BBC NEWS | Talking Point | Public transport strikes: How are you getting home?

London's Underground network has been brought to a virtual standstill by a 24-hour stoppage.

The strike is the first of two by members of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) and ASLEF unions in a long-running dispute about pay.

A second strike is planned for next Tuesday and follows an earlier walkout this month by RMT members employed by Arriva Trains in the north of England.

How are you coping with the public transport strikes? Have you found new and novel ways to get into work? Tell us your experiences.

Tell me, why are you making a fuss about a single tube strike, when Arriva trains in the North have been struck by strike NINETEEN times, to barely any reporting? I've had trouble getting to an interview, difficulties getting to my grandfather's 85th birthday, and had innumerable journeys disrupted - I walk everywhere normally, but sometimes have to go further afield, and it seems that every time I do, Arriva are on strike. Count yourselves lucky, London, it's just one or two strikes.
Jenny, UK

My wonderful boss lets me work from home on strike days which means I get an extra 2.5hrs sleep in the morning and I am more productive when I do start working. Roll on next Wednesday, bliss.
Steph, UK

I am considering walking to work every day now

Ed Karten, UK

I actually looked forward to my walk into work this morning (45 mins, door to door), and it seemed that my fellow walkers had the same attitude. I am considering walking to work every day now, it'll only take me about 20 minutes more and the prospects of not having to face the aggro on overcrowded trains and especially of not having to contribute to the wages of work shy LUL employees anymore are great incentives.
Ed Karten, UK

My husband is a London Bus Driver. He has to work the same shift patterns as a tube driver. His salary is £15,000, if he works 7 days a week he could earn £400. Bus drivers have the same responsibilities as a tube driver i.e. Health & Safety. Bus drivers also have the added problems with road users and the general public who become angry and take their problems out on the drivers. So come on you tube drivers there are a lot of people trying to make a living that are worst paid then you.
Sue, Essex

I just moved to the UK and are amazed by the lower quality of life compared to Canada. So, the average home in the UK is £110,000 (and even higher in London), tube drivers get paid around £30,000 and the bank will lend up to three times salary to mortgage a house. Does anyone else see how the numbers don't add up! So, the real question becomes, who does society feel is entitled to owning a home. The fire-fighters are unhappy, the policemen are underpaid, tube drivers have started striking - all these jobs which are the cornerstone to a functioning society are no longer valued. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed, and a strike forcefully brings it to our attention.
Samanthat, Canadian in England

Cycle, cycle, cycle. I can verify that it IS the quickest way around London. It doesn't pollute. Avoids heart attacks. Drivers aren't that bad about cyclists and I've been accident-free for over five years - no accidents in London ever!
Tom, London, England

This is our last opportunity

Anonymous, UK

I work for London Underground, did not report for work today as there was a majority vote and I respect the democratic process. The likes of Messrs Crow and Rix are not the face of the typical LUL worker. I believe we are fairly paid; the strike was not just about pay, but certain conditions. Whilst I agree the job itself is generally easy, we are paid for our knowledge in what to do in unusual/emergency situations. Station staff deal with daily abuse and physical threats, train drivers with passenger safety and the possibility of suicides at all times. Also working shifts is generally now accepted to shorten life expectancy.

Tube workers genuinely believe that under privatisation/PPP staff conditions will be eroded, so this is our last opportunity to get something "in the bank". I would like to apologise to those inconvenienced today and hope the two sides can come together and cease to be so confrontational so that next week's proposed strike can be averted!
Anonymous, UK

I'm sure we all feel underpaid

Shane, Kent

I note that the strikers are blaming their employer, LU for the disruption. However, to me, it is yet another day for difficult journeys across town simply because the drivers will not come out to play with their trains while their parents will not consider big increases to their pocket money. I'm sure we all feel underpaid, it's just some of us have to live with that.
Shane, Kent

The UK financial market is struggling. People like myself in the City are working long hard hours, paying our taxes, and helping in our way to keep the economy from total meltdown. How can these work-shy tube drivers, who get paid a fat salary to simply push or pull one lever, justify the further damage they are inflicting on the markets by hindering City workers?
Andy Barking, UK

Driving a train or working as a station assistant is not the easy number that some people have said. The extreme shifts worked are soul destroying, ie seven days from 1600 to 0100 with one rest day followed by seven days at 0430 to 1400, no public holidays and no choice as to when you have annual leave. As for those people who say how wonderful it must be to be a tube worker and how hard done by they are in their present employment. If they believe in the validity of their argument why are they not applying in their thousands for a position with LUL?
John, UK

