Lack of escalator etiquette... (Chicago, Union: construction, move to, delivery)

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by A2DAC1985

But with that being said, it aggravates me to no end when people stand on escalators going to the 'L'. It just boggles my mind. Let me also say, I understand that for some people it is a real pain to walk up or down any stairs, and I get that, but that's what ELEVATORS are for. If you can't use moving stairs, then you should probably think about using the little room that physically moves you up and down to your destination, no walking necessary.


Or do they shrug and just take the elevator?

/rant

the CTA elevators are creepy, I would not like to use one when a creepy person gets on that might cause me to get robbed or something.

I haven't taken the CTA El in a long time because I prefer the bus, but yes when I was younger, and took the El, when the escalator was not working, I'd hoof it up the stairs.. not bad usually, because in the subway you still have to take stairs down to the trains, the worst is the stairs at the Irving blue line el because the walk up the stairs seems to be higher than the usual amount of stairs in the el.

The bus is preferable for many many reasons, and there is only 1-2 steps to climb - problem solved for me.

I believe the escalator has many purposes, for handicapped, for people with large amounts of stuff that the escalator makes it easier to tote the belongings, for people too tired to walk upstairs, but I am sorry if you are in a hurry and I have to stand and ride - I do stand to the right, but if its one of those El escalators that is made for only one person, and you are in a hurry, I am sorry but you will have to wait behind me. I know you may be aggrivated, but I am using the escalator as I need to, and my apologies in advance, but unfortunately for you, you have to wait or maybe YOU could take the stairs?

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

the CTA elevators are creepy, I would not like to use one when a creepy person gets on that might cause me to get robbed or something.

I haven't taken the CTA El in a long time because I prefer the bus, but yes when I was younger, and took the El, when the escalator was not working, I'd hoof it up the stairs.. not bad usually, because in the subway you still have to take stairs down to the trains, the worst is the stairs at the Irving blue line el because the walk up the stairs seems to be higher than the usual amount of stairs in the el.

The bus is preferable for many many reasons, and there is only 1-2 steps to climb - problem solved for me.

I believe the escalator has many purposes, for handicapped, for people with large amounts of stuff that the escalator makes it easier to tote the belongings, for people too tired to walk upstairs, but I am sorry if you are in a hurry and I have to stand and ride - I do stand to the right, but if its one of those El escalators that is made for only one person, and you are in a hurry, I am sorry but you will have to wait behind me. I know you may be aggrivated, but I am using the escalator as I need to, and my apologies in advance, but unfortunately for you, you have to wait or maybe YOU could take the stairs?

Just as an addendum to my earlier comments, I would hope everyone understands that if it is a single-person width escalator you just have to hold yer horses. The "passing traffic on the left" only applies if there is room for people on the left and the right.

And all that said, there's really never a good reason* to push anyone on an escalator. A polite but sharply delivered "excuse me" works 99% of the time, and those for whom it doesn't work are usually spaced-out avocados with music cranked on headphones, so they are lost causes.

* A huge exception are people that aren't moving when you need to physically get by them to exit a bus or train. If you are in the doorway of the train and someone needs to get off, people will blow through you one way or another. Again, common sense. Which is so sadly uncommon...

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

* A huge exception are people that aren't moving when you need to physically get by them to exit a bus or train. If you are in the doorway of the train and someone needs to get off, people will blow through you one way or another. Again, common sense. Which is so sadly uncommon...

Anything goes when someone blocks the train exits, since you have a short, fixed amount of time before the train leaves the stop. It's time to play blocking Fullback, but only after a verbal warning of "Excuse me, getting off!".

Most riders know to step off the train and get back on if they are blocking the doors, but you sometimes get the inexperienced rider or person who is worried about getting "their spot" back on the train to read their eBook.

[JBVirtuoso]

If you'd like to see a complete lack of transit civility, check out the Megabus stop on Canal south of Jackson. It would take me too long to explain all the shenanigans that go on there, but it's a complete mess.

[ChicagoMeO]

one problem i see a lot is people who are standing IN the vestibule (on the steps) by the back door, sometimes they are holding a backback or briefcase, and if you dont have the courage to say "please step out" they will make you have to climb over them, I really dont want to trip having to climb over people not wanting to step off the vestibule to let people off... and I dont want to touch their body as I am climbing over them too, so i tell them please step off, and if they dont, I say it again louder! ok it may sound rude, but people need to get the eff out of the way in that vestibule.

