>My experience is the UK rail network targets truly patronising levels of safety. Signs and announcements on the dangers of running. Announcements on the dangers of slippery floors in wet weather. Announcements and signs about the importance of holding the handrail on stairs. Special extra video screens and announcements about the dangers of taking luggage on escalators. Announcements and warning signs that a flight of stairs is particularly long and tiring. Announcements on the dangers of using your phone while walking. Announcements that it's good to carry a bottle of water in hot weather.
Everything wrong with the UK today can be summarized as society going from "Mind the gap" to this insanity.
I agree that the announcements are annoying, but isn't this an overly emotional response? UK railways are extremely safe (as shown in the following link that someone else already posted here), and the annoying announcements might just be one of the less appealing aspects of an overall safety culture which is working as designed. I certainly don't see any connection between annoying announcements and any of the real problems facing the UK at present. E.g. what do they have to do with the housing crisis, or the social care crisis, or ...?
The annoying announcements are due to very a real problem facing the U.K. - what do you think the “it” is that we’re supposed to be spotting? It’s not a herd of unicorns.
Everything wrong with the UK today can be summarized as society going from "Mind the gap" to this insanity.