why would you risk our child by putting them in their pram/buggy on an escalator? when it specifically says not to??

[slartybartfast]

can't understand why people would take risk.
i realise the lifts can be a pita
but really

I've done it on the London Underground when there hasn't been a lift - felt the safest option with a preschooler, a toddler (safely strapped in!) and luggage. I'd always prefer a lift if available as it does feel a bit hairy - scary enough getting the pre-schooler on and off the escalator safely without trying to get a buggy on and off too - or was I supposed to carry the pre-schooler and the very wriggly toddler, the buggy and the rucksack . I think in theory London Underground will provide someone to help but you have to ask at the ticket barrier so not much use when you've just got off a train at platform level with no-one in sight.

I do it all the time. Our local shopping centre has very small and very slow lifts and despite many notices requesting lifts be used firstly for disabled people and parents with prams etc there is always a huge pushing competition by the bastards too lazy to walk the extra 20 feet to the escalators.

DD is always strapped in and never had a problem. Going up I lift the back up and coming down I lift the front, it's easy.

me too uksky

I do it all time. Did it today - twice. Saves waiting 15 mins for lift.

My DS1 broke his wrist on the escalator in TK Maxx. Totally my fault. The lift was out of order so I popped him on the escalator first (he was about 2/3 at the time) and turned for a millisecond to get the buggy. He fell backwards and broke his wrist. It was entirely my fault and I will never forgive myself for being such an idiot.

I also do this all the time and it feels perfectly safe to me. I assumed the signs were just cover the shop for insurance purposes if there was an accident. Your child would only fall out if they were not strapped in so maybe everywhere should have signs explaining really thick people are not allowed. I can't remember there being so many signs saying it was forbidden when Ds was small and this time round I just see it as my child, my choice. meh

I did it once when the lift in M&S was out of order. Got up fine, went to go down and found it wouldn't fit. The back wheels were too wide which I hadn't noticed on the way up as the wheels had been lifted up in the air. Had to go and beg them to let me use the trade lift. And I got a bollocking. I gave one back though. Putting the childrenswear on the 1st floor and having your lift out of action is bloody stupid.

do it all the time. I find going down easy, but up a bit scary. Am I the only one? It's fine, and unavoidable on the tube. You just have to concentrate on what you are doing and give yourself lots of space: I leave several steps between me and the person in front. At least on the tube I find there is always someone to help with the steps, I really feel for people in wheel chairs.

I had a large 3 fixed wheeled all terrain buggy (original design of mountain buggy). Very antisocial to take into lifts, it was very long, it wouldn't even fit into our local carpark lift. This is 13 years ago most people hadn't ever seen a 3 wheeled pushchair, they tripped over the low front wheel. It was far quicker and simpler just to pull it backwards one step below you on the escalator and tip it back slightly. It had a very good child proof harness, big wheels and rigid frame it was designed for far worse than retain than the shopping mall.
Given the lifts where I shop are tiny and there is often a queue of wheel chairs and prams adding to it seemed unkind.

read the thread, dials. Plenty of examples of buggy/escalator accidents. (Although I have taken a buggy on the escalator when I haven't seen any other options - folding buggy and carrying a baby/toddler and multiple bags seemed more likely to result in an accident.)

I used to do this all the time - I'm not particularly of a nervous disposition and don't feel compelled to obey signs

Meant to add I wouldn't take my floppy light weight buggy on escalators unless I had DH to grab the foot rest. Like every thing else in parenthood you have to assess the risks.
I'm sure people thought I was a mean mummy for clipping DD1 reins onto shopping trollies, but she could and would climb out.

Now my partner works in a well dept store

A bloke went to take a buggy up the escaltor, he slipped around half way up, left head over heels 4 times still holding onto the buggy, when he got to the bottom the buggy was in peices with the bloke lay on top of it.

He even impiled his arm very badly on a snaped handle from the buggy.

Thankyou the child was beening carried just in front of him and got to the top unharmed

But because the escalator didnt stop straight away it caused the tumble effect at the bottom.

I would to think what would of happen if the child was in the buggy.

However it was caught on cctv and is mighty funny to watch, however due to law it cant be released, shame cause we would be rich by now lol

I did after I posted , had only skimmed it before. But it won't stop me doing it. DP won't entertain the idea and waits hours for lift or goes without ehat he needs up/down stairs

I have 4 kids and have taken them in buggies to dept stores, train stations etc without putting the buggy on an escalator. IMHO, it's safer to do the whole hauling said buggy up/down fixed stairs than a moving escalator.

I was in a large store a couple of years ago and a random man and I prevented (at great risk to ourselves, we both nearly toppled) a pushchair from falling down the escalator. The mum got on (above us) and tried to tilt the pushchair so it was on it's back wheels (IYSWIM) to fit on the step and the pushchair (with kid in it) tipped forwards, she couldn't hold it and if me and this bloke hadn't been there the pushchair and kid would have fallen a very long way down.

I would never do this, as DH took our mclaren up an escalator in boots and popped one of the frickin wheels off when it got wedged in the side.

I took it in to mothercare and told them it "fell off on it's own". The were like this but they repaired it for nothing

I work in a shop and have seen lots of accidents on escalators. In a lot of cases it's down to people dithering getting off the escalators which then causes a build up of people.

I have taken my dcs on escalators in pushchairs but only when there is no lift available, and only after making sure there is nobody just in front (especially not old people).

I live in London and think the tube is a bit different as most users are pretty quick getting on and off the escalators. But go to a shop in a market town on a mid-week morning and it's pretty different.

I don't like doing it but I can see why people do when you have to wait an age for a lift in a shopping centre/shop with a load of lazy people who could've gone up and down the escalators/stairs 3 times in the time the lift takes to come but you have no choice as you're stuck with a flipping pram!

Dp does this all the time and we even have a double buggy. I wouldnt hav the strength to do it alone. Ive never seen a sign saying it is not allowed..

I did this. I didn't see the signs, I was a novice, I almost had a heart attack when I went one way and the pram stayed where it was, juddered and then rocked violently to oone side. never done it again and feel mortified when I think about it. The baby was really tine :(

mistakes happen.

I take the buggy on escalators all the time, seems safe enough, I've never known of any type of escalator accident. When DD grew big enough to not need the buggy escalators became much less safe, she fell over on one when she was about 4yo (a misjudgement by me, I thought she'd manage better), and at 5.5 yo she's still quite unsteady on them. I've noticed my mum getting a bit less steady on escalators now too, but if it's just me, baby DS and the buggy then I'll always take the escalator.

I've done this loads (many years ago, before I found out about slings) tis the only way in London, I would recommend locking your swivel wheels first.

I wouldn't ever do it coz I am kinda nervous on escalators anyway but apart from that my sisters MIL was seriously hurt by someone not balancing their buggy on one and it fell back taking her out on it's way back down - the toddler wasn't even in the buggy and could easily have been folded.

I've never seen the signs but then, before I had LO I never looked and after I had him I always used the lift if we have the pram or pushchair with us.

My mum once said we should just get on the escalator because the lift was crowded and with a big queue waiting and a passing security guard told us it wasn't allowed. She was astonished and said "but we always used to do it with you in your pram!"