There seems to be a bit of misunderstanding about what happened. I’ll try to reiterate:
I do take stairs when the escalator looks crowded. This time I just had one guy in front of me that I could see. He got on the escalator moving, and was still moving when I could have gone straight onto the escalator, or taken a 90 degree turn to the stairway. I figured the escalator was the way to go. It was wide, and besides him, it was clear above him (there were a few folks below him, way down, but I never got to them before they got off, obviously). But he stopped about the time my feet hit the second step, and by then I was comitted. I walked until I was behind him (only a few steps more, really), and sat there. About half way down this rather slow escalator, I asked if he please wouldn’t mind moving so I could get by. Nothing more than a step to the right was required of him, and I would have had plenty of room. It seemed like he didn’t hear me, so I asked again in a louder voice, but not an angry one. He didn’t move, didn’t even really bother to look at me, and asked what my hurry was (“buddy”). That’s when I got irate, and I do admit I probably should have just let it go. Up to that point, I’m not sure what I did that was wrong. I’ve never had someone simply refuse a simple request like that in a hallway or on a stairway, and on escalators people usually clear the left for moving traffic.
I figured that’s indeed part of escalator etiquette, clearing the left if you can, but apparently ideas on this differ pretty widely. Maybe that’s why he felt the need to be such a prick to me, or maybe he just doesn’t like being asked to move for any reason. I have a hard time figuring how I could have inconvenienced him at all, but I guess he felt differently.
I can’t say I’ve ever noticed this being a problem. It is, however, the reason I avoid the elevators at all cost. On the rare occasion I’ve been transporting something that required using the elevator, I am always confronted with the idea that Urine and New-Car-Scent Air Freshener are locked in a fight to the death, and Urine is winning.
By the way, anu-la, you must be one of the people I always look at with a bit of puzzlement because they’ve chosen to run up the stairs, and I’m making better time than them walking up the escalator. This thread has given me a bit of perspective on your decision, though.
It appears self evident to me. The only escalators in my town are at the mall. There’s a sign warning that one is not supposed to climb them like steps, and they aren’t really wide enough for passing. Trying to force one’s way past someone has a good chance of causing a fall. Add in complications from carrying packages and/or accompanying children, and yes, there are safety issues to consider.
Let me point out that most of the arguments in opposition to the OP appear to be applicable to all escalator situations, not merely those in fucking malls.
So moving slightly to your right is critical, how?
Well, it’s not, but I’m not sure how a step to the side is so difficult either. I’m just one of those folks who likes to keep moving, and I don’t see why it’s any skin off of anyone else’s nose to get the fuck out of the way if only a step to the right is required.
It’s coming back to me now. I was so confused when I first moved to Korea, because when I was in the US (back in the 80s and early 90s) we were told never to climb the escalators because it was dangerous (the steps were steeper, and they were moving). And I get to Korea to find that walking is accepted and that they even have a lane for people who want to walk instead of wait.
I suppose it depends on the context. In public transit, I definitely think it’s reasonable to ask people to move to one side, but in a mall (or whatever) I don’t think it’s worth the potential hassle of having to deal with those that would be offended by said request. That said: It’s just a small step to the right, people. We are not asking YOU to run up the escalator and risk your neck. We won’t blame you if we come tumbling down.
Just out of curiousity, overeasy4, do you also drive on or below the speed limit in the left lane on the highway? And no matter what speed you drive, do you yield the left lane to cars who wish to overtake you?
Then you should ride a bus with me daily. Despite all the signage and pleadings from the driver for passengers to move towards the rear of the bus, there’s often 2-3 who won’t, who then cause a human traffic jam and riders left behind. If there is room in the rear, and someone won’t unlatch themselves for an orderly procession to the rear, I’ll attempt to move past through the narrow aisle. I’ve noticed two other regulars who attempt the same. Not surprisingly, once one person passes, several others will follow in the wake. Also not surprisingly is that we will all ask politely to pass first (go figger), thus putting the ball in the blocker’s court. The blocker can either (a) make themselves skinny, allowing room to pass, (b) move back themselves, or (c) be belligerent and hold their ground. Now, if Brandon Jacobs were blocking my way, I might decide discretion is the better part of valor if he became belligerent, or I might try vainly to get around him, or I might hope that the lawsuit that I would win after he pummelled me into gelatin would be worth it.
