Name: Escalators.
Age: 127.
Appearance: Efficient, but not efficient enough.
I have a deep passion for escalators. Oh, you’re one of those.
What do you mean? One of those individuals who enjoys walking up and down escalators, and kindly reminds others to stick to the right-hand side.
Yes! Rules are rules. Clear a path for me, sedentary tourists! But what if I told you that your entire belief is incorrect?
Excuse me? What if I informed you that everyone would reach their destination faster if people like you simply stood still and relaxed?
Well, I’d definitely express my disapproval loudly. Let me tell you about Nagoya, Japan. The city has enforced a two-lane escalator system, where standers occupy the left side and walkers occupy the right. However, they have recently passed a law prohibiting walking altogether.
Who would approve such a thing? A safety-conscious authority. According to the Japan Elevator Association, there were 805 escalator accidents between 2018 and 2019 due to improper use. The more one rushes on escalators, the higher the chances of colliding with someone, often an elderly or disabled individual.
But standing still won’t make me reach my destination faster. No, but it will make everyone reach their destination faster. Remember when Holborn tube station also banned walking in 2016?
Yes, and I never understood it. It’s all about percentages. Seventy-five percent of people prefer to stand on escalators, leaving the remaining twenty-five percent as walkers. Consequently, half of the escalator space is occupied by a minority. That doesn’t seem fair.
I don’t like where this is going. During a three-week trial in 2016, TfL banned walking. Suddenly, one hundred percent of people could fully use the escalator. This significantly increased efficiency. The previous system transported 12,745 individuals per hour. With everyone standing still, that number rose to 16,220. It’s perfectly logical.
Yes, but I’m actually in a hurry. No, you’re not. You simply perceive yourself as highly important. Your desire to reach the top of an escalator twenty seconds faster inconveniences thousands of people.
So the trial was successful? Oh, no. It’s all due to individuals like you. One person was so enraged by the trial that they reportedly screamed at TfL workers.
That’s not ideal. Exactly. Such an attitude demonstrates a lack of understanding for the greater good, a selfishness that will ultimately lead to humanity’s downfall.
Do say: “Please stand on both sides of the escalator.”
Don’t say: “Unless I’m using it, in which case out of my way, chumps.”
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