imerk
Active Member
Oh wow, new staircases. Wasn't expecting those. They are much needed.
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Towered
Superstar
Meh. Give me the 80's EC over this trash imposter any day.
Dan416
Senior Member
I’m in the Eaton centre a lot and I try to always take the stairs since people on the escalators are so slow and it’s good exercise too so the added staircases are definitely appreciated.
T.E.C.II
Active Member
That escalator in particular has always been bad. So glad they put in a staircase.
officedweller
Senior Member
zang
Senior Member
I’ll take this opportunity to point out that escalators are designed for people to stand on both sides equally. By a huge margin, the main reason for escalators being out of service is caused by people standing primarily on the right so that others can pass on the left. The weight imbalance literally causes damage that compounds with time until they break.
Why the escalator etiquette of 'stand right, walk left' is wrong - Macleans.ca
Whether riding escalators or merging traffic, people feel they know what's fair, and it's messing with the work of transit operators and traffic planners
macleans.ca
BART says people walking on the left are causing escalators to break faster
Those of us trying to get a little exercise or get to our destination quicker are...
www.sfgate.com
When they're forced out of service, they make life worse for everyone.
There are also issues of overall inefficiency in having “slow/fast” lanes on an escalator. "Walkers" take up more space than those standing, and mean fewer overall people on an escalator, creating bigger bottlenecks.
But most of all, it disregards those who have mobility and balance issues or those with small children and creates dangerous situations for all. Falls account for ¾ of all escalator-related injuries, and are the primary reason that the TTC took down its Walk-Left/Stand-Right stickers over 15 years ago:
Yes, the Eaton Centre needs better traffic flow and more stairs.
If you get on an escalator, treat it like a brief respite from walking, like waiting for an elevator or a walk sign at a crosswalk. Except unlike those two examples, you actually get somewhere by the time you get to move. Over walking, it's only a few seconds difference in most cases.
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UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
Maybe I am a bad person, but when I see an escalator...I use it a means to ascend and descend to my target level in the most efficient manner. So I walk them...
...but then came along this thing called Covid and a lockdown that herald with it. That forced me to stand on escalators when someone else was standing on it, because I didn't want pass them during social distancing protocols. This is a habit I still practice today, save I am less inclined to stand 2 metres behind them now. So perhaps this an etiquette we should apply to ourselves when using an escalator if it is to aid in said device's safety and longevity. And for what that's worth.
...but then came along this thing called Covid and a lockdown that herald with it. That forced me to stand on escalators when someone else was standing on it, because I didn't want pass them during social distancing protocols. This is a habit I still practice today, save I am less inclined to stand 2 metres behind them now. So perhaps this an etiquette we should apply to ourselves when using an escalator if it is to aid in said device's safety and longevity. And for what that's worth.
picard102
Senior Member
Yeah, people treat it like a little ride, not a method to move people through a space more quickly.
limer
Active Member
Thanks for this, never thought of it like that. I always got annoyed when people stand on the left. Although walkers 'take up more space', they are moving faster, so the volume being moved should still be similar or better no? A solution to balance the sides would be switch the "up" and "down" escalators periodically, so the walkers and standers would be switched as well.I’ll take this opportunity to point out that escalators are designed for people to stand on both sides equally. By a huge margin, the main reason for escalators being out of service is caused by people standing primarily on the right so that others can pass on the left. The weight imbalance literally causes damage that compounds with time until they break.
Why the escalator etiquette of 'stand right, walk left' is wrong - Macleans.ca
Whether riding escalators or merging traffic, people feel they know what's fair, and it's messing with the work of transit operators and traffic plannersBART says people walking on the left are causing escalators to break faster
Those of us trying to get a little exercise or get to our destination quicker are...
When they're forced out of service, they make life worse for everyone.
There are also issues of overall inefficiency in having “slow/fast” lanes on an escalator. "Walkers" take up more space than those standing, and mean fewer overall people on an escalator, creating bigger bottlenecks.
But most of all, it disregards those who have mobility and balance issues or those with small children and creates dangerous situations for all. Falls account for ¾ of all escalator-related injuries, and are the primary reason that the TTC took down its Walk-Left/Stand-Right stickers over 15 years ago:
Yes, the Eaton Centre needs better traffic flow and more stairs.
