no reason. I think customer service in London is very good, same with waiters in restaurants. Maybe you are living in a poorer area, because people in London typically keep to themselves and do not become aggressive to strangers lol.

Fabulous photos btw!

[Ni3lS]

Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by Koobideh

It's definitely true that British people generally keep to themselves and are quite cold and unfriendly. They are not particularly social people in comparison to other nationalities. My experiences are not that the British are sociable with their co-workers either though, because I've found them to be quite distant too from my experience of working here. I go to university in London and even here it's a struggle to even get a hello or a smile out of other students, so I've already given up on trying to make friends in my university.

Where are you staying in London though? Your experience with waiters and people on the street seem quite unusual. I find British people to be very cold (which is annoying) but I don't find them to be aggressive and rude for no reason. I think customer service in London is very good, same with waiters in restaurants. Maybe you are living in a poorer area, because people in London typically keep to themselves and do not become aggressive to strangers lol.

Fabulous photos btw!

Thanks! Well the experiences I posted are just with restaurants and places in central London. The service out here in South London is okay IMO. People here are quite friendly. My co-workers do socialize actually, but I stand by my opinion about random people walking the streets. They indeed come across as cold and rude.

[Comfortably Numb]

Originally Posted by Ni3lS

Thanks everyone!



Thanks! Well the experiences I posted are just with restaurants and places in central London. The service out here in South London is okay IMO. People here are quite friendly. My co-workers do socialize actually, but I stand by my opinion about random people walking the streets. They indeed come across as cold and rude.

Because London is the New York of Europe. Lots of similarities. Like New York, it's not that people are rude...they are just in their zones and focused on getting from A to B. Unlike New York though, people drive more sensibly and you are a billion times less likely to get shot.

[newkidintown]

I really like your take. I guess I will keep on following this thread.

[Ni3lS]

Thanks for all the kind words and comments!

[Ni3lS]

62. Regent Street

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Regent Street / London by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

63. Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Biggest funfair I have ever seen in my life!

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64. Photographers at Piccadilly Circus

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Setting up Shop / Piccadilly Circus, London by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

[Ni3lS]

65. Red London Eye for Christmas

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Red London Eye / London by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

66. Vauxhall

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Vauxhall / London by NielsKristianPhotography, on Flickr

[.Adam]

Fantastic photos - am enjoying your street life photography.

Just to note if you took the London eye photograph yesterday it was red/orange to celebrate the opening of the new East London orbital line.

[Ni3lS]

Originally Posted by .Adam

Fantastic photos - am enjoying your street life photography.

Just to note if you took the London eye photograph yesterday it was red/orange to celebrate the opening of the new East London orbital line.

Really? I thought it had something to do with Christmas What is the orbital line?

[Ni3lS]

Found it That's a pretty good extension, I think I might try it out someday as a shortcut to the East of the city as I always pass Clapham Junction on my way to the city [from the South]. Thanks for the info

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/proj...mes/15401.aspx