What side to walk on?

[Human]

Can we also get people to keep walking when on escalators? I am not talking about older people who may struggle.
Fit able bodied people just stop dead on the escalator. Drives me bonkers.

I don't mind this as long as the people who don't want to move, all stand to the left, so those of us who want to keep walking can overtake them.

 

[drron]

And at ZRH Iwas getting on the escalator on the right side as those not moving were on that side. I had just got on when the guy behind me kept walking. I very nearly went a over t as he hit me. If looks could kill he would not be alive today.

 

[Pushka]

Can we also get people to keep walking when on escalators? I am not talking about older people who may struggle.
Fit able bodied people just stop dead on the escalator. Drives me bonkers.

I presume you mean the flat ones at airports? Even as a young person I wouldn't walk up the rising ones and I don't think it's safe.

 

[Forg]

I presume you mean the flat ones at airports? Even as a young person I don't walk up the rising ones and I don't think it's safe.

Whereas, as an old person, if I’m in a shopping-centre with a trolley that has the locks on the rear wheels and I encounter one of those, I lift the trolley so I can keep walking.

I think that with airports it’s a tad unrealistic to expect everyone is going to be able to keep walking, and luggage trolleys are wide enough that you can’t get past with another trolley on a travelator. Inclined ones probably lock luggage trolleys wheels too.

Back to the correct side for overtaking … I also believe we’ve talked about what the correct side to stand on escalators is, and people have posted images showing airports which have rules counter to what’s intuitive! I think it was BKK, where the road rules say the cars are Correct Hand Drive but the airport clearly had signage saying that you should stand to the right & overtake on the left. Maybe it’s because in Bangkok traffic the side they drive on is a mere suggestion …

 

[Groundfeeder]

It's the robots rapt in mobile phone in front of them, oblivious to any other human life on this particular planet.
I just stop in front of the impending collision to see if they've got their Traffic Alerts engaged.

 

[justinbrett]

I presume you mean the flat ones at airports? Even as a young person I don't walk up the rising ones and I don't think it's safe.

Only the ones that have steps are called escalators. The flat ones, whether level or sloped, are travelators or moving walkways.

I think that with airports it’s a tad unrealistic to expect everyone is going to be able to keep walking, and luggage trolleys are wide enough that you can’t get past with another trolley on a travelator. Inclined ones probably lock luggage trolleys wheels too.

All of the airports with travelators that I can recall either had a sign saying no trolleys, and/or installed bollards to prevent this.

 

[Forg]

All of the airports with travelators that I can recall either had a sign saying no trolleys, and/or installed bollards to prevent this.

Ah, this is due to my inexperience. Really the only one I could recall clearly was Changi, and even their PR shots (because I Googled to check I hadn't misremembered) have people with trolleys using them. The escalators in T2 at Sydney have bollards, which is a shame because in some ways it would be amusing watching people trying to get a luggage trolley onto an escalator ...

Didn't one of Sydney's domestic terminals get travelators which you could use with trolleys? I'm thinking it was the QF one, but I can only find reliable photos of that faux-aircraft-fuselage one near the entry to the airside portion where the shops are. I could've sworn one of the domestic terminals had an extra wing added decades ago and got travelators to get passengers out to the furthest gates (maybe that happened & they've since been removed). I have vague recollections of thinking how cool the travelators were as a kid.

 

[Pushka]

Only the ones that have steps are called escalators. The flat ones, whether level or sloped, are travelators or moving walkways.



All of the airports with travelators that I can recall either had a sign saying no trolleys, and/or installed bollards to prevent this.

Understand. I guess I was surprised that there is an expectation that most should continue to walk up the steps of an escalator. As per the OP. Can't imagine how that will work in UK etc on tube escalators which are packed. If I'm holding luggage or at least a bag then no way am I doing that. I do keep to whatever side is correct. I think.

It's the robots rapt in mobile phone in front of them, oblivious to any other human life on this particular planet.
I just stop in front of the impending collision to see if they've got their Traffic Alerts engaged.

Did that just yesterday.

 

[justinbrett]

Understand. I guess I was surprised that there is an expectation that most should continue to walk up the steps of an escalator. As per the OP. Can't imagine how that will work in UK etc on tube escalators which are packed. If I'm holding luggage or at least a bag then no way am I doing that. I do keep to whatever side is correct. I think..

Oh I totally agree it’s an outrageous expectation. Have a look at popular stations in places like London and Sydney- I’d estimate a good 75% opt to stand on the escalators. These stations are usually many stories underground.

Ah, this is due to my inexperience. Really the only one I could recall clearly was Changi, and even their PR shots (because I Googled to check I hadn't misremembered) have people with trolleys using them. The escalators in T2 at Sydney have bollards, which is a shame because in some ways it would be amusing watching people trying to get a luggage trolley onto an escalator ...

