I’m sorry if I sounded too much like a comedian with that title, but honestly, why do 99% of people immediately stop, when they go on one. And the situation is even worse with flat escalators (conveyor belts).
Today I went to the shopping mall, and I happened to get there when it had just opened. There were about 50 people, all of them eager to go in, and none of them moved an inch after they stepped on the conveyor belt. I even saw a lady shoving her purse in front of another man just to get to the conveyor belt first, and what for you might ask? So she could stand for 30 seconds right in front of him completely still as the escalator moved for her.
I’ll even go as far as saying that one day I saw someone literally running to an escalator, and as soon as he got there, he remained completely still (even though he could step up) and looked at his watch impatiently while the stairs brought him up.
Sometimes my father tells me that one day we won’t have to lift a finger to do anything (that we’ll basically become “vegetables”). Although his line of thought is a bit exaggerated, it seems that his words aren’t too far from the path that we seem to be heading to.
And then people wonder why they get fat and think that they can solve it by taking a few pills before meals.
I’m currently in the escalator capital of the world: Hong Kong. it’s crazy. no one ever uses the stairs and I’ve seen that happen too. for some reason everyone’s always bustling around, but the only place they always stand still is on the escalator!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bollig/232498825/
Very true Peter, and very nice picture also!
I sort of “envy” you for being there in Japan
Enjoy your time, and thank you for your visit.
I love the flat moving sidewalks, particularly the ones that have a bounce when you walk on it. If you walk really, really fast on these it almost feels like you are flying!
I like the moment when you step off of a conveyor belt (if you’re moving) and you feel a force pulling you forward
If it makes you feel any better, I definitely try to continue walking when I get on an escalator.
Take the stairs?
The stairs only work when they exist. My only alternative (in the shopping mall where I go to) is an elevator, but taking it would also kill my intention of moving
I haven’t done that for a while but that’s because the only escalators I use are in the LRT stations here in Calgary and I am usually running to catch a C-Train at about 7:45am, along with the rest of the City of Calgary.