Walking up/down escalators

[matsuki]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/201 ... hV9oxtpmSk

Despite the fact that “Don’t walk” stickers have been placed near all 1,770 escalators at stations in the JR East area, most commuters seem unaware of the new request from JR East. The practice of lining up on the left side of escalators to allow people who want to walk to pass on the right is still widespread. Many people can be still be seen rushing up and down escalators on the right side. This must be halted and the best way to do so would be to stop the practice of treating the right side as a “passing lane.” People should be encouraged to stand on both sides of the escalator.

They did a whole spiel about this on the news and it was pretty funny. Standing on the left (or right in Kansai haha) is sooo deeply ingrained that it's proving nearly impossible to implement. Their expert did make 3 points that are hard to argue with:

1.) The height of normal stairs vs. the height of escalator "steps" - Escalator steps weren't designed to be walked up and are really tall compared with regular stairs....and then you have motion. This is why it's much easier to trip walking up an escalator than a normal flight of stairs. (personally speaking, about 80% of the "accidents" I've seen at train stations here were caused by lemurs with unreasonably high heels though)

2.) Many of the accidents reported were incidents where the person standing on the escalator was clipped or hit by someone attempting to walk up past them.

3.) They claimed with 2-3 person per step on the escalator, the wait to get on the escalator would be greatly reduced or eliminated. (Have to agree here as we've all seen the mile long line only to look up at the escalator and see only one person on each step, off to one side, while only a few people climb the escalator on the other side.)

This all being said, JR is already trying to implement it. I almost knocked a fucker down the escalator in Shinjuku last weekend as he tried to cut by me on the left (Yeah, I was intentionally standing on the right seeing as how there are signs everywhere telling people to do so) Gonna be interesting if this gets carried over to other lines....

[omae mona]

I guess I kind of agree with the goal, so I'll try to comply (and like you, I will probably stand on the right side to make a point!). I haven't seen any statistics suggesting that walking on escalators actually increases the accident rate, so at the moment I have reason #1 and #2 classified as "possibly b.s.". Reason #3 is quite rational though. Most of the time the reason I walk up or down escalators is not because I think the escalator speed is too slow; it's because I am trying to avoid the queue of people waiting for the standing side! I'd actually prefer to stand, but the queue for standing is just too damn long.

In other words, I think the the custom of not standing on the right actually forces more people to walk than would otherwise walk.

[Samurai_Jerk]

A lot of the stations on the various Toei Lines are so fucking deep underground that walking the escalators makes sense.

[GomiGirl]

Whenever I am in HK I am always impressed as the speed of the escalators in the metro. They zip people along quite effectively. But you do have to have your wits about you and not be staring into your phone while shuffling onto them.

Tokyo's JR escalators are dog slow which IMNSHO is part the reason for the delays.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Whenever I am in HK I am always impressed as the speed of the escalators in the metro. They zip people along quite effectively. But you do have to have your wits about you and not be staring into your phone while shuffling onto them.

Tokyo's JR escalators are dog slow which IMNSHO is part the reason for the delays.

It's because Japan is a safety country.

[yanpa]

No time to post a rant right now, but here's a picture of an escalator at a JR station for illustrative purposes.

jr-yoyogi-escalator.jpg

[matsuki]

No time to post a rant right now, but here's a picture of an escalator at a JR station for illustrative purposes.

jr-yoyogi-escalator.jpg

Hahahahahahaha, in those cases, who doesn't think the escalator is the problem?

[GomiGirl]

No time to post a rant right now, but here's a picture of an escalator at a JR station for illustrative purposes.

jr-yoyogi-escalator.jpg

This is my station and that darn escalator mocks me every time I am travelling with the stroller on my own.

There is an elevator also that takes in these 5 steps but continues down to the Oedo line and it is always in use by people who are too lazy to walk down the stairs. If I am with hubby we just pick up the stroller and walk it down those stairs.

If they replaced that stoopid escalator with a ramp (there is PLENTY of room) then it would a) save a boat load of electricity and b) allow for ease of access up AND down those 5 pesky stairs.


