UK Meet-Up 2006

[Jack]

About the Brighton thing, i swear its easy to get to by train, simple train ride isn't it? I thought all trains from wherever lead to Brighton?

No.Here's a example of how a train journey to Brighton works for someone like me travelling from the middle of England.

1.LEICESTER dep 07:30
2.LONDON ST PANCRAS arr 08:55
3.LONDON ST PANCRAS dep 08:55
4.LONDON VICTORIA arr 09:36
5.LONDON VICTORIA dep 09:36
6.BRIGHTON STATION arr 10:27

Now imagine what it's like for those who live futher north than I and whose stations DON'T have a direct to London. Also, consider the fact that I would have to get from a national rail networked line to the underground in... 1 minute? At peak commuter time? Imagine if my train is one minute late... I would have to wait another 30 minutes for the next one. So no, not every train leads straight to Brighton. Brighton is slightly isolated and as much as I'd like to take Psychotic out on the beach for a good seeing to, I can't because I'd be shattered from the train journey.

[Dreddz]

Good point Dreddz. But I'd like to point out that the choices are limited. We've been Manchester and we've been Birmingham and the only other really big city is London. However, we (as the organisors of THIS meet-up) feel that London is too complicated for those who have never been and also those who live outside it. I note that you live inside London and so therefore probably would want one there.
I'm sorry to have to say this but as boris said "Plus if you want a London meet up....organise one"
Birmingham is between the north and south so middle. The only other places in that situation are other midlands cities like Leicester,Coventry,Nottingham,Derby... But none have the same amount of access as Birmingham and also I don't really want a meet-up right on my doorstep.

Another point is that other cities are too far north/south and isolate more people. It's all well and good saying that we should choose other places but we think that Birmingham isn't too north/south specific to isolate more people. So in effect we are being fair. It isn' like a road-trip going around the country so all can meet-up. This is a one-off event, so it would make sense to choose a place that is easier to get to then...Newcastle for example. Would that be easier for you to go?

There is nothing stopping anyone else arranging another meet-up. The reason it get's focus is because boris (and others) are the first to actually get one into realisation. I don't want to sound harsh at all but the fact is there.

I understand, but I dont see why London is complicated, in what way, it has the most access out of any City In the UK. Nearly all trains go there.

[Holy_Aeris]

No.Here's a example of how a train journey to Brighton works for someone like me travelling from the middle of England.

1.LEICESTER dep 07:30
2.LONDON ST PANCRAS arr 08:55
3.LONDON ST PANCRAS dep 08:55
4.LONDON VICTORIA arr 09:36
5.LONDON VICTORIA dep 09:36
6.BRIGHTON STATION arr 10:27

Now imagine what it's like for those who live futher north than I and whose stations DON'T have a direct to London. Also, consider the fact that I would have to get from a national rail networked line to the underground in... 1 minute? At peak commuter time? Imagine if my train is one minute late... I would have to wait another 30 minutes for the next one. So no, not every train leads straight to Brighton. Brighton is slightly isolated and as much as I'd like to take Psychotic out on the beach for a good seeing to, I can't because I'd be shattered from the train journey.

huh, ok my bad, sorry

[Psychotic]

I dispute the claim that Birmingham is scummier than Nottingham. They're both as terrible as each other.

I understand, but I dont see why London is complicated, in what way, it has the most access out of any City In the UK. Nearly all trains go there.

Because it's so bloody big! Everyone would be arriving at different stations and it'd be a nightmare to find everyone, and then get them back to the right stations again.

[Cz]

I don't see what's complex about London either. Assuming you're arriving by train, it's a simple matter of getting on the relevant tube line. It would be easy to arrange a meeting place outside Piccadilly Circus, or even on the platform of a station if it's any easier. None of the major stations are at all isolated from the tube network, so there shouldn't be any complex changes etc.

I didn't really make myself clear before, so let me just outline why I think London would be a good idea, if not for this meet, then for a future one:

1. London is well-connected. Of course this is also true of Birmingham, but there are a greater number of services that head to/from London, and these also run more often. Not to mention that once you're in the city, the trains/buses are reliable enough to get you just about anywhere within five or ten minutes.

2. There's plenty to do. Again this is true of many cities, but to nowhere near the same extent. In addition to the shops (Oxford Street, Covent Garden etc.) there are also plenty of great places to eat, see a show or whatever. If we felt like organising something like that, it'd be pretty easy to do. Not to mention that the Trocadero has one hell of an arcade, and I want to kick your asses at DDR.

3. More people would show up. Certainly, London makes things difficult for people further North (which sucks, particularly as some of the Northern people are the ones I'm keenest to meet) but it also makes things far, far easier for those in the South. From my experience there are quite a large number of London-based EoFFers, and we could practically guarentee that they'd turn up if the meet were to be so local. The amount of Northern members we'd lose would be offset by the number of Southern members we'd gain, and it would also increase the chances of new members, who were not present at previous meets, showing up. This is unfair on the North, but the balance could always be restored by having the next meet in an area that favours them.

4. No way can I go to Birmingham. I know this isn't a proper reason, but the fact is that I really want to meet you guys, yet my parents simply aren't permissive enough. A London meet would be absolutely perfect for me, not just because of the locality but because it would be awesome to show you guys around, and I genuinely think that the travel difficulties would be worth it. The other option is to wait until Uni. (which by the looks of things is almost certainly going to Northernise me) but I'd rather not have to do that, particularly as I'll probably have got bored and left again by that point.

Brighton would also have been fun, but as Jack says it's nigh-on impossible. I've got a gig there tomorrow, and even getting across London to Victoria station in time is going to be a nightmare. Unfortunately, Brighton isn't really an option.

So c'mon. Please?

[Shauna]

I'm sorry to have to say this but as boris said "Plus if you want a London meet up....organise one"

:rolleyes2 ?

[Dreddz]

I don't see what's complex about London either. Assuming you're arriving by train, it's a simple matter of getting on the relevant tube line. It would be easy to arrange a meeting place outside Piccadilly Circus, or even on the platform of a station if it's any easier. None of the major stations are at all isolated from the tube network, so there shouldn't be any complex changes etc.

I didn't really make myself clear before, so let me just outline why I think London would be a good idea, if not for this meet, then for a future one:

1. London is well-connected. Of course this is also true of Birmingham, but there are a greater number of services that head to/from London, and these also run more often. Not to mention that once you're in the city, the trains/buses are reliable enough to get you just about anywhere within five or ten minutes.

2. There's plenty to do. Again this is true of many cities, but to nowhere near the same extent. In addition to the shops (Oxford Street, Covent Garden etc.) there are also plenty of great places to eat, see a show or whatever. If we felt like organising something like that, it'd be pretty easy to do. Not to mention that the Trocadero has one hell of an arcade, and I want to kick your asses at DDR. ;)

3. More people would show up. Certainly, London makes things difficult for people further North (which sucks, particularly as some of the Northern people are the ones I'm keenest to meet) but it also makes things far, far easier for those in the South. From my experience there are quite a large number of London-based EoFFers, and we could practically guarentee that they'd turn up if the meet were to be so local. The amount of Northern members we'd lose would be offset by the number of Southern members we'd gain, and it would also increase the chances of new members, who were not present at previous meets, showing up. This is unfair on the North, but the balance could always be restored by having the next meet in an area that favours them.

4. No way can I go to Birmingham. I know this isn't a proper reason, but the fact is that I really want to meet you guys, yet my parents simply aren't permissive enough. A London meet would be absolutely perfect for me, not just because of the locality but because it would be awesome to show you guys around, and I genuinely think that the travel difficulties would be worth it. The other option is to wait until Uni. (which by the looks of things is almost certainly going to Northernise me) but I'd rather not have to do that, particularly as I'll probably have got bored and left again by that point. ;)

Brighton would also have been fun, but as Jack says it's nigh-on impossible. I've got a gig there tomorrow, and even getting across London to Victoria station in time is going to be a nightmare. Unfortunately, Brighton isn't really an option.

So c'mon. Please? :)

Im going to back that comment......
Oh, and seeing as Ive spent a good portion of my life in the Trocadero Black Mage 121, Ill accept your challenge......

