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

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.*

Isn’t that the reason there are signs asking you to stand on the left so that these impatient types can get past?

I wouldn't even consider not using the escalator. Don't see the problem unless you're not paying attention or holding the buggy firmly.

Isn’t that the reason there are signs asking you to stand on the left so that these impatient types can get past? there may be, but sometimes people just need to accept that they can’t get past.

I have a guide dog, so if I go on to an escalator I stand on the right so that I can put my hand on the rail so as to know when we’re coming to the end, and the dog stands next to me. There literally isn’t space to get past, although I do know someone who had a member of the public shove his dog out of the way to get past. Who then (member of the public that is,) promptly lost his footing and fell down the escalator.

The alternative as I said upthread is that the escalator be stopped so that owner and guide dog can walk up/down. Sometimes this needs to happen with a non escalator trained dog (not all dogs live in London, and not all London dogs can be escalator trained,) but that way is far more inconvenient to people than just spending an extra 30 seconds on a moving escalator.

I have and would - no option on the tube sometimes, including my local station (no stairs, no lift, just escalators). But I had a very light Maclaren (the one that was suitable from 3 months) and a) could lift it if necessary and b) it had small, hard wheels that are less likely to catch on anything.

Though given a choice (just one child, or both DC but not too much to carry) I would always use a sling on the tube, it just feels a lot safer for many reasons.

I've read through everyone's comments and it seems that people are either "I've seen something awful so I'd never do it" or "I've never seen something awful so of course I do it".

I used to work at a desk that was by the top of an escalator and I regularly saw people having accidents on them. Accidents involving buggies were normally where the buggy would get stuck, causing a backlog. I don't remember ever seeing a buggy fall but it doesn't surprise me that other people have. The worst accident I ever saw was where a child fell after his parents let him run down the escalator backwards. It was awful, the teeth of the stairs had dug right into his sides. So while I think it's a terrible idea to choose to use an escalator over a lift, it's not the worst parenting decision I've seen in regards to escaltors.

Wasn't there some experiment at Holborn which showed that it was much better in terms of speed and capacity to have people standing on both sides of an escalator rather than walking?

@mynameiscalypso

Wasn't there some experiment at Holborn which showed that it was much better in terms of speed and capacity to have people standing on both sides of an escalator rather than walking?

Basic logic 2 people standing on the same step doubles the capacity.

To walk down safely no bumping can happen and the slowest walker sets the speed.

To walk down safely each walker needs an empty step ahead as a safe landing/launch area so even at maximum that 1 row standing 1/2 row walking.

2 rows walking 1/2 row each with alternating so they are alone on a step and have a free step ahead. So the least efficient option.

The only time I put the buggy on an escalator was when the lift was out of order. If it is working, YOU are out of order.

The only time I put the buggy on an escalator was when the lift was out of order. If it is working, YOU are out of order.

I agree but have a look at the step-free map of the London underground. It's really depressing how little lift access there is. Some stations even have step-free access in one direction but not the other (wtf? ) so it's easy to get caught out.

3needtoseperate

rrhuth

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

sadly, this

Not really though is it? A) no one has died (I may be wrong, but it seems it's just bad accidents being reported. B) to qualify for a Darwin award you need to have killed yourself (not your child) doing something stupid before you get a chance to reproduce.

Sorry, the pedant in me had to say something there.

Anyway, I've taken a buggy on the escalator before. Never had a problem, and if I had, I'd not have sued because I would have taken full responsibility for doing something I'd been told not to.

god! I always remember being in Blacklers, many years ago, when a toddler left a buggy and got half of his bum striped by the steps as they went round. His shorts disappeared and he was pinned to the stop step for what seemed like ages. He screamed the place down. The number of bodies flying for the big red stop button is my other abiding memory.

I've never liked the bloody things since - I am 56 now, still dislike them!

Used to work in a department store and buggies caused accidents on a depressingly regular basis. Wheels getting stuck getting on and off was the most common, but one went down an escalator when the person let go to change their bag from one shoulder to another.

Also, someone rushing down the escalator, coat flapping, managed to catch the wheel and dragged it with them.

If there is a lift, please use it if you can.

@CheeseMmmm as I'm sure you're well aware I only posted a couple of examples but there are others they're not hard to find and I've even witnessed one and witnessed horrific results of another. Yes certain other activities are more likely to cause degloving injuries but I don't think that excuses using escalators inappropriately and dangerously especially where babies and young children are concerned

But then I am feeling you're trying to be a provocative poster

I see there are others have witnessed accidents some a few times I don't think they are all reported fully to be honest. I suspect if there's no injury they're not reported eg if only wheels or shoe parts got trapped and someone hit emergency button

I think calling escalators human sized shedding machines and saying they should all be removed is rather provocative!

No you wait for a lift like a normal person xx

@Sirzy

For the sake of a few steps to the lift, is it really worth the risk?

You've obviously never ridden the tube with a buggy. You have no choice then.

(Well, I suppose you could remove the baby from the buggy, and all the coats and bags, and hold the baby, the folded buggy and the coats and the bags under your arm while travelling up or down the escalator - but no no thanks, I'll stick to what I know I can manage).

And if station with no lift then you should obviously take the stairs

Tbh I live in London and have never done it, if the station doesn’t have a lift then I would just get the bus, yes it’s much longer but it’s not a risk I would ever take