# Green Lights Below Escalators

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-lights-below-escalators/203015>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 21, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-lights-below-escalators/203015 "2003-09-21T18:05:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![darktemplar27](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@darktemplar27](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darktemplar27)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-lights-below-escalators/203015/1 "2003-09-21T18:05:32Z")

</div>

Here’s the ultimate question of puberty: Why are there GREEN lights below each, moving step of an escalator? I can’t think of a single reason, and I doubt there’s an active official on this one – so theorize away …

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-lights-below-escalators/203015/2 "2003-09-21T18:12:41Z")

</div>

- 
  - 
    - Check the archives, scooter.  
~

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-lights-below-escalators/203015/3 "2003-09-21T18:12:41Z")

</div>

Of course there’s an official reason. From [Fujitec Commercial Escalator](http://www.fujitecamerica.com/escalators/commercial/commercial_escalators_enhancements.htm)’s site:

> [@](#):
>
> **Demarcation Lamps**  
> To aid passengers in clearly identifying the boundary line between steps, fluorescent lamps are mounted under the escalator steps. These are located at the upper and lower landings and illuminate in green to ease boarding and exiting.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-lights-below-escalators/203015/4 "2003-09-22T07:55:47Z")

</div>

[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3\_291.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_291.html)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-lights-below-escalators/203015/5 "2003-09-22T12:30:13Z")

</div>

The lights are for the escalator trolls, of course. Apparently they are scared of the dark.

(BTW, you know why there are escalator trolls, right? They grab the ankles of children who fail to step off of the escalator properly.)

[sub]This was attested to be true by my son when he was all of five years old.[/sub]