If you get on an escalator, treat it like a brief respite from walking, like waiting for an elevator or a walk sign at a crosswalk. Except unlike those two examples, you actually get somewhere by the time you get to move. Over walking, it's only a few seconds difference in most cases.
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zang
Senior Member
London did a study and showed that there was no efficiency in walking up. Walk left causes congestion at the entry of the escalator.
The tube at a standstill: why TfL stopped people walking up the escalators
It’s British lore: on escalators, you stand on the right. So why did TfL ask people to stop walking on the left? And could it help solve a looming congestion crisis?
www.theguardian.com
daptive
Active Member
London did a study and showed that there was no efficiency in walking up. Walk left causes congestion at the entry of the escalator.
The tube at a standstill: why TfL stopped people walking up the escalators
It’s British lore: on escalators, you stand on the right. So why did TfL ask people to stop walking on the left? And could it help solve a looming congestion crisis?
From the article
I don’t think it’s saying walking up has no efficiency but only if people choose not to walk up while also leaving room on the left for few who choose to walk up. And the test was done on pretty long escalators whereas a lot of Eaton Centres’ (and TTC’s) are much shorter.
Also this is really only about overall efficiency, the fast walkers will still always be ahead. I know countless times I’ve caught a train that the standers couldn’t cause I walked.
zang
Senior Member
That may be, but the bottlenecking at the bottom will still be the same. You're still constraining the input by nearly half in order to leave room for people to pass. And even then, any perceived efficiency in walking means absolutely no one can stand on the left.
If speed is the priority, stairs can (and will) always be the faster method. Two steps at a time is manageable on a normal staircase, but far more difficult with the height of escalator steps.
Sure, but it's like saying we should constrict all other car traffic for the sake of those who want to drive fastest, rather than what's best for all.
"One study reported that 74.9 percent of pedestrians choose to stand on the escalator instead of walking. Should an entire lane of the escalator be left open for a small, impatient proportion of the crowd?" -
Why everyone should stand still on an escalator
The best way to ride an escalator isn't what you'd expect, but it's 27 percent more efficient.
www.pbs.org
There will always be people who feel entitled, but the rest of us are not required to indulge that entitlement.
I will refuse to give room for people who assume I should just move out of their way. Often it's on an escalator with stairs right beside it. To me it's the epitome of entitled laziness to ask others to move when there's perfectly good stairs. If I'm on an escalator, it's often with my daughter, one of several of my wife's family members who have Ménière's disease, or others who have disabilities that aren't evident. I'm tall, strong and broad shouldered, and it's almost always on an up-bound escalator when people ask me to move. If they want to mess with me while I have the higher ground, they're welcome to. I usually just point to the stairs and say "you should've taken them; much faster." and they'll sneer or make some quiet remark to themselves.
Okay, but if you miss one, another will be along in a minute. If your plans can come crashing down due to a difference in seconds, the problem lies with your time management and not people on an escalator.
zang
Senior Member
I cannot imagine the type of damage that comes from striking the edge of a steel, slatted stair edge. Geez.
officedweller
Senior Member
Maybe the solution is for people on both sides to walk?
The stairs do, however, provide a good option - both up and down - they would be faster than just standing still on an escalator.... although I doubt you can eliminate the tripping hazard on stairs due to the need to move your feet.
The "keep right except to pass" rule also applies as a courtesy on sidewalks and is the law on roads in many places.
The stairs do, however, provide a good option - both up and down - they would be faster than just standing still on an escalator.... although I doubt you can eliminate the tripping hazard on stairs due to the need to move your feet.
The "keep right except to pass" rule also applies as a courtesy on sidewalks and is the law on roads in many places.
Keep Right, Let Others Pass
Information about B.C.'s "Keep Right, Let Others Pass" law.
www2.gov.bc.ca
Frequently Asked Questions About the Keep Right, Let Others Pass Law
Information about B.C.'s "Keep Right, Let Others Pass" law.
www2.gov.bc.ca
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Dan416
Senior Member
My lesson to myself is to not text while going up/down stairs. Lesson learnt.