[A2DAC1985]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

...but I am sorry if you are in a hurry and I have to stand and ride - I do stand to the right, but if its one of those El escalators that is made for only one person, and you are in a hurry, I am sorry but you will have to wait behind me. I know you may be aggrivated, but I am using the escalator as I need to, and my apologies in advance, but unfortunately for you, you have to wait or maybe YOU could take the stairs?

So, if you're in a hurry to get somewhere and someone isn't letting you through, that's okay? You just need to deal with it?

And yes, I have taken the stairs when the person that just got on the escalator isn't walking up it. If the train is coming I RUN up the stairs.

Like I said in my previous post, missing a train means I don't get to sleep as long.

I wake up at 3:30 AM every morning, and sometimes I am not done with work until 8 PM. That's 7 1/2 hours for me to sleep before I have to get up again the next morning. My train trip takes at a minimum 30-35 minutes to get to my stop. So I'm down to 7 hours of sleep if I walk in my door and immediately pass out in bed (which doesn't happen). When I have to wait another 10-15 minutes for a train simply because a person couldn't put one foot in front of the other, it irks me.

And as I said before, any number of things could happen that can slow down the train, therefore cutting even more into my time to rest and recharge for a bright and early 3:30 AM start to my day.


I'm sorry you feel the elevators are creepy. And I'm also sorry you don't want to ride an elevator when there is a "creepy" person on it. My suggestion? Don't get on the elevator with the "creepy" person on it. Wait until it comes back sans "creepy" person.

After all, you aren't in a hurry, are you? If you were, you would just walk up the escalator.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

When exactly were you a "youf" that this was the norm? I've known about the right/standing left/walking thing for over 20 years, and I'm from a place that is about a decade behind the times on most things.

If anything, because of that, I thought it might be the other way around; with the standing-to-the-right thing being another common courtesy from my youth that has faded, like holding the door open for people or taking your hat off when you're indoors.

I were a "youf" several decades before you. So I still suspect this may be an age-related thing.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by A2DAC1985

Like I said in my previous post, missing a train means I don't get to sleep as long.

I wake up at 3:30 AM every morning, and sometimes I am not done with work until 8 PM. That's 7 1/2 hours for me to sleep before I have to get up again the next morning. My train trip takes at a minimum 30-35 minutes to get to my stop. So I'm down to 7 hours of sleep if I walk in my door and immediately pass out in bed (which doesn't happen). When I have to wait another 10-15 minutes for a train simply because a person couldn't put one foot in front of the other, it irks me.r.

Not our problem. Maybe you need to set up your life differently if someone standing on an escalator (a normal practice in most of the world) sets you off. The problem is YOU.

I agree that courtesy would dictate standing to the right when the escalator is wide enough for two to pass. But this is all that we owe you. And frankly, many people simply aren't going to adhere to this courtesy for a myriad of reasons (some bad), and you will just have to deal with it in a normal, non-angry, non-violent way. There are far bigger problems in this world.

[A2DAC1985]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Not our problem. Maybe you need to set up your life differently if someone standing on an escalator (a normal practice in most of the world) sets you off. The problem is YOU.

Sorry, the problem isn't me.

The problem is in order for me to help the people of Chicago I have to be awake before many drunkards are even thinking of going to bed.


What stops me from going to bed sooner?

People standing on escalators when my train is in the station.

Like I said before, I use the Clark/Lake station a lot. Those escalators are only one person wide. If people don't want to walk up the escalators then they should use the elevator.

Using the elevator = No walking.


Escalators are moving stairs. What happens when they come across regular old "non-moving stairs"? Do they just stand there hoping they come to life and magically carry them to where they want?

And if they do, then my suggestion is still the same; use the magic room that takes people up and down with the push of a button, aka "the elevator".

[Lookout Kid]

I also use Clark and Lake, and exit at Wells street using the escalator. I know the situation well. And I think you're completely off with this. There is a staircase directly next to the escalator for those who are in a hurry. Most days you could sprint up taking two steps at a time.

Granted, I personally always walk up the escalator, but I really don't care if someone is blocking it. It's so completely not a big deal. I still believe the natural state for an escalator is standing, not walking. I only walk because it is what most commuters do to avoid the bottle neck. But if you observe 90% of escalators across the country, most of them feature people standing.

Even people with bad knees will take the path of least resistance, and this may be standing on the escalator going in the correct direction instead of riding the elevator, which could leave you a couple blocks out of your way.