London, like any other city, is a unique place — with its inhabitants all displaying certain behaviours, whether they’ve lived there forever or eight months. Whether it’s the general mood, the price of a pint, or the mood being told the price of a pint puts you in, these little things make up day-to-day life in the city.
So, we took to Facebook and Instagram to ask you: “What’s something that’s considered totally normal in London.. but not anywhere else?” As we expected, you did not disappoint us. Here’s some of the best. And yes, pints and extortionate rent do come up.
Things that are totally normal in London but nowhere else
1. “Paying £35 for two coffees and two slices of cake.”
Pain.
2. “Standing on the right of escalators.”
Let’s hear it for London Underground rules.
3. “Paying over £5 for an alcoholic beverage.”
*sighs* Same again, please.
4. [And then] “Spending £13 for a glass of wine.”
*sobs in top-me-up-please-bartender*
5. [If you get really unlucky] “£7 a fucking pint.”
Although this bad luck is becoming more common, it seems.
6. “Rushing everywhere and eating outside no matter the weather.”
Why are we in SUCH a hurry?
7. [Maybe THIS is why] “Travelling 1 hour and 3 trains to see your mate.”
Why is everything SO far?
8. “Travelling for 3 hrs from work to home.”
It’s not easy.
9. [Which might explain this next one] “Being absolutely livid if you have to wait more than 3 minutes for a tube.”
Fuming.
10. “Not waiting for the green man at a crossing.”
Well, if everything is far and we’re always in a hurry, what do you expect?
11. “‘What you sayin’ considered a correct and meaningful sentence.”
Well, we all know what it means soooo…
12. “Singing ‘It’s coming home’ in the tube every time your team qualifies past the group stages…”
Throwback to summer ’21 and summer ’18. What a time to be alive.
13. “Taking 30-40 mins to drive 8 miles.”
If you’re thinking about driving to work, you often may be advised to think again.
14. [But hey, that leads to our next perk] “Crossing the road where ever you want because the traffic is going nowhere.”
Result.
15. “Buses on the bus panel disappearing out of nowhere to appear right after but 15 minutes more.”
Nightmare when this one happens.
16. “Being late, like an hour late is still fine.”
Given the travelling related points on this list, you won’t be surprised to learn we cut each other some slack here.
17. “Being able to get food at anytime, day and night.”
An excellent perk. *opens JustEat*
18. “You’re neighbours to a fox family.”
Well if this ain’t the truth.
19. [To hammer that home]”Foxes. People up north don’t believe me when I’m talking about it.”
Because what walk home at night is complete without bumping into one?
20. “Paying over £1,000 for a studio flat.”
*cries in signing the contract*
21. [Or alternatively…] “Living in a closet for £500 a month.”
Pretty good deal actually.
22. “Paying half your salary to live in a shoe box.”
You get the idea.
23. “Living in a haunted place and being totally cool about it.”
First comment below reads “as long as the rent is cheap, the ghosts can stay”, and I think we can all say: amen.
24. “Thank you and sorry for no f*cking reason.”
Londoners are a polite bunch…sometimes.
25. [But then things like this are also true] “Not knowing your next door neighbour even though you have lived beside them for many years.”
Why is this a thing?
26. “Finding Cafe Nero open at midnight with tables full and people working from laptops or studying.”
Maybe London is the city that doesn’t sleep…
27. “Eating ice cream in theaters.”
Just the best TBH.
28. “[Saying] ‘I consider myself a Londoner’ 35,000 times a day.”
And if you don’t know anyone like this, it might be you 😅.
29. “Parakeets flying everywhere.”
Always fills you with joy.
30. “Jellied Eels.”
Gross, it has to be said.
31. “Beans on toast.”
I think the rest of the UK would like a word here, but a cracking answer nonetheless. Who doesn’t love this staple cuisine?
32. “Laughing at Tottenham FC.”
Sorry Spurs fans, but as Secret London’s resident Gooner I couldn’t ignore this comment…