/rant

[matsuki]

There is an elevator also that takes in these 5 steps but continues down to the Oedo line and it is always in use by people who are too lazy to walk down the stairs.

I fucking hate these people. It's like every time I NEED to use the escalator, it's filled or there's a line of lazy fucks just clogging that shit for people who actually need it. At my current station, the worst culprits are Waseda athletes...and they travel in packs.

[Samurai_Jerk]

There is an elevator also that takes in these 5 steps but continues down to the Oedo line and it is always in use by people who are too lazy to walk down the stairs.

I fucking hate these people. It's like every time I NEED to use the escalator, it's filled or there's a line of lazy fucks just clogging that shit for people who actually need it. At my current station, the worst culprits are Waseda athletes...and they travel in packs.

I hate the lazy fucks who won't walk on the escalator. If you can't walk, take the elevator.

But seriously, I use whatever is closest. If I get off the train and the escalator is there, I use it. If I get off the train and the stairs are there, I use them. It seems like you not only have a problem with people walking on escalators but also people using them that don't fit your standard of people that need to use them. I guess that doesn't include athletes after a hard day of training who are carrying a bag full of gear. If something this insignificant bothers you so much, you should probably just stay the fuck home.

[Coligny]

If you want to walk... Take the normal stairs...
If you don't want to be late... leave earlier...

Also... I like to fart in elevators... That's my conception of living dangerously...

[matsuki]

Ahhhhhh, I meant elevators, not escalators. (my quote make more sense now?) I couldn't care less who uses the escalator.

I'm talking about situations where I roll up to the elevator with a bunch of luggage and these tards are in a group of 5 or so, waiting for the elevator to come down. Most of the time they aren't carrying equipment and even if they were, the escalator is literally 3 or 4 meters away. I end up having to wait for the next car because these fucks just want to ride the escalator.

[legion]

The reason they want people to stand on both sides is to even out the load and reduce wear and tear

that and the desire to control the way we behave at every waking moment

[yanpa]

But seriously, I use whatever is closest. If I get off the train and the escalator is there, I use it. If I get off the train and the stairs are there, I use them.

Me too. Unfortunately, at my local station there's an escalator towards end of the platform where I usually get off, and the stairs are much further back. It would be annoying if I had to queue to stand on a damn escalator (and no I don't think having people standing on both sides of the escalator would really make things faster, at least at that station), or walk half way back down the damn platform to get the stairs.

First world problems and all that

[yanpa]

If you want to walk... Take the normal stairs...
If you don't want to be late... leave earlier...

So where do people stand on escalators in the Chubu area? If Kanto is on the left, and Kansai on the right, Chubu must be in the middle?

[Iraira]

No time to post a rant right now, but here's a picture of an escalator at a JR station for illustrative purposes.

jr-yoyogi-escalator.jpg

Dude, I seriously love that mini-escalator, and make a point to ride it everytime I'm at Yoyogi station. I think there's a four step escalator in either Kawasaki or Yokohama.

[Coligny]

If you want to walk... Take the normal stairs...
If you don't want to be late... leave earlier...

So where do people stand on escalators in the Chubu area? If Kanto is on the left, and Kansai on the right, Chubu must be in the middle?

Usually, left.

[GomiGirl]

No time to post a rant right now, but here's a picture of an escalator at a JR station for illustrative purposes.

jr-yoyogi-escalator.jpg

Dude, I seriously love that mini-escalator, and make a point to ride it everytime I'm at Yoyogi station. I think there's a four step escalator in either Kawasaki or Yokohama.

That is fine if you are going up - think about the poor slobs like me looking for a way down with a stroller, or a wheelchair.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

So where do people stand on escalators in the Chubu area? If Kanto is on the left, and Kansai on the right, Chubu must be in the middle?

You are making the mistake to think that people in Chubu have manners enough to care where they stand in the first place.

[Coligny]

Compared to their driving manners, the escalator decorum is near perfect...

