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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

to want lifts all to myself

135 replies

onemiddlefinger · 06/08/2014 10:57

I commute to central London with my DS in a pushchair, thankfully the stations I use have lifts (several of them to take each time), and those lifts are slow. So if you miss it, it's another 5 min wait (which is not that bad, but when going home after a long day every minute seems like forever)
AIBU to be annoyed at people who take up space in the lifts when they could be taking the escalator, obviously I'm not talking about the disabled, the ones with young kids (even if walking), the ones with luggage etc, it's the ones that don't have anything wrong with them other than usually being overweight.
Why, oh why do you prefer to queue up for the lift that takes forever rather than stand on the escalator - you don't even have to walk more, if anything it's probably less walking! Is there such thing as fear of escalators and is it very common?
I just don't get it, before DS I had never used a lift in the underground.
AIBU?

OP posts:
MyFairyKing · 09/08/2014 12:16

Well, don't you sound lovely.

Lauren83 · 09/08/2014 13:03

Carbe I sympathise with your 'invisible'' illness, I have a chronic incurable pain condition and no one would ever know I was ill unless they saw the morphine and fentanyl patches all over my body, I often feel I wish I had a visible illness so I could at least get offered a seat on the train when i'm struggling

I do know there are exceptions to the rule do I will 'disclaimer' my comment but the sheer volume of people that are able bodied must far outweigh those that appear to be but aren't

The lifts were I work are often full of groups of teens/families with older children then we get older people with sticks, people with disabled children etc complaining to us they have been waiting 15 min for a free lift and asking us to ask people to make room, which obviously they won't as like people keep saying everyone's free to use the lifts, just a shame not everyone has manners

Matildasmam22 · 09/08/2014 16:38

I can't carry my lo in a sling and she's not yet 2. She's a premmie and certainly not overweight but I still couldn't carry her in a sling, not that she'd go in one without a strop Grin

OP admitted she was unreasonable and apologised.

It wasn't really fair bringing her child's weight into it. And the poster who said the child should walk more probablys not a good idea on a London commute.

MorphineDreams · 09/08/2014 16:40

I go out with my friend and my goddaughter every weekend and it shocks me how many able bodied people use lifts instead of escalators. It pisses me off. A queue a mile long and people who don't need to lifts just use them anyway. Make me fume.

bishboschone · 09/08/2014 16:42

I'm can't get over the bit where you commute with your son in a pushchair.. I can't imagine doing that with my son so respect for that!

PIVOT · 09/08/2014 16:48

Which stations are these where finding the lifts is easier?! I find escalators difficult to use as I have panic attacks on them, it's only the jubilee line where I seem to find lifts with comparative ease. I wish I was better with them, would make life easier!

Sirzy · 09/08/2014 16:51

Morphine - do you really think people would waste their time queuing unless they felt they needed the lift? I doubt most people would if it was easy for them to jump onto the stairs/esclator

lemonfolly · 09/08/2014 16:56

I have an irrational fear of falling and people falling on me and will avoid escalators if I possibly can. I always get hideous looks from mums with push chairs in multi stories or shopping centres and I feel I have to explain. Pisses me off. YABU!

MorphineDreams · 09/08/2014 17:04

Sirzy - believe me, it happens. Some leave to use the escalator but most are happy to chat with their friends in the queue. I'm not ignorant to invisible disabilities. But it happens everywhere.

chocolatemademefat · 09/08/2014 17:06

Why are fat people automatically deemed lazy for taking a lift? I could do with dropping a few stone yet I work a fifty plus hour week and this causes me to get tired - the same as slim people. Personally I'd leave the lift for people who really couldnt use the escalators but thats my choice. Perhaps special lifts for entitled people could be installed - with signs banning the overweight among us in case our obvious laziness rubs off on the buggy pushing perfectly formed parents.

MorphineDreams · 09/08/2014 17:07

In fact there was once some woman with a group of her friends trying to order us into a packed escalator so her and her friends could use the lift because their bags were heavy. Ridiculous.

MyFairyKing · 09/08/2014 17:57

Lifts aren't solely there for disabled people and I say this as a disabled person. Of course, priority should be given to those who cannot use the stairs but there are plenty of reasons why you might need the lift that day e.g. back aching.

isthisanacidtest · 09/08/2014 18:02

I was going to nc for this but what the hell.

