Postcard from London: Huddled masses stuck in traffic

I know what you’re thinking. It’s a red bus. Yes, but it represents all that has been transportation woes during the Olympics in a city that, on a good day, has crowded roads.

This is not the 215 during morning rush hour. It’s far worse. The best you can say is that London is coping with the large crowds such an event brings.

Call it the face-pressed-against-glass syndrome. You would be shocked how much deodorant seems to be more option than necessity here. Trains and busses are packed throughout the day as hundreds of thousands of people make their way from one venue to the next. More than 2 million extra seats have been provided by the rail system for the Games. Delays are common.

It could be worse. One unlucky 28-year old cyclist rode in front of a bus such as this one carrying media from the Main Press Center, was struck and killed. There is no truth to the rumor that reporters revolted due to missing deadline.

(Ed Graney is covering the Olympics in London for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney. More Olympics coverage can be found at lvrj.com/olympics.)