As mentioned in some other threads, I live just outside Brussels - and work in an area which is considered the edge of the EU district.
Yesterday I was on the metro, 4 stops from Maelbeek when it got hit. I didn’t know at that point, but I did when I got to the office.
I have colleagues who were in Maelbeek when it was.
I had already adapted my travelling to work, mainly because after years of disgusting service from the Belgian rail company I decided to take alternatives.
That had the added benefit of making sure I didn’t go through “prime targets”, such as Central Station + the EU stops like Schumann and Maelbeek. I even avoid my closest stop, Merode - though that’s because it’s a depressing hole of a station.
I should have turned my car round and either worked from home, or taken my electric kick scooter (which wasn’t in my boot) when I heard on the radio that the airport had just been hit.
The authorities here should have closed the metro sooner. In fact I was talking with a local cop and he said to expect that, so when we got kicked off - I was hoping it was just that, but I could hear in the voice of the driver it wasn’t. He was choking to get the words out, and messed up his first announcement by not transmitting in the train.
My wife was in hysterics when she finally found out I was OK. I had been sending updates on iMessage every couple of minutes - apparently they didn’t get through (and didn’t say they hadn’t).
I walked 6km to get back to my car in the evening. Not complaining at all, a lot of people were having a much worse day.
All that to say, I officially give up on public transport. On Monday night I got the brakes for my bike, but didn’t have the time to fit them - otherwise I’d have been by bike yesterday.
Today we are forced to work from home, possibly tomorrow also.
Tonight though, the non electric MTB gets the new brakes - plus I finally ordered 2 pedelecs (26” folding MTB + 20” folding commuter). I’d been putting off ordering them for weeks.
Yesterday I was on the metro, 4 stops from Maelbeek when it got hit. I didn’t know at that point, but I did when I got to the office.
I have colleagues who were in Maelbeek when it was.
I had already adapted my travelling to work, mainly because after years of disgusting service from the Belgian rail company I decided to take alternatives.
That had the added benefit of making sure I didn’t go through “prime targets”, such as Central Station + the EU stops like Schumann and Maelbeek. I even avoid my closest stop, Merode - though that’s because it’s a depressing hole of a station.
I should have turned my car round and either worked from home, or taken my electric kick scooter (which wasn’t in my boot) when I heard on the radio that the airport had just been hit.
The authorities here should have closed the metro sooner. In fact I was talking with a local cop and he said to expect that, so when we got kicked off - I was hoping it was just that, but I could hear in the voice of the driver it wasn’t. He was choking to get the words out, and messed up his first announcement by not transmitting in the train.
My wife was in hysterics when she finally found out I was OK. I had been sending updates on iMessage every couple of minutes - apparently they didn’t get through (and didn’t say they hadn’t).
I walked 6km to get back to my car in the evening. Not complaining at all, a lot of people were having a much worse day.
All that to say, I officially give up on public transport. On Monday night I got the brakes for my bike, but didn’t have the time to fit them - otherwise I’d have been by bike yesterday.
Today we are forced to work from home, possibly tomorrow also.
Tonight though, the non electric MTB gets the new brakes - plus I finally ordered 2 pedelecs (26” folding MTB + 20” folding commuter). I’d been putting off ordering them for weeks.