I have balance issues. Sometimes, not every day, but sometimes.

I take steroids. To help with the condition that causes the balance issues. Those steroids mean I am fat.

If I'm having a middling bad day, as in not an "I am so bad I can't get out of bed but I feel a bit wobbly" day, then I couldn't use an escalator. I would be too wobbly and would be afraid of falling when I was getting off.

I would use the lift. Even though I'm terrified of them. And I have never thought that someone with a baby in a pushchair would be questioning my right to be in the lift.

MorphineDreams · 09/08/2014 18:15

I think there's no question that some people genuinely need to use the lift for reasons above. But when you see queues like I have and the people, you know it's not just people who genuinely need them.

isthisanacidtest · 09/08/2014 18:17

How do you know Morphine? You'd never know if you looked at me - you'd just think middle aged fat woman.

And actually, when I'm having a really wonky leg day, I can't drive, so I HAVE to use public transport. And the lifts. So the very fact of being unwell pushes me onto public transport.

ClockWatchingLady · 09/08/2014 18:28

Some percentage (x%) of people who "look OK" using the lift will be doing so because they can't be arsed to use the stairs (or some other "unacceptable" reason).

Some percentage (100-x%) of these people will have a reason that you would find acceptable (including hidden disabilities).

So I suppose YANBU to feel a bit miffed at the x% - but you'll never know which ones they are, or indeed if there are any in your particular lift today.
Therefore if you're aiming this at individuals, YABU. If it's a general complaint that lots of us are a bit too bloody lazy in our society (myself included), YANBU.

MorphineDreams · 09/08/2014 19:16

isthis after you've seen the people numerous times shopping I think you get a good idea. And no, statistically not all the people queuing up needed those lifts. It's an absolutely joke. Unfortunately it's the world we live in, people being lazy and taking advantage of facilities that people really need.

isthisanacidtest · 09/08/2014 19:19

Morphine - I really don't know what to say to that. If I'm having a bad day it pushes me to public transport. At the start of the day, I might be fine. Might go shopping and have shopping bags. By the end of the day, when I'm tired, my leg might go wonky and I need to use the lift.

Not all conditions are visible and static.

MorphineDreams · 09/08/2014 19:23

isthis I'm not trying at all to say there isn't people who need to use these facilities, like I've already said invisible disabilities etc and those who at that moment need to use them, but there are many many people who use them who don't need to. It's hard to believe the audacity but it's true.

Feartheescalator · 09/08/2014 19:26

Escalators are evil

MyFairyKing · 09/08/2014 20:08

Morphine So what? They are not there specifically for those who need them. Many lifts have signs saying disabled people have priority but they're not otherwise specific.

ICanSeeTheShardFromHere · 09/08/2014 20:31

I'm sticking my head above the parapet here.

Obviously any paying ticket holder is entitled to use the lift. And obviously not every disability is visible, so in an ideal world people could use lifts in these situations and I wouldn't judge.

BUT since I've had to start navigating the tube with my buggy, I've really noticed how many people who don't ostensibly need to use the lift, use the lift.

In my local station it's either take the lift or walk down two shortish flights of stairs to the ticket hall, then escalator only down to the platforms.

Without fail, there are always people crowding up the lift and leaving buggies or people with bulky luggage having to wait. And I see these people happily getting on the escalator once they get to the ticket office level.

Sure they could have a hidden disability but...that many people? Really? I'm Hmm that every single person who's made me wait for the next lift has a hidden disability. I think more often than not, they can't be arsed to walk up or down the stairs.

There, I said it.

Sirzy · 09/08/2014 20:34

Even if they can't be arsed to walk up the stairs that's their right. Perhaps they are just knackered. Perhaps they have walked miles that day. Perhaps they are just lazy. The lifts are there for whoever wants them.

Trazzletoes · 09/08/2014 20:34

OP it annoys the hell out of me too BUT when I was younger I had a real fear of going downstairs or using down escalators. I'm perfectly healthy but always chose to take the lift. I still hate underground escalators. They are so steep and so fast.

MorphineDreams · 09/08/2014 20:49

myfairy really? So you think it's okay? For people who have no other choice to have to wait because of the laziness of others? No I don't think it's okay.

Would you think it's okay for someone to sit in a front seat on a bus or train because they're too lazy to go further? No you wouldn't.

It's a shame people need a sign to tell people that others may need priority.