If you ask a local what the number one unwritten rule about metro is they'll say "stand on the right side of the escalator!" It's true, most regulars will stand on the right and walk on the left. If you're standing on the left, especially during rush hour, you will be run over or promptly asked to move. Metro at least recognizes how this irks regular commuters and has made some feeble announcements telling newbies that "most people stand on the right". Unfortunately these announcements, if even audible, come once you have already taken an escalator into the station.Let's take this one step further and follow the "stand right, walk left" concept your entire metro experience. This means if you need to stop, or you're moving slowly digging through your bag for the farecard you thought you put in a convenient place but now can't find, kindly move off to the side and let those who just want to get their trip over with move smoothly through the station. Karma will thank you later.
I remember the "escaleftors" ad campaign that used to be in the Metro cars. Those signs need to be posted again.
ReplyDeleteOh how I miss D.C. Metro etiquette. I now live in Los Angeles and NO ONE stands to the right and walks on the left. It drives me CRAZY!! Complain not, my long lost Washingtonians, you have it so good...
ReplyDelete"Stand ot the right" custom is being compromised by this. They claim that the escalators are a symptom of what they call a "cavalier attitude toward safety."
ReplyDeleteWhat next? Oh, it's linked to that page: An Urban Dictionary definition for skoozeme-skoozeme.
Walking on an escalator is not dangerous. The industry guidelines referred to in the links from other comments are because of fear of lawsuits (if someone gets hurt while walking on an escalator, they can say "we told you so").
ReplyDeleteBut, the problem with Metro's escalators being slow is *very* true. They are much slower than escalators at malls, airports, and other places. I almost always walk on Metro escalators and almost never walk on any other ones... because they are fast enough to begin with!
The other difference between Metro escalators and other places is that Metro's are much wider than many others. Two average sized people can easily stand side by side without either person being pushed into the edge. This is how one can stand to the right and someone else can pass to the left. It's not that complicated.
However, Metro does have serious problems with escalators being broken. Personally, I wish they would rip out about half of them and put in stairs instead.