Didn't one of Sydney's domestic terminals get travelators which you could use with trolleys? I'm thinking it was the QF one, but I can only find reliable photos of that faux-aircraft-fuselage one near the entry to the airside portion where the shops are. I could've sworn one of the domestic terminals had an extra wing added decades ago and got travelators to get passengers out to the furthest gates (maybe that happened & they've since been removed). I have vague recollections of thinking how cool the travelators were as a kid.

What airport allows trolleys airside? Why do you need them for carry on?

There’s usually very limited real estate between the entry doors and check in desk so you don’t often find travellators there. I’m not sure what you’re talking about with SIN but assume that’s in the shopping mall part, Jewel.

 

[Forg]

What airport allows trolleys airside? Why do you need them for carry on?

Changi, the airport which immediately sprang to mind when someone said something about travelators with luggage-trolleys.
Why would people use them? This I can’t answer! But people certainly were. It’s probably the same reason the same people will do laps of the parking-spots within a 30 second walk of the shopping-centre entrance instead of saving 10 minutes’ worth of driving-in-circles and parking a 45 second walk away.

There’s usually very limited real estate between the entry doors and check in desk so you don’t often find travellators there. I’m not sure what you’re talking about with SIN but assume that’s in the shopping mall part, Jewel.

While I still can’t answer what the point of it was, it was on those long linear stretches out to the gates from the more central area where the shops/etc are.
I remember it mostly because soldiers with machine-guns were somewhat a shock! It burns a mental image.
Now that you’ve brought-up the pointlessness of it, I’m guessing the people using it leave their trolleys lying-around at the gates, causing annoying “maintenance” effort getting them back to whatever central locations they’re stored at.

 

[Cessna 180]

I presume you mean the flat ones at airports? Even as a young person I wouldn't walk up the rising ones and I don't think it's safe.

Well Pushka, my intention is not to sound arrogant, however I do mean the step type ones. I love walking up steps and think it is good for us all to do any little bit of extra exercise possible. I see the escalator a an assistance tool not a method of transport.

But to be clear, I do not expect people who are a bit older or a bit rickety to do it or if someone is carrying a suitcase etc. My Mum has bad knees and struggles with steps at the best of times.

I realize this may be controversial, but it does annoy me when fit able bodied people just stop dead on the escalator. Especially as other mentioned they stare on their phones whilst walking.

 

[justinbrett]

Changi, the airport which immediately sprang to mind when someone said something about travelators with luggage-trolleys.
Why would people use them? This I can’t answer! But people certainly were. It’s probably the same reason the same people will do laps of the parking-spots within a 30 second walk of the shopping-centre entrance instead of saving 10 minutes’ worth of driving-in-circles and parking a 45 second walk away.


While I still can’t answer what the point of it was, it was on those long linear stretches out to the gates from the more central area where the shops/etc are.
I remember it mostly because soldiers with machine-guns were somewhat a shock! It burns a mental image.
Now that you’ve brought-up the pointlessness of it, I’m guessing the people using it leave their trolleys lying-around at the gates, causing annoying “maintenance” effort getting them back to whatever central locations they’re stored at.

OK I’ve seen the pics, they aren’t regular luggage trolleys that most would recognised, these are mini versions that wouldn’t fit a suitcase on them. Let’s tick them up as a special case.

Original point being that dodging luggage trolleys on travelators isn’t a regular occurrence.

 

[DC3]

Can we get airports and tourist areas to add signage or information to let visitors know which side to walk? In Australia we walk on the left, same as driving.

Thought bubble?

Sometimes better to go with the flow, even though what you say makes some sense. I’m not aware of any laws/ regulations about this.

 

[Forg]

OK I’ve seen the pics, they aren’t regular luggage trolleys that most would recognised, these are mini versions that wouldn’t fit a suitcase on them. Let’s tick them up as a special case.

Original point being that dodging luggage trolleys on travelators isn’t a regular occurrence.

That’s fair. As I said, little experience, and only know what I saw.
I’ve never even used a luggage trolley myself, I’ve only ever had wheels on the luggage &/or carry-on.

 

[Human]

Well Pushka, my intention is not to sound arrogant, however I do mean the step type ones. I love walking up steps and think it is good for us all to do any little bit of extra exercise possible. I see the escalator a an assistance tool not a method of transport.

I walk up the escalator steps whenever I can. Even better, when I have the choice, more often than not I take the actual stairs rather than the escalator.

And it's absolutely correct to say that exercise/activity is "good for you". Yes, when able-bodied people choose to stand rather than walk up, I do believe that they're making a little choice that's bad for them.

The problem is, how does one define "able-bodied"? There are so many injuries/illnesses that we can't see. There's no way we can decide whether someone is choosing to stand because they're lazy, or because they have tendonitis, or a sprained ankle, or an ACL injury, or because they're simply exhausted from an 18-hour shift. For every ten people who choose to not walk, there are probably one or two who have a perfectly good reason not to -- but we don't know who they are.

So it's best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and to assume that they have a good reason not to walk, unless we know them well enough to be absolutely certain that's not the case.

Even as a young person I wouldn't walk up the rising ones and I don't think it's safe.