[Iraira]

That is fine if you are going up - think about the poor slobs like me looking for a way down with a stroller, or a wheelchair.

You can ask the station dude (sometimes dudette) to reverse the escalator direction. They do it for wheelchairs in stations with only one (usually going up) escalator. If you are planning on asking them to do that at Yoyogi, get in touch with me first, so I can be there to travel down the mini-escalator to hell.

[6810]

If you don't want to be late... leave earlier...

shiyat, I've been saying that for years. Just ten minutes earlier up in the morning can save a mad 15 second dash and crush.

[GomiGirl]

That is fine if you are going up - think about the poor slobs like me looking for a way down with a stroller, or a wheelchair.

You can ask the station dude (sometimes dudette) to reverse the escalator direction. They do it for wheelchairs in stations with only one (usually going up) escalator. If you are planning on asking them to do that at Yoyogi, get in touch with me first, so I can be there to travel down the mini-escalator to hell.

Sure but that takes FOREVER. There are like 5 steps and there is an elevator. I just want to get into the train station ASAP with the stroller. That dumb escalator just mocks me - MOCKS ME!!

But if you are at Yoyogi, the more important question is - why haven't you been over to my place for a bevvy or seven? I do most of my drinking at home these days as my three year old is not allowed to drag me out of bars anymore.

[yanpa]

If you don't want to be late... leave earlier...

shiyat, I've been saying that for years. Just ten minutes earlier up in the morning can save a mad 15 second dash and crush.

I know / know of some people who could benefit from doing that... However despite the best planning in the world, sometimes circumstances beyond your control mean you end up a teensy bit late, and being able to hurry up/down some steps, whether moving or not can help save one's schedule.

[Yokohammer]

This happens: you step onto an escalator fully intending to stand motionless, allowing the conveyance to do the job for which it was designed, and then halfway down you hear the announcement that your train is just pulling into the platform. My guess is that unless you just don't give a shit about anything, you run.

Personally, I wish that even non-powered staircases in Tokyo had two "speed zones," and that slowpokes were required by law to slither down one side or the other, leaving a fast lane for emergencies. I've missed my train due to being caught behind blathering biddies having a grand old conversation while walking, very slowly, two or three abreast on a narrow staircase leading to the platform. You can say "excuse me" in any language, wave your arms frantically, breath down their necks ... anything just short of a full-on physical assault ... and some of 'em just will not even acknowledge your existence.

[legion]

This happens: you step onto an escalator fully intending to stand motionless, allowing the conveyance to do the job for which it was designed, and then halfway down you hear the announcement that your train is just pulling into the platform. My guess is that unless you just don't give a shit about anything, you run.

because it is totally going to break your balls to wait 4 minutes for the next train

[Iraira]

But if you are at Yoyogi, the more important question is - why haven't you been over to my place for a bevvy or seven? I do most of my drinking at home these days as my three year old is not allowed to drag me out of bars anymore.

Probably because when I'm at Yoyogi I get all wrapped up playing with that escalator for at least an hour, then I head over to Dekai gyoza get two orders, eat, then head back to play with the escalator summore. All this w/o alcohol.

[yanpa]

No time to post a rant right now, but here's a picture of an escalator at a JR station for illustrative purposes.

jr-yoyogi-escalator.jpg

Dude, I seriously love that mini-escalator, and make a point to ride it everytime I'm at Yoyogi station. I think there's a four step escalator in either Kawasaki or Yokohama.

Kawasaki.

Probably because when I'm at Yoyogi I get all wrapped up playing with that escalator for at least an hour, then I head over to Dekai gyoza get two orders, eat, then head back to play with the escalator summore. All this w/o alcohol.

So there's a nice day trip to keep you occupied at the weekend

(or is that you in the video?)

[Iraira]

Kawasaki.

かわいい！　
It's fapping time!

[matsuki]

Back to my original post but I just saw a kid eat it hard while walking up the escalator at my station. It's not the first time I've seen this and while I've never tripped on an escalator myself, the "steps" of an escalator are nearly double the size of most stairs here so I can see why it's a problem for hobbits.