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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my Dad was being totally reckless when he took DS upstairs in our local department store via the....

308 replies

DollyDaisy · 20/12/2011 22:46

escalator? DS is 8 months old and was in his pram at the time!

I was furious as thought Dad was following me to the store's lift. But apparently it was quicker to take the direct route and he just wedged the bugaboo onto the escalator and up they went.

Mum was horrified too.....but the DH couldn't see the problem either. Or are all men in my family just totally clueless?

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 21/12/2011 00:14

becstarsky - I am peversely glad that I am not the only one with escalator-and-buggy scars (on my knee, which was cut to the bone). OP - OTOH, DS was absolutely fine Grin

olgaga · 21/12/2011 00:14

LordFlasheart

Yeah right - if you have all day!

AmberLeaf · 21/12/2011 00:14

whethergirl

Im fairly laid back but im amazed at so many people here willing to take an identified risk with their babies It's called 'living in London' Amberleaf

Oh is it? is that one of those 'im from London, we're tough' comments?

I live in London too whethergirl. Always have.

I cross at proper crossings on roads too, does that make me namby pamby ?

ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 21/12/2011 00:16

So - are you going to apologise to your Dad tomorrow Wink

LordFlasheart · 21/12/2011 00:17

olgaga I live in London. I do, on occasion, have to meet deadlines.

For me I find its quicker to jump on a bus than trek through tube tunnels, TBH. Especially with a buggy.

befuzzled · 21/12/2011 00:17

I'm not mentioning it to boast about having an 8 year old pram Confused, I'm saying that this particular model allows you to use escalators without any problem whatsoever due, I presume, to it's sturdy and robust design. I am charitably assuming that other models eg McClarens aren't as suitable due to all the people coming on here saying they have had terrible accidents when attempting it - rather than the dimwit argument that others have been espousing. I have been doing it on a weekly basis for 7 and a half years and have never had the slightest issue. But I have never used any other model of pram or buggy. So I would say it depends on the suitability of your pram! (and you ability or otherwise to judge this)

MsEltoeNWhine · 21/12/2011 00:19

You know lifts can fall right? And they're so small and contained and you can't get out

There are dangers in all things.

What's wrong with the stairs? Non-moving ones. I sure you could fall down them but hey, they're good exercise. I'm staying with the stairs!

RomanChristingle · 21/12/2011 00:21

I was just pulling your leg befuzzled. I didn't really think you were boasting.

I wouldn't risk it with any pushchair tbh. Most people who use escalators with McClarens probably don't have accidents most of the time. I just don't think it's a risk worth taking if you don't have to.

3inABIRDsnest · 21/12/2011 00:25

Did it all the time when mine were I buggies.

edam · 21/12/2011 00:29

Befuzzled, that's like someone saying they'be never had a crash in their ford focus. Your buggy isn't designed to go on escalators any more than any other make - it doesn't have some forcefield that makes it immune to accidents.

sitandnatter · 21/12/2011 04:48

Your baby, your rules. No need when there is a lift to take the chance.

KingsleysMummy · 21/12/2011 05:14

There's no way I would do it, unless absolutely necessary. i.e on the london underground, and even then, I think I would prefer to carry my child and ask someone to assist with the pram.

AlpinePony · 21/12/2011 06:09

I've got mixed feelings about this. The first time I saw my husband do it - it gave me heebie-jeebies. It makes me a bit nervous when I do it, but as others have said, I lift the front wheels in anticipation of "rolling off the end smoothly" and am ready to lift the whole thing up if need's be.

However, I'm pregnant and frequently knackered so I'll often take the lift - I do have the luxury right now of not currently working and living in a small town so we don't have the crowds of that there London!

lady007pink · 21/12/2011 06:33

I did it all the time when mine were in buggies/prams.

Whatmeworry · 21/12/2011 07:04

In my view you are more dim if you see a sign warning you that taking your pushchair somewhere is dangerous and you just shrug and go ahead anyway because, of course, you are far too intelligent to have an accident

If you had to take all the Elf and Safety and Insurance-weaselling warnings seriously you would never get out of your Solid wooden mattress on the floor bed.

spottyscarf · 21/12/2011 07:54

I screamed blue murder at DH when he did this with the Phil and Teds at St Pancras station (kids were 3 months and 2 at the time).

Now that we've lived in London a while and I'm a little less precious about it I don't mind so much if he does it, but I would never do it myself, I hate escalators anyway and would be too nervous to do it. I'd rather negotiate the stairs or walk an extra 20 mins to find a lift. Or get the bus.

But yes, on the tube everybody does it.

spottyscarf · 21/12/2011 07:54

I screamed blue murder at DH when he did this with the Phil and Teds at St Pancras station (kids were 3 months and 2 at the time).

Now that we've lived in London a while and I'm a little less precious about it I don't mind so much if he does it, but I would never do it myself, I hate escalators anyway and would be too nervous to do it. I'd rather negotiate the stairs or walk an extra 20 mins to find a lift. Or get the bus.

But yes, on the tube everybody does it.

HairyNigel · 21/12/2011 07:56

YANBU, have never done it and never would.

KnitterNotTwitter · 21/12/2011 08:12

YABU to take a buggy to a department store in the week before Xmas. An 8mo is much more manoeuvrable in a sling on your back...

Oh... wasn't that the question?

Shutupanddrive · 21/12/2011 08:13

YANBU and an shocked at the amount of people saying you are! Don't do it OP!!

Whatmeworry · 21/12/2011 08:18

I am shocked..shocked I tell you...at the number of posters who are shocked. How do they sleep at night living in this lethal world?

FanjoForTheReindeerJumper · 21/12/2011 08:19

Wheels can and do get caught on escalators. Why do you think the warnings are there? Just because they felt like it? YANBU OP.

TheChristmasCountessOlenska · 21/12/2011 08:25

I do it when necessary, prefer the lift though because I am a klutz. Had to cross London on my own with DD a few times last year (when she was a little baby) and I was scared to go on the steep tube escalators with her . . I used lifts when available (they are hard to find!) but if not I gritted my teeth and got on the escalators. Managed not to maim myself or others Grin

Oh! and I did a FAR worse thing - I went to the loo on a train and in my sleep deprived haze forgot to strap dd back into her buggy. As the train lurched around, she fell forward and into a puddle of old piss on the toilet floor!!! Shock while I was sat on the loo!!! It was horrendous - I was in tears and poor dd smelled of old piss till I got home Sad WORST day ever.

Whatmeworry · 21/12/2011 08:29

Wheels can and do get caught on escalators.

So can shoes....yet we ( shudder ) use them.

Why?

It's called probability. The probability of this happening is very close to sweet fuck all, so we judge that to be a risk worth taking for the benefit.

Did you take the car today? Or walk on a pavement? Use a train? Put on a kettle with your child in the room? Eat round-cut carrots?

All these are potentially dangerous. The key is the word potentially.

NeuromanticisedVisionsofXmas · 21/12/2011 08:31

go backwards, or hold on 2 back wheels. This is exactly what I'm talking about...if front wheels can get stuck, don't shove them into the end of the escalator. Use some common sense. Don't use the escalator at really busy times, etc.

Or you could just follow every single instruction on every item in the world and lose all sense of your own initiative. Isn't that why there are warnings on irons that say "don't iron clothes while wearing", and such like, for the dimwits who can't think things through for themselves?