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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:
FanjoForTheReindeerJumper · 21/12/2011 10:43

defensive much?

PickleLittle · 21/12/2011 10:49

If that was aimed at me - Its none of my business what any of you do I haven't judged anyone. I am just saying some the risks given by my DH who does this for a living. I haven't given my opinion.

befuzzled · 21/12/2011 10:55

Aaah, there you go, my bugaboo wheels are made of platinum so I'm ok.

Interested to hear the world renowned international experts view on it and yet again impressed to are that mumsnet can literally get hol

befuzzled · 21/12/2011 10:55

D of anyone!

OhdearNigel · 21/12/2011 10:56

This is from my friend

"Most definitely

I have done hundreds of investigations into accidents with wheeled objects including buggies and shopping trolleys on escalators.

They can get caught up at the comb plates causing congestion and crush loading.

They can swivel and become jammed after contact with the deflector brushes.

If someone loses hold of one they can wipe out an escalator load of passengers

And finally, if the child isn't strapped in when a down escalator goes into transition they can fall out.

Do NOT put buggies on escalators - it is like putting your best china on the back seat of your car!

Dave"

OhdearNigel · 21/12/2011 11:00

And this is my friend - www.the-expert-witness.co.uk/lecs-uk/index.html

MamaMaiasaura · 21/12/2011 11:00

4madboys. - this has made me want to encourage my kids to do more. :)

MamaMaiasaura · 21/12/2011 11:03

at taking out entire escalator of passengers.. This time of year the amount of ignorant wankers stressed shoppers. I'd be tempted to test the theory.. Tho not with my dc in 'bugaboo'. (not name dropping Grin Wink£

Hulababy · 21/12/2011 11:07

I have done it and many people do it every day.

But it is dangerous. If for any reason the esculator suddenly stops or gets stuck, or the pushchair slips the results can be very very horrid, esp for the child. I have only once seen this happen but the baby involved was hurt and had to go to hospital in an ambulance - no idea how hurt, but was screaming and suffered cuts. The mum at the time was shaking visably. But accidents are fortunately quite rare. And like others have said, in some places there is very little other choice - thinking of the underground system for example where some stations are very badly served for lifts.

FanjoForTheReindeerJumper · 21/12/2011 11:08

heehee I would suggest that some people put that in their pipes and smoke it Xmas Wink

befuzzled · 21/12/2011 11:09

Awen, yes, perversely this has made me want to venture out to the shops today and see if I could actually clear an entire escalator with my bugaboo .......

Was about to snort with derision at the idea of someone going on a down escalator with a child not strapped in until I remembered the time a couple of months ago when I discovered that I had been walking round the shops, for how long?, with ds3, aged 9m, forward facing, slipped through the bottom and hanging on to the bar with his hands having a great old time. I do normally check he is strapped in before plunging downwards in my defense and in this incident I blame my silly mother who put him in that time.

Slilou · 21/12/2011 11:13

i used to do it for convenience but with a slightly guilty, ashamed feeling of taking an unacceptable risk.

if you do this with your pram and have an accident, do you say to yourself
" accidents happen, this couldve happened to anyone" or would you be beating yourself up for being so stupid and taking a risk? i know which wouldve applied to me.

Hulababy · 21/12/2011 11:17

Picklelittle - DD's Crocs got caught in a travelator a couple of years ago when we were in Florida. She was being silly and turned backwards and didn't see the end coming up. Caught her show and shredded the back of it completely. Luckily we grabbed her up and out of them asap and her foot was ok. She was very shaken though.

NeuromanticisedVisionsofXmas · 21/12/2011 11:28

Kind of proved my point there: "if the child isn't strapped in they can fall out!"

OhdearNigel · 21/12/2011 11:30

NeuromanticisedVisionsofXmas - how many fatal escalator accidents have you investigated ?

hackmum · 21/12/2011 11:34

I also love the fact that Mumsnet has managed to turn up an expert witness on this.

My response to all the people making sneering comments about the "lowest common denominator" and so on is that of course adults should be free to take whatever risks they want. But when you've got a baby or small child you're entirely responsible for its safety. Why wouldn't you try to minimise the risk wherever possible? Of course taking a pushchair on an escalator isn't a huge risk but neither is it infinitesimal, and if a lift is available, why wouldn't you take the lift?

yellowraincoat · 21/12/2011 11:45

I think we have to accept: some people are bothered by this, some not. Of course it is a risk, but I think quite a small one.

Don't worry, people who are worried by this! No one is going to force you to take your buggy on the escalator!

Thumbinnapuddingwitch · 21/12/2011 11:45

Neuromantic - I am far more scared of taking DS on escalators now he is out of the pushchair and would prefer not holding my hand, especially as he wears crocs in the summer a fair bit. I make him hold my hand and make sure he is in the middle of the step/travelator, and lift him over the teeth at the end. Paranoid, maybe but I'm scared of the things.

Pakdooik - I know you're being funny but DS has managed several UK-Australia and back flights without the air pressure adversely affecting him (unlike me, who managed to get altitude sickness on one flight - urgh!)

springboksaplenty · 21/12/2011 11:51

Of course an expert in escalator related accidents has seen, well, a lot of escalator accidents. I'd imangine a fair amount of them involved children and/or prams. Because that's what he does, investigates escalator accidents.

What would have surprised me if he said that all the accidents he had ever investigated had an evil pram wielding parent as the root cause of it.

I see a lot of car accidents. I realise that that is because of the job I do and isn't really representative of my actual risk of being involved in one.

Oblomov · 21/12/2011 11:57

Oh I do love a good Mn Xmas 'brings then all out' thread. This one is fab. I have had a rite laff. When you see the next 'similar' thread start, come baqck and point me in it's direction please.
I do it all the time. And I don't even live in London, ya know.

Deux · 21/12/2011 11:58

I avoid using the escalator with a pram/buggy as I'm too freaked out about toppling backwards or lurching forwards or losing grip.

When DS was 3 we were going down an escaltor, he was walking and holding my hand. At the bottom he tripped up and stumbled as he got off. Behind us was a woman with a pushchair and she obviously couldn't avoid DS who was trying to stand up. She ran right over her him with the pushchair, stepped on his hands and tripped over him. Everyone behind was backed up too.

Thankfully someone else said 'there's a good reason why you're not meant to take prams on escalators you stupid woman.'

whackamole · 21/12/2011 12:00

I know there is a sign saying not to use the escalator with a pram but really, if you are not infirm and won't fall why is it so dangerous.

I have done it with a double pram and lived to tell the tale. I think you and your mum are being incredibly precious to think it is 'incredibly reckless' and to be 'horrified' about it.

MamaMaiasaura · 21/12/2011 12:02

I had to do this in m&s on saturday as ds2 (3) needed loo there and then and couldn't wait for lift.

Magneto · 21/12/2011 12:22

This is very strange because I remember a thread here where a woman was complaining that a folded up buggy got mangled by an escalator and the general consensus was that yes, they can be dangerous and children in buggies shouldn't be taken on escalators at all for this very reason.

Very odd how opinions change here, I suppose there are a lot of sheep on mumsnet then?

mewantcookiesmenocanwait · 21/12/2011 12:30

Surely it depends on what the alternative is? On the tube, it's often a choice between taking the buggy on the escalator and carrying buggy and toddler up/down the steps on your own. When it's been raining and the steps are slippery, surely the escalator is the better option?