[Psychotic]

If someone does organise a London one, I'd probably go (financial issues and other commitments not withstanding, although that's the case for any meetup) but I just don't think it's fair to expect people who live nowhere near London to organise one because Londoners are too lazy to make the effort.

[Dreddz]

London
April 4th
11am
London Aquarium

We arent that lazy Psy, geez ....

[Shoden]

No way I'm going to the south area, I'd get shot, us northerners are targets for southerners, look at Psy he's tried to eat me since I joined!

Man I'll have to come to a meet up next time.

[Psychotic]

No way I'm going to the south area, I'd get shot, us northerners are targets for southerners, look at Psy he's tried to eat me since I joined!

I'm not a southerner. I'm not a northerner, either. I'm a Midlander. We combine the rudeness of the south with the poverty of the north!

[Cz]

If someone does organise a London one, I'd probably go (financial issues and other commitments not withstanding, although that's the case for any meetup) but I just don't think it's fair to expect people who live nowhere near London to organise one because Londoners are too lazy to make the effort.

True, but what's wrong with having each meetup in a different location around the country so that everyone has a chance to attend? You don't see the US holding every single event in a central location, so I don't think we should either.

Some of us aren't being lazy, we simply cannot make the journey to Birmingham. I actually think it's far fairer to give people an easy trip once in a while, at the expense of missing one or two events, rather than expecting everyone in the two extremes of the country to take a long train journey every single time.

Once again, I'm not proposing that this meet-up be held in London, merely that we take the idea into consideration for future events, rather than ruling it out immediately.

[Rye]

But the US is huge compared to England. Maybe this is just me, being from the large country America is, but I don't see what the big deal is in taking a train to one part of England to another, it's pretty small. It has to take like, 3 hours (or maybe 4) at most, provided you don't go from the tippy top of England (not Britain, but England) to the bottom tip. But I dunno, so forgive me if I'm wrong.

I mean, I went from Bologna which is in middle area to Italy, to Venice, which is way north, in about 2 and a half hours, and Italy is longer than England.

[Psychotic]

True, but what's wrong with having each meetup in a different location around the country so that everyone has a chance to attend? You don't see the US holding every single event in a central location, so I don't think we should either.

Some of us aren't being lazy, we simply cannot make the journey to Birmingham. I actually think it's far fairer to give people an easy trip once in a while, at the expense of missing one or two events, rather than expecting everyone in the two extremes of the country to take a long train journey every single time.

Once again, I'm not proposing that this meet-up be held in London, merely that we take the idea into consideration for future events, rather than ruling it out immediately.

I'm not saying that at all. I'm all for holding one in London. Please do! Like I say, I'd go. But you, Dreddz, and other people from London should organise it. People like boris no no, Jack, and myself don't know London very well, if at all, and I just don't see how we could be expected to organise one, and be responsible for several people, in a city that's alien to us.

[Cz]

I'm not saying that at all. I'm all for holding one in London. Please do! Like I say, I'd go. But you, Dreddz, and other people from London should organise it. People like boris no no, Jack, and myself don't know London very well, if at all, and I just don't see how we could be expected to organise one, and be responsible for several people, in a city that's alien to us.

I'd be happy to organise it, it just seemed that people were unwilling to come to London at all. As long as I can be sure that you guys are going to show up then I'd be happy to sort things out.

But the US is huge compared to England. Maybe this is just me, being from the large country America is, but I don't see what the big deal is in taking a train to one part of England to another, it's pretty small. It has to take like, 3 hours (or maybe 4) at most, provided you don't go from the tippy top of England (not Britain, but England) to the bottom tip. But I dunno, so forgive me if I'm wrong.

I mean, I went from Bologna which is in middle area to Italy, to Venice, which is way north, in about 2 and a half hours, and Italy is longer than England.

Yeah, that's fair enough. But I think it's all relative really. Generally, Americans are willing to journey further than Brits, merely because of the relative sizes of our nations. To me, Birmingham is "Halfway up the country, blimey!", whereas an American would probably be willing to drive the same distance to pick up some milk.

Anyway, the parental issues still come into play. I'd be quite happy to travel to the midlands, but in reality it's not that simple.

So yeah, I'd just like to put the idea of a London event on the table. Leave the organisation to me an think about it. G'night, folks.