As for escalators, tens of thousands of people ascend this escalator every weekday morning in the span of two hours. For five years, I was one of those people. Despite its narrowness, it can have two lanes. Perhaps once every two months, you would get a stander on the left, despite the lack of signs. Extra minuses because the right would be packed with no room for the stander. Believe me, I was far from the only person to push by said stander.
These are facts of life for traversing in major metropolitan areas, especially during the morning rush. I’ve noticed it in Boston, Philadelphia, and London. Crowds are moving from point A to point B, trying to get there in a quick, efficient manner, and don’t do well when someone needlessly impedes their progress.
Your opinion, of course. Seemed to me that most of the points were about escalators in mass transit situations (you even mentioned something about ‘how many of the supporters/detractors were frequent users of such systems’). And I would suggest that there’s a decidedly different style to both, much like there’s a difference in pools between the ‘lap lanes’ and the ‘free swim lanes’. at a mall, though obviously people work there, it’s also a leisure setting. I tend to walk at different paces when wandering through a mall or grocery, vs. in my office. I see others doing the same. So, the location is, to me, a significant factor.
moving slightly to your right is critical how? well, depends on the various sizes involved. The OP is long on assesments of things (“it was wide”) short on specific details. if it’s close enough that \Loopy would be brushing up against a stranger, I’d go with the stranger opting to not have someone brushing up against him 'just so the other guy wasn’t delayed by 30 seconds. But that’s me.
In any event - the guy refusing to move - I can give him that - maybe he just wanted to be left the fuck alone and not be shunted aside. Offering to ‘take it outside’ was idiotic and not at all acceptable, defensible.
Maybe not, but it was also about being polite. There’s room for two on most escalators, so why not let someone who politely asks pass? And that was what the OP was about.
I agree. And I’m saying that most of the people supporting the other fellow in Loopydude’s OP – Shayna, overeasy, and Oakminster, for three – seem not to be distinguishing between mass transit escalators and mall escalators, or even wide mall escalators and narrow mall escalators. While I (and, I suspect, most of those who share my view in this thread) would be happy to acknowledge that it’s (a) rude to physically push past someone who’s standing in your way, and (b) inappropriate to expect someone to stand to one side when the escalator is extremely narrow, as it apparently is in the mall in Oakminster’s town.
Why ask to avoid a minimal delay? Asking is an intrusion. Excusable if necessary, but on the OP’s facts, there is no real reason to make the request. If’d he’d been bleeding, dashing for the bathroom, or otherwise had urgent business, maybe…but he had none of those things. All he had was an inflated sense of self worth and a lack of patience.
Maybe in most mass transit ones. Definately NOT in most malls (IME), and depending on the sizes of the persons involved and the width, and there’s also the whole ‘personal space’ thing. what may seem like ‘plenty of room’ to one person can indeed be ‘way too close’ for another. Still seems like a whole lot more effort for less than a minutes delay.
Oakminster, let me ask you a question. Let’s say there’s an escalator wide enough for two lanes. Let’s also say that someone is standing such that both lanes are blocked. Let’s further say that there’s someone behind that person wishing, for whatever reason, to proceed to the bottom at faster than standing pace. Now, in your estimation, would you say that any stress engendered by the situation on the part of the second person is (a) entirely the second person’s fault, or (b) partially the second person’s fault and partially the first person’s fault? If (b), how would you roughly apportion the fault between the people?
To boil that down, I guess, I’m asking whether you see absolutely nothing wrong at all with standing in the dead center of an escalator clearly designed to have two lanes.
According to loopy, it was wide enough at his mall. Also, if you look at my linked photo, you’ll see a very narrow mass transit escalator, yet it is wide enough for a walking and a standing lane.
I have been on some escalators that are truly single file, though (the one at the House of Blues in Atlantic City comes to mind). There, I could understand. There is literally no room to move out of the way.