That statement surprised me. The thought of it being "unsafe" has never entered my mind. Do we have any statistics regarding how many people get injured by walking up escalators? I'm not trying to be facetious -- I might learn something.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

The worst are ignorant American tourists who come to Commonwealth countries, they will walk on the right hand side and then castigate you for not having the manners to get out of the way and walk on the 'right side'

 

[Pushka]

I walk up the escalator steps whenever I can. Even better, when I have the choice, more often than not I take the actual stairs rather than the escalator.

And it's absolutely correct to say that exercise/activity is "good for you". Yes, when able-bodied people choose to stand rather than walk up, I do believe that they're making a little choice that's bad for them.

The problem is, how does one define "able-bodied"? There are so many injuries/illnesses that we can't see. There's no way we can decide whether someone is choosing to stand because they're lazy, or because they have tendonitis, or a sprained ankle, or an ACL injury, or because they're simply exhausted from an 18-hour shift. For every ten people who choose to not walk, there are probably one or two who have a perfectly good reason not to -- but we don't know who they are.

So it's best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and to assume that they have a good reason not to walk, unless we know them well enough to be absolutely certain that's not the case.


That statement surprised me. The thought of it being "unsafe" has never entered my mind. Do we have any statistics regarding how many people get injured by walking up escalators? I'm not trying to be facetious -- I might learn something.

I walked up the escalator once in Singapore. My toe caught the leading edge of the rising step. I fell and hurt my wrists. I jolted my shoulder. Don't know if that's related but a few months later that shoulder was diagnosed as Frozen and needed a cortisone shot. I don't give much credence to statistics tbh. It happened to me. That frames my behaviour.

Well Pushka, my intention is not to sound arrogant, however I do mean the step type ones. I love walking up steps and think it is good for us all to do any little bit of extra exercise possible. I see the escalator a an assistance tool not a method of transport.

But to be clear, I do not expect people who are a bit older or a bit rickety to do it or if someone is carrying a suitcase etc. My Mum has bad knees and struggles with steps at the best of times.

I realize this may be controversial, but it does annoy me when fit able bodied people just stop dead on the escalator. Especially as other mentioned they stare on their phones whilst walking.

But you don't know hidden disability so this isn't something I'd ever get annoyed at with others. I have stairs at home. From ground to first storey. Up and down multiple times a day. Will not walk up escalator stairs again.

 

[justinbrett]

Well Pushka, my intention is not to sound arrogant, however I do mean the step type ones. I love walking up steps and think it is good for us all to do any little bit of extra exercise possible. I see the escalator a an assistance tool not a method of transport.

But to be clear, I do not expect people who are a bit older or a bit rickety to do it or if someone is carrying a suitcase etc. My Mum has bad knees and struggles with steps at the best of times.

I realize this may be controversial, but it does annoy me when fit able bodied people just stop dead on the escalator. Especially as other mentioned they stare on their phones whilst walking.

I think that’s quite an outrageous view if I’m being completely honest. It’s one thing to get annoyed at people blocking your path, but to get angry at people for stopping on the escalator, a cultural norm so accepted we have developed conventions for which side to stand on, is quite another.

Who are you to tell people they should be taking this specific form of exercise? For all you know they just finished a session at the gym, cycled to work, or whatever. If you’re so devoted to exercising at every available opportunity perhaps you should take the stairs instead?

At most stations I’ve used recently with escalators (in many countries), the vast majority of people chose to stand. So much so, a queue forms just to get on them. I’m very surprised you find this act disagreeable.

So it's best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and to assume that they have a good reason not to walk, unless we know them well enough to be absolutely certain that's not the case.

It’s none of your business. If they’re not blocking your path just move along and get on with your life.

 

[DC3]

But you don't know hidden disability so this isn't something I'd ever get annoyed at with others. I have stairs at home. From ground to first storey. Up and down multiple times a day. Will not walk up escalator stairs again.

 

[jastel]

They dont have to be from America...2/3 of the world drive on the Right...and probably walk that side too. Commonwealth countries are in the minority being on the left. I get your point but.

I tell them you drive on the right side, we drive on the correct side.

My best/worst escalator memory is about a "dropper"
Husband carrying 2 samsonites and several backpacks and smaller bags was in front of me on an escalator, about 3m ahead, it was a busy airport, there were lines waiting for the lifts, trolley bollards were installed. His wife was tying the kids shoe laces at the bottom, and so he had 90%of the luggage.
At the top he just dropped the lot as soon as he got off, and started stretching like Merv Hughes in Bay 13. I could see what was going to happen and shouted at him to move....nothing.
I had a small wheely case and backpack, phone and travel docs in hand etc so no free hands, I stepped back down a step or two, yelling at him but others were behind me.
Nothing else to do but start kicking his bags out the way....that sparked him up as the kids My Little Pony bag scattered along the floor, closely followed by GI Joe in a different direction and a Louis Vuitton knock off in a third. I wasnt gonna kick the samsonite.
I heard laughing from lower down the escalator.
Security came running past me heading for his yells but I hastened my pace and got lost in the crowd.