I got to work just fine this morning - 45 minutes to do 38 miles just like every other day in the air conditioned comfort of my car. But then I live in the north as I refuse to pay absurdly inflated southern property prices.
Mike, Wakefield, England

What a lovely morning it was today. I walked from Liverpool Street up to Angel and it was really nice. OK it took a bit longer than usual but not much. Maybe we should all look at what we are getting for our money when we pay for the tube and think of other means of transport eg our own two feet. A brisk walk every day would give a lot of us some much-needed exercise. Just remember to SMILE.
Simone, Essex

Everybody just make sure that you claim your ticket refunds - check out the tube website.
J, UK

This is the first tube strike that I cannot support

John, London

I studied for six years to get my degree and PhD, I have been working in a university college for four years and I'm on £22k basic pay. If I ever make lecturer it will be another five years before I'm paid what the tube drivers get. This is the first tube strike that I cannot support at all.
John, London

Tube drivers get paid more than firemen and they get 40 days holiday a year and overtime. What else do they want? Most of us find it hard to live in London and pay London prices but we don't hold Londoners to ransom every year. The RMT and Aslef are run by grudge-holding strike crazed militants who do not reflect the common views of their members. After all, only about a third of their members bothered to vote in the strike ballot - hardly a ringing endorsement! They've made their members look greedy and unreasonable. Half of don't even drive the trains - they sit in the cab while it is all done automatically for them. £28k is a lot of money just to open doors!
Neil, UK

I walked most of the way to work this morning. I live in north west London in Willesden Green and started out at 8:45, walked to Kilburn and jumped on to a bus to almost Marble Arch. Walked all the way to Farringdon and arrived at 11:00. I am now stressed, tired and unmotivated to work. I compare myself to those school kids in some remote village of the underdeveloped world, who have to walk two hours to school. I felt just like one of them.
John, London

I support the workers. They put up with a lot of abuse from the public and their bosses. The under-funding of the tube in the past 25 years has been the rich ignoring the ordinary people who use it. One day that the workers do it, everyone flips out. Go figure.
Douglas, UK

The train drivers days are numbered, soon they'll all be replaced by computers (so probably will the rest of us). But don't forget the adage "To err is human, to really muck up requires a computer."
Karl H, London, England

After eight years studying science at university I wish I earned as much as tube drivers! Free travel would be useful too.
Lucy, UK

No problem getting into work this morning thanks to London Transport's free boat service from Tower Pier. A lot of people don't seem to realise that this service exists and it is well organised compared to the misery of the train and the underground.
Mark Dean, UK

Just another excuse for LU staff not to have to come into work, but the rest of us do. This is my last but one day in London and I have to say, that I can't wait. I won't miss all the disruption and chaos and being treated like cattle every day travelling to and from work. I agree with the other comments that if they don't like the money they are on, they should quit and find something else or shut up and get on with it, like the rest of us have to. Most of us don't have the option to strike, if we don't like our pay.
Sara Marchi, UK

I spent two hours 45 minutes on a bus this morning to travel the eight miles from Leytonstone to central London. About the same time that it would take to fly to Italy. No need to ask where I will be come next strike day.
Zafran Malik, UK

I usually take the bus to work, today though I walked since everybody else decided to board on my bus. It took me 50 minutes, the same time it takes all other days. I think I will walk to work more often. It's not longer, it's free and you exercise as well!
Andy, UK

My 10-mile commute took as long as it ever has - 45 minutes - on my bicycle, which I ride five days a week come rain or shine. My only problem was the amount of one-day cyclists on the road, or, to be truthful, not on the road. It's the neophytes on the pavement, not stopping for red lights and failing to indicate that cause the most hassles for regular riders, who are tarred with the same brush. Looking forward to not seeing them tomorrow.
Dan Benson, Croydon, UK

The sooner we progress to fully automated trains the better. Strikers are shooting themselves in the foot. They were at their own job interview, they knew what they were getting into. These petty disputes are not constructive for anyone.
Scot Haggarty, UK

I found peaceful quiet roads on the 40 minute journey

Michelle, London

I cycled into work near Oxford Circus this morning - avoided all the motorised rat runs on the seven mile cycle and found peaceful quiet roads on the 40 minute journey with only two or three main roads to cross. I had never cycled into central London before and was a little nervous, so I cycled in with a friend who lives and works nearby to guide the way but overall found it quite pleasant and a good way to wake myself up and get a healthy looking rosy face into the bargain.
Michelle, London

I am happy to have a bus garage just down the road, which means I can get on a bus quite easily and also get a seat, but it still takes an hour and a half to get in. It is ridiculous that they are allowed to strike, costing the British economy so much money and they are already paid far better than most of us not forgetting important professions like teachers and nurses!
Malou, London

