Are you a geek?

[Root]

Dear fellows, as I am sure you are all aware, this marvellous sport we participate in is perceived by the general public to be very "geeky", to say the least. In fact, pretty much anything to do with trains is seen in this way, even though millions of people use them every day.

What I want to know is: Are you a geek? Let's find out whether the majority of people who enjoy Tube Challenging conform to stereotype, or whether it's a myth. Be honest! If you are a trainspotter, have never had a "proper girlfriend", or enjoy chess on a regular basis, answering Yes is mandatory.

I would say I am a mild geek. I have geeky aspects about me (Trains, Computers) but also non-geeky ones (Sport, Music, Getting Drunk).

What say you?

[tubeguru]

I am a geek.

This is mainly because I find ordinarily mundane things interesting.

Railways, statistics, timetables etc.

I think I've just about got away with looking like a geek (you know the stereotype), but these days more and more geeks appear to be everyday people.

I'm convinced that a lot of non-geeks actually aspire to be geeks. I think it happens to people in their late 20's/early 30's when they realise that their wasted schooldays have finally caught up with them and the reality dawns that maybe revising for that maths exam wouldn't have been such a bad idea.

But then again, you are born a geek - you can't become one.

[CrunchySaviour]

I am a geek.

This is mainly because I find ordinarily mundane things interesting.

Railways, statistics, timetables etc.

Likewise. I am a geek. I enjoy a number of distinctly un-geeky things, such as flying big kites and drinking.

I also enjoy a fair proportion of supremely geeky ones.

I like real ale, maps, statistics, railways (my first ambition was, of course, to be a train driver), aviation, computers, dressing like a total weirdo and restoring vintage bicycles. All of these things can be geeky. I'm also doing (have almost done!!) a degree in physics!

To top it all off (what a pun!), I've got ginger hair. Not red, not auburn, certainly not strawberry-blond, but ginger. Ladies and gentlemen, it doesn't get any geekier than this!

(Computer scientists, I find, are cool geeks.)

There are many "stealth geeks", as I like to call them, such as Geoff. These people appear fairly "normal", for wont of a politically incorrect term, but harbour many strange obsessions.

I'd like to class myself a "Stealth Geek", but I think the leather waistcoat may have given me away already...

[Going Underground]

Am I a Geek

A very good question.....

I have a fairly normal job working in the airfreight forwarding industry, married two kids and drive a car (although I do cycle the 7 miles to work a few times a year). I dont use public transport on a regular basis, only if I am visiting or going somewhere out of my normal routine....
I belong to a tennis club and organise social play, tournaments and sit on the commitee (But cant stand a lot of the snobby twats down there ).

I am captain of the darts team and play twice a week....

I like to watch most sports on TV....

What am I doing on this forum you may well ask

Well I do have a "geeky" side....
I have always been interested in the tube and when I was at school I used to know which line every station was on (sorry I dont know now!)

I enjoy visiting model railway exhibitions with my son, he has his own self built layout at home...

I enjoy visiting heritage steam railways and going on Bus rallys...

I have always kept statistics and I am the organiser of everything in the office, Fantasy Football, 10 pin bowling nights, grand national sweeptakes and have all the facts/figures/results/statistics going back over 10 years..

I have always organised our J.B.O. (Jolly boys outing ) down to the coast every year, getting everyones trains times there and back...

During darts matches I am obsessed with getting all the scores/averages and results down and have these all since our darts team started in 2002..

If anyone at work wants to know anything at all transport, music, sport or timetable related they ask me and I am often called a "guru" although I am far from being a knowledgeable person...

My favourite TV programme is Dr Who......

So you guys can be my jury on this one, answers on a post card please

[tubeguru]

Geek.

[Going Underground]

short and sweet reply, ok I ticked the "geek" box on the poll

[standclearofthedoors]

I enjoy going on Bus rallys...

This conjures up two starkly different mental images... do elaborate...

[Going Underground]

Elaborate eh, will try.....

I dont have my own bus or anything but I have been to the Cobham Museum Bus Rally running day.....also The Watercress Line Bus Rally, where I can normally pick up a bus going from Staines to Alton....

Basically I just attempt to go out for a spin on as many different types of buses as possible during the day

Hope this conjures up a clearer picture for you now?

[Yorkie]

I am quite possibly geeky.

[zeibura]

i base my life around statistics, so yes, i am a geek

[petermiller36]

im not a geek. anyone who's met me please feel free to comment on that.

[Root]

^ I can confirm this...

[Sillert, V.I.]

Yes, and proud of it. After all, the world's richest man is a geek.

Those of you out there who are still unsure (43% when I last checked) might care to ponder the following quote:

"There are only 10 types of people in the world; those who understand binary, and those who don't".

[Yorkie]

Here's another one that guarantees success if you can work it out:

There are two rules to being sucessful:
1) Don't give out all the answers
2)

[G Force]

I have to admit, that I am a Geek (but not of the Uber variety), specialist subjects - communication based train control, terminus design/capacity, track layouts, and rollercoasters.