Buggy on escalator

[CassandrasCastle]

is this a huge no no? I did it in John Lewis today because I couldn't be bothered walking all the way to the lifts, and the woman behind me told me to be careful 😬 I told her thanks for the advice, although may have been slightly sarcastic in tone. I've taken the buggy on escalators in the tube etc. as well

@dandydear

Sorry but I think anyone issuing an escalator with a buggy is hugely selfish and irresponsible.

It just takes one slip up or down for an accident.

It's also too wide on tube escalators to allow others to safely pass.

So better to take the stairs? Loads of stations no lift.

There are little lifts provided although they should be easily accessible and in place

But no buggies on escalations same way I can't use my wheeled rolator in escalator nor take large wheeled suits adds on one. Not just for safety aspect for me but all those behind me if they fall when trying to negotiate sudden departure joint at top. It'd take out all those travelling up behind you.

It's really difficult as lifts can take ages to get a space on

Loads of places escalator and stairs no lift.

But we’re not talking about a handful of steps at tube stations! Get out of the tube at Highbury and Islington say, you have a couple of steps, but then there are escalators only! You wouldn’t get someone to help you up the emergency stairs (not even sure if you’re allowed up them anyway!). Most stations are so far underground you’d have to do 100 steps to get up and down there, especially the older lines. I have no idea how people in a wheelchair get about. they don’t. As a rule wheelchair users have to take roundabout routes through London, either via stations with lifts or on buses which have wheelchair accessible spaces. Although ironically the wheelchair spaces are often full of buggies who feel it’s their god-given right to be there.

Your view is that anyone with a pushchair should also restrict themselves to stations that are accessible for those who use wheelchairs?

That's an interesting view.

It's also too wide on tube escalators to allow others to safely pass. in fairness here, while I still don’t agree that people should take buggies on escalators, nobody needs to get past anyone on an escalator.

As a guide dog owner we specifically require people not to pass because if they stop at the end the dog may not have enough space to run off which could cause injury to the dog.

I was once sworn at by someone who felt it was his god-given right to get past me on an escalator. I very calmly said that I was very sorry, and that next time I would ask the station staff to stop the escalator for me so that I, and any others who wished, could walk up/down it. A process which would take about 10/15 minutes by the time permission is granted for the escalator to be stopped, a barrier is placed at the top/bottom to ensure people don’t get on while it’s being stopped, and the person is then able to walk up it.

To be fair most people are very understanding, but you do encounter these people from time to time.

No @CheeseMmmm better to act like an adult and a parent and plan your journey, so you're either getting to a step free station / using bus / using baby carrier etc. Sometimes being a parent means your journey is longer and yes there will always be those shitty situations where the lift is out and you have no choice , but as someone who uses a (now) crowded tube and train station, this is mostly just laziness.

Since I used a lot if public transport with kids and had 3 of them I've taken buggies on escalators 1000s of times. No accident ever and no comments either.

That said, it obviously could go very wrong and I'm glad those days are over.

@dandydear

No *@CheeseMmmm* better to act like an adult and a parent and plan your journey, so you're either getting to a step free station / using bus / using baby carrier etc. Sometimes being a parent means your journey is longer and yes there will always be those shitty situations where the lift is out and you have no choice , but as someone who uses a (now) crowded tube and train station, this is mostly just laziness.

But the risk is absolutely tiny. 5000 odd accidents out of 1.3bn journeys (although clearly not every journey involves an escalator). I've used the tube daily for 25 years and the only accidents I've ever seen are when people are drunk.

Having seen someone been killed on an escalator its vvvv dangerous. It was an awful sight as the person missed the step at the top and fell. The risk of the buggy catching that top step or you not holding on is high. No buggy on escalator as vvv dangerous for baby and those under you. Never ever seen anyone put a buggy on an escalator. If you seen the accident I saw you never ever ever do it. Fold the buggy every time. I dont like using escalator s now and have a problem getting on. Yabu and vvvvvvv dangerous. Can't believe you never seen the no buggy sign. Please take the lift.

The accident I saw was in a bank at 11am the poor man was not drunk!

I used to do this all the time.

i have seen people doing it,
but what a risk!

I used to do it all the time and why do people need to pass you on an escalator

As a parent you have to do whatever you think is the best choice at the time. I personally would hate to have to explain to my child that they fell down an escalator because I was too lazy.

@Fomofo

I used to do it all the time and why do people need to pass you on an escalator

Because you're too slow. Because they want to get off the escalator quicker as they don't like them. Becuase they are scared your buggy is going to fall on them and cause a life changing accident.

@Fomofo

I used to do it all the time and why do people need to pass you on an escalator

Clearly not from London then.

I would only do it when there was no lift. I was going to say not at all. Bit people saying stations on the tube have no lift (what about disabled people) then what other choice would you have? But it would feel insanely dangerous and I'd feel like a right idiot.

@Fomofo yes, why do people HAVE to pass anyone? If there’s space go for it, the tube ones are quite wide to allow it and people may be running for trains. In a shop what’s the big rush? Plus they are usually shorter and rather narrow. If someone is unsteady on their feet, with a small child, filling the space too much, elderly with a buggy or large bags just bloody wait. If you are that terrified of anyone falling also- bloody wait out the way.
Only on mumsnet do people fuss like this. Most able bodied people actually are happy to step up and be an additional adult to help keep the buggy secure.

@CheeseMmmm

The other option is to fold the buggy before going on the escalator and carry the child and buggy. You do though need the right buggy (we use to have the bugaboo bee) for this to really work.

The only tube escalator accidents I’ve seen are a teen getting their foot stuck in the side gap and having extremely serious friction burns and a broken toe l, and a disabled person lose balance. Should we all not stand an escalators as I saw that? Only let unsteady people go to tube stations with lifts?
There is inherently some risk with using an escalator full stop.
In years of tube use I’ve taken 5 of my own in buggies up and down and seen more buggies on escalators than anyone can ever remember. All ok. Obviously there will have been a few accidents. By the reason the tube allow it is largely because it’s so so rare.

@newname12345 I’ve tried folding on the tube. You end up holding a baby and a buggy, rather than the handrail and far more off balance.
Plus all the twats that push past you have to be factored in. I could put my umbrella fold over my shoulder, but men would charge up behind and manage to knock it l, especially the wheels at the bottom. Having a bar across the back of my body to push made me very easy to push down. I felt far safer holding an open buggy. I could easily lift it like that with the child in it if I had to, I had a good grip of only one weight. Going down once when I was charged into from behind I was able to easily sit down quickly to get balance back whilst holding the handles.

You're a massive D#%k Excellent response!

Thanks all - next time I'm in John Lewis I'll probably just use the lift, but tbh my small toddler in her light Joie buggy is v easy to maneuver on and off the escalator...I'd definitely keep doing it at tube stations

@rrhuth

It's a bit Darwin award, tbh. It is advised against for a good reason, there are signs usually.

sadly, this

Admittedly I've done it myself before when the lift has been broken, or had 52460000 people in the queue, (and some of
them more than likely could have used the escalator). But it always made me nervous.
I only did it with very lightweight strollers and went backwards with the front wheels lifted so I could roll it off easily.

I saw a woman once get the front wheels jammed at the top and ended up shoving the pram so hard to avoid falling that it fell forward and she landed ontop of it with a build up of people all clambering to get off the escalator. It was very dangerous and she looked mortified.