Tag Archives: Londoners

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Are you a real Londoner?

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You don’t have to be born in the capital to qualify, just try this totally arbitrary and subjective test to help you understand if you can claim to be a Londoner. The maximum score is about 100, unless you are very old you’re unlikely to reach those dizzy heights.

  1. I was born and raised in The Smoke, even if you have since left (+5 points)
  2. I live in London (+1 point per year)
  3. I shop local before using Amazon or any multiple retail organisation (+1 point)
  4. I know the difference between The City and the city of London (+1 point)
  5. I volunteer with community groups or charities including being a pearly king or queen (+1 point)
  6. My main mode of getting around is by Underground, bus, tram, bike or walking (+1 point)
  7. I don’t own a car (+1 point)
  8. I was here for the pandemic and never considered leaving. (+1 point)
  9. I can negotiate the Underground pretty much anywhere without consulting Harry Beck’s map but will direct tourists to the correct train (+1 point)
  10. I’m prepared to travel to Zone 6 even the section South of the River (+1 point)
  11. I have driven an iconic London vehicle: cab, bus, tube (+1 point)
  12. I’ve sat on a Boris Bike (+1 point)
  13. You wouldn’t get me in a rickshaw, I’ll leave that for gullible tourists (+1 point) extra point if you’ve warned a visitor about rickshaws
  14. At some time I’ve kept London safe working in the emergency services (+1 point) extra point for every life you’ve saved
  15. I’ve never been to Madam Tussauds (+1 point)
  16. I’ve never asked a cabbie “Had anyone in your cab?” (+1 point)
  17. Yes I have actually eaten pie and mash (+1 point) extra point for consuming jellied eels
  18. My bookshelf has at least five books about London (+1 point) extra point for owning Peter Ackroyd’s London: The biography
  19. I went to work/school on Friday 16th October 1987, a breezy day wasn’t going to stop me (+1 point)
  20. I can point to London’s official centre (+1 point)

How did you score? Let others know in the comments. Since you asked, I got 92 points, which rather pleased me.

Featured image: The View from the Shard by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash.