Why do healthy people just stand while riding the down escalator?

If all the others on the escalator are still then it would come off as rude to try to plow through them all. The one’s who are in a hurry should avoid those and just walk or jog. Seems those riders are doing something on an electronic devise not watching where they are going anyway so it is a good option for them. And yes sometimes disabled people use them too.

Heck, I walk up the up escalator, too. But then I’m an impatient person, lol!

I walk up the down escalators.

They may have been shopping for a while time and want to stop walking for the short time it takes to go down an escalator. May I suggest you not judge other people’s physical abilities and energy or lack of them by your own? Physical problems are not always obvious. And judging others is not a good habit to get into.

@gondwanalon LOL. I think you’re being a little hard on people who use escalators, for “the weak and the sick”?. Sometimes there’s no option to take the stairs. And as someone mentioned, it can sometimes be a little rude to push your way passed people who are on them standing still. If I wear a hair shirt can I be absolved of the sin of escalator riding? In Cleveland Heights there’s a Target that has escalators for the people and ones in between them for the shopping carts. I hear the healthy shopping carts mocking the weak ones though; I always think I’ll just throw my cart over the railing on the second floor and let if fend for itself, weak escalator using shopping cart. But then I think better of it.

They just stand their like dumb toads staring at the holes in the air.

That’s probably the most fucked up thing I heard tonight. Awesome.

And yeah, escalators be damned. I don’t go in malls and shit unless I need to be there. When I do, I’m usually in a hurry, so I walk up and down the escalators. I don’t have all day, although sometimes my progress be indeed halted by toads hanging around. Can’t very well tell them to get the hell out the way though, considering what an escalator is for.

Ok, if I promise to ride 50 miles a day on a bike, eat really healthily, and go to the doctor and dentist regularly, can I take the damn escalator when I want to? Is that ok with you? Man, judging over the teeniest shit – it’s not like I freaking raped a kitten…

Escalators are there for people who don’t want to walk up and down stairs, if you want to walk up and down stairs then don’t use the escalator.

Here’s a thought, a way to channel that anger against lazy, healthy able-bodied people into something useful and to defend “the weak and the sick,” instead of just whining. The next time you are at the mall or somewhere they have escalators just forget the escalator people. Patrol the parking lot for healthy, able bodied people, people who can drive anywhere when some people have to walk miles just to get fresh water or fresh food to eat, but are simply to lazy to walk those last few yards and choose to illegally park in handicapped spots. Disabled people need those spots, they are the weak and the sick and able bodied people steal from them, as if the handicapped person’s disability hasn’t stolen enough from them already. Get pissed about something that really matters. People on escalators aren’t taking anything from anyone else.

End of patronizing, pompous lecture.

<Whew> I hope I know when you’re behind me. I’ll be glad to step aside and let you pass.

[mod says] Note: This is an edited version of the question. Please keep future answers appropriate to the new wording.

I’ve seen sings that tell people to stand to the left so that people can walk past them on the right. I don’t remember where, though.

If you have ever had certain types of knee problems, walking down stairs can be more of a strain and/or painful than walking up. As well, there are times I’m just tired and grateful to let technology do the work. If no one is ahead of me and I’m not tired, I’ll walk.

@HungryGuy – I’ve seen those signs on the moving sidewalks at the airport. And I think they might be up in London’s tube station escalators. Can’t swear to that though. It was 1982 and I really don’t remember. If the escalator is wide enough, I think it’s a good idea.

@tedibear – Yeah! You jogged my memory. That’s where I saw them: in various London tube stations…

Healthy people get tired sometimes, too.

laziness

I do both, depending on if I am in a rush or not. I’ll stand, but usually I walk up or down the escalator. Sometimes I choose stairs, but I dislike walking up stairs.

To take a break from walking. I rarely use escalators, but if I want a few seconds break in the midst of walking, I’ll take the escalator and stand still on it. If I don’t want the break, I take the stairs.

I never walk on escalators, not even when young; I was (and am) scared of falling.

@MyNewtBoobs @lillycoyote You two crack me up. Wish I had seen the unedited version of the question.

Riding an escalator down is a small moment of time to think peaceful thoughts, to think of daffodils, of warm beaches, to fantasize about the last hot chick you saw in the mall. Stop and smell the roses.

Because the escalator is for riding on. I’ve always thought it very rude when someone is huffing and snortling up from behind me, trying to get by me instead of keeping their ass off the escalator in the first place.

If I choose to take the riding stairs, it’s because I want a break from walking and I’m not about to risk loosing my footing on the moving metal steps just to get somewhere 10 seconds faster. Know what I mean?

Because you’re supposed to just stand.

Thanks to all of you who gave reasonable answers to my question. I appreciate it.

It seems that I’ve ruffled some feathers with my harsh blunt honesty in the unedited version of this question. I meant no harm. I thought that I was putting a little droll harmless humor into this question. Even though it is in the general section, I hoped that answers might be informative as well as humorous. Oh well some folks are just way too serious. They should lighten up a bit. There is no need of name calling or vulgarity on this web-site. Unfortunately it was resorted to here and that is so sad.

@gondwanalon: I love your post because it’s one of those weird Andy Rooney type questions that strike a chord deep within. I wasn’t offended so much as glad other people feel as I do in that we don’t want to made to feel rushed, uncomfortable or displaced while using a convenience specifically designed for standing and riding.

So referring to people as “dumb toads” IS NOT name calling. Really ? Perhaps you are just experiencing the natural results of getting back what you give out ?

But to answer your Q. I have no cartilage left in my knees and going down stairs is more of a strain than the reverse.

Also, it’s quite disorienting to walk on moving stairs and I don’t want to risk a fall just to please whatever judgemental name calling busybodies might be around.

Or do you suggest I should carry copies of my X-Rays around for proof?

Good grief.

@gondwanalon Your question didn’t come off as humorous or droll. If that’s what you were intending, then that’s a bit better – but that’s very hard to communicate on the internet, and you didn’t do that. There was no jk, no lol, no emoticons, no ~. There was no reason to think that drollness was the tone of voice you were going for, and we can’t read your mind. So please don’t blame us for your poor communication, nor blame us for the heated tone when you started off by calling us dumb toads.

For those who watch children’s television: that’s a frog, not a toad
No one can tell just by looking at me that my knees will not hold the weight of my body on stairs, up or down. I look perfectly healthy, but if there aren’t moving stairs, I would have to take the elevator, and I am claustrophobic.

@Buttonstc @MyNewtBoobs You two need to just relax. Like I’m this mean old monster for saying that some healthy people can display mannerisms consistent with that of a toad. I WAS JOKING!!! HA! HA! HA! How’s that?

@YARNLADY I’m not refering to you or any disabled person. My question is about why healthy people don’t walk down the down escalators. Marathon runners are pretty physical fit people. I go to marathon expos a lot. On the escalators at the expos I see athletes who could run me into the ground just riding down them (like you know whats)—> HA! Maybe they are just saving their energy for the big event. But I doubt it. I don’t know why. That’s why I asked this question. To get some different perspectives if you will.

@gondwanalon And what I’m saying is that I can’t read your mind, especially on the internet.

@gondwanalon How can you tell if someone has a heart condition or any of the other invisible disabilities? They _look_healthy, but are not. With time and experience you may be able to have more empathy with people who aren’t as physically able as you. And, by the way, all stores with more than one floor have stairways that don’t move but go from top to bottom. Why not find out their locations and avoid the escalators entirely. Then you would have only sure footed strong-hearted competition in your way.

@Sunny2 I’ve got a good idea. Simply read my question and then if you think that you have an answer then state it. If you would do that then all of your questions to me will be answered. This question is all about “healthy” (physically fit) people not about people with invisible disabilities. It dose not bother me that people behave as they do. I’m just curious as to why they do it.

I do have an idea about this and I was hoping that someone else would have stated it. I think one reason that healthy people like to ride down the escalators is because it is kind of fun. I remember as a kid I used to really enjoy it. Maybe subconsciously we kind of relive an old childhood cheap thrill. But then again, maybe not. Who knows,,, do you?

What’s the debate? I’m always going to ride the escalator down (and up). I like riding on escalators. Mr @gondwanalon (with no malice intended) should quit placing his own expectations on others. I ride them cause I like them, they are pretty narrow, and I don’t appreciate anyone pushing his way thru to get ahead of me. Escalators are pretty damn short rides. Moving sidewalks at airports are wide enough for both walking and standing. But not escalators.

The bottom line for me is that the escalator is a moving staircase. It was designed to do the moving for you. To ask why do people just stand there… well, you’re basically asking why are people using a piece of technology, a device in the way and for the purpose for which it was intended. It just seems like a silly thing to ask and to worry about. Perhaps the better question is to ask why some people don’t just stand there. Don’t they get it? Don’t they understand what the escalator was designed to do and what it’s for? You can just stand there and it gets you up or down to the next level.

@gondwanalon I guess I was still reacting to the first version of your question. That seems to have set a number of us off. I hope you don’t have this much trouble in your daily discourse making it clear what you want to say. It’s difficult to change the impression you have made after the words are out of your mouth.

It depends on how tired i am, but i usually use the escalators as if they were stairs, assuming there’s no clueless moron standing there on the wrong side.

I usually don’t, but very often two people create a roadblock. Some healthy people are maybe tired of saying ‘excuse me’ again and again…

When I want to climb or descend stairs, I take the actual stairs. When I don’t, I ride on the moving device that was designed for just that purpose. It’s very simple really.

@Sunny2 I don’t have any miss-communication problems talking to people in person. I do get into trouble on the phone at work where I seem to come off as unfriendly, short or even mad. That is totally not me. I never get mean or mad. People at work think that I’m a very funny guy at least they encourage me with their laughter. Stress, very heavy workloads and turmoil provokes my dark, curious or unusual form of dry amusement with a lot of sarcasm mixed in just for fun.

@gondwanalon I can see where the perception of “unfriendly, short or even mad” comes from. Good luck on softening that.

@gondwanalon, sarcasm is always risky. At bottom it is mean (indeed, there is a fine line between humor and cruelty in many cases), and you can’t always control how it’s received. And laughter doesn’t always mean approval. In work groups where I’ve known most of the people really well, sometimes laughter meant “There he goes again—can you believe it?”

Just something to think about.

@Jeruba We are actually 3 people in one. We are the person who we think we are. We are the person that other people think we are. And we are the person who we really are. I’ve always had a good idea as how people see me. My eyes don’t lie to me when I look into the mirror and see an ugly bald headed old man. My ears are good at detecting patronizing laughter and genuine laughter.

Here’s an example of what I mean: A coworker was promoted to supervisor and I said to her just as she was taking a sip of coffee “So you have moved over to the dark side”. She sprayed everyone as they all broke out into laughter.

Another example: Everyone was stressed to the max while a new very problematic computer system was being implemented. A coworker was telling me about all of the onerous procedure that I had to follow while performing all of my other work. I simply said. “Your freaking me out man”. She said that she about pissed her pants. And she told about everyone about it.

I could go on and on. But How’s this for validation? My lab manager always writes on my yearly performance evaluations how much my coworker enjoy my humor.

Think about that.