Imagine a London where people rode or cycled to work. You would have a much healthier population and who knows, people might actually even start to speak to each other more in London.
John, South Africa (working in London)

I'm sick and tired of being held to ransom by tube workers. As a City worker, I work long hours (for no "overtime") and would be fired on the spot if I went on strike for more pay. Where do they think the cash is coming from? Maybe they should try getting behind the Underground instead of in its back - a company is only as successful as its workers are committed.
Andy Wilson, UK

Good luck to the tube strikers. The cost of living in London has not been properly compensated by employers. All London workers deserve an adequate London allowance and/or decent and realistic levels of pay. I can't understand the moaners, do they really enjoy work that much!
Jake, London

I feel only contempt

Joanna, England

Our nurses help save our lives, work long hours and are paid a pittance. Our teachers educate generations, run the risk of harassment accusations daily and are also paid a pittance. Yet the tube drivers on £30k a year believe they are hard done by. I used to feel empathy for them, but after this morning's fight to work with thousands of others waiting patiently for overcrowded buses, I feel only contempt.
Joanna, England

I am a walker even on a normal day as I live close to work. This morning, there were loads of people in the city of London who clearly did not belong on the pavements! It's outrageous how aggressive they were. Worse still, the cyclists are a law unto themselves!
Nelson, London

After this morning's efforts I am exhausted and depressed

Mel, UK

I am so fed up with this. Every time it happens people's behaviour degenerates. After this morning's efforts I am exhausted and depressed and I really cannot stand the thought of next week at all. But I have to come to work and therefore make a two hour walk to work. Lovely.
Mel, UK

Up the workers I say. I cycle to work and I love it. Didn't really notice any difference in the motorised traffic though. I do feel sorry for most of them sometimes because they could be cycling but just don't know it. Roll on the journey home.
James, Britain

Those claiming that this strike is the fault of the LU staff are ignoring facts. The union wanted the dispute to go to ACAS for arbitration and was willing to accept the judgement. Management refused this, simply saying there was no more money. Such an obdurate stance has no place in modern management. Arbitration is always to be preferred to strikes, but in this case I don't see what else the workers could do. We need laws compelling both sides to go to arbitration before further action can be taken. I shall work from home; I get more done that way.
Tom, UK

Tom, UK: You're facts are simply not true. LU has been to arbitration three times and are still prepared to discuss conditions. The strike is simply about greed and militancy. Bob Crow once said his job was to get the best deal he could for his members. This is NOT the purpose of unions - it is to get a FAIR deal which drivers blatantly have. Remember that is was a minority of drivers who voted to strike.
Jon, UK

I'm down in London for the week and am getting to see clients in the same way as usual - by car. Public transport wastes too much of my time to be worth considering, even when it is working.
Dave Moran, UK

I used the train and walked the rest of the journey. My question is why do people walk so slowly? I was caught up behind slow moving people which added about 10 minutes.
Hassan, London, England

I am now sitting in my empty office in Westminster wondering when the rest of the company will show up!!

Anne-Marie, London

I am one of the unlucky few who walks to work anyway, so am not affected by any strikes. I can't even use it as an excuse for a lie-in like most other people do!! I am now sitting in my empty office in Westminster wondering when the rest of the company will show up!!
Anne-Marie, London

Another good reason for me to stay in my car and not use public transport to go to work every day. My flatmate works for LU as a platform assistant making nearly 18 grand and free travel a year for calling "Please mind the gap" every so often. Train drivers already earn near £30k a year. And they still want more?
Lew, UK

I have managed to get into work by train and foot. I can't see what the tube drivers are whinging about. £32k plus benefits for a job which requires no degree and little hard work seems like a cushy number to me.
Tom, UK

I never thought I'd say yes to such a thing. But it is one the growing problems in the UK that is being covered up by Blair's clever Iraq deflection.
Freddy B, UK

I doubt this is winning them much sympathy

Liz, UK

This constant striking is getting a little tiresome now - it seems as though the unions strike at the drop of a hat, as soon as their demands aren't even met. I doubt this is winning them much sympathy. They should instead all work, but not take any fares from passengers. That would hit their employers where it hurts and gain them full marks from the commuters.
Liz, UK

At a time when the economy is struggling, many people are getting no pay rises at all. How can they justify the strike?
Caron, England

I work in London and have decided to give up trying to get to work today and spend my time more usefully looking through the BBC News website instead.
Steve Canoue, Gloucester

I don't agree with the strike. I motorbiked to work, so wasn't too badly affected, but the current action is holding millions of people to ransom. If the drivers are not happy with the rise they've been offered, they ought to leave and find something better paid. Blackmailing their employers is a very shabby way to behave.
John, England