Pushchairs on escalators

[Orissiah]

Excuse the stupid question but I am going on the London Underground on Monday for the first time (alone) with my six week old baby in her pram (she faces me in her Bugaboo Bee).

How should I balance the pram on the escalators (this question would apply to a shopping mall with escalators too!)?

Also, I'm expecting to ask a random person to help me carry the buggy down the stairs into the Tube station itself. But how do you negotiate stairs?

Thanks,
O

I also used a sling with ds when he was 6 week s- we had an Ella Roo wrap. Went to Westminster yesterday with ds (for bf-ing picnic ) and was pleasantly surprised to find that if I changed at Finchley Road I didn't have to manage any stairs at all!

With escalators, going down I balance the back wheels against the step and tilt the buggy up so he's not tipped forwards. Going up I brace the front wheels against the step in front and tilt him backwards. That way whenever I get to the end of the escalator I'm ready to push off the end. Never had a problem yet!! We have a very light Presto stroller - Quinny Zapp-a-like which i can pick up and carry on my hip. Very rarely have to do that though as people generally offer to help!

MsPontipine you dont live in Ldn? why all the high expressed emotion about buggies on the tube?

have you had a bad experience?

as others have also said it is the most efficient way of getting around ldn

I watched my friend do it once with her dd (then about 1) on an escalator in a local shopping centre. I could not believe she did something so dangerous with so litte regard for her own or dd's safety. I love them both so much it made me feel sick at the thought of what she'd done and what could have happened. I had a right go at her - told her how frightened I had been for them. At first she pooh pooh'd me too but I kept going on at her and she finally promised me she would never do it again.

I feel the same about you all too.

Take dd on the tube all the time in her pushchair. Never occurred to me that the escalators might be dangerous. Suspect crossing the road is actually more risky.

Have you never seen those signs Iorek? Or the spikes?

KI've done it, but had my heart in my arse each time!

No I haven't. What spikes? What signs?

If it were that dangerous, there would be thousands of accidents on the tube escalators every year. There would be signs warning of the dangers. There aren't.

Some of you are sounding rather hysterical IMO.

I was told off earlier in the thread for calling these people doom mongers...

normal pushchairs are fine and easy to use on the escalator
with a three wheeler it's best to fix the front wheel first

Whereas, as we know, there are thousands of car accidents every year (3000 deaths per year in the UK...)

I am confused by all this. It just doesn't seem very risky to me.

I've just had a look at the Rospa stats. 300-400 accidents every year in the UK involving a child under 5 and an escalator (you can't include buggies as well but I would imagine that some of those children were walking). So a tiny, tiny number.

For comparison, the number of accidents involving same age child and a road is between 27,000 and 31,000.

You're being ridiculous. And I agree with bumdiddly, doom mongers. Mspontipine - you still have given no explanation for your somewhat overwrought feelings about escalators and buggies.

I fell down the Tube escalator with DS in buggy (there was no lift), but I made sure that I fell in such a way that DS wasn't hurt - I still have scars but DS was fine - I kind of threw myself in front of the buggy.

I don't use escalator any more since that scarey experience, but I've seen lots of people use them safely. I was reading this thread to see if I could see tips that would make me dare to go back on an escalator but still don't feel confident. I don't have much upper body strength, so guess I'm just not built for it. We end up walking for miles to avoid escalators... S'pose there's no harm in that.

OMG thebecster, how horrible. It is so dangerous I think and very sad that we even have to try it just to get around.

parents should be joining with disabled groups to push for more accessible stations.

thebecster - I too have scars from doing exactly the same 4 years ago (jagged edge of escalator step cut through my knee to the bone), but in Geneva....this is not a problem limited to London! I am actually nervous on escalators even without a buggy now (but I use them, otherwise I would never get anywhere). Fortunately we don't live in London so I haven't had to face the dilemma with DD, and for occasional day trips (which we keep planning and not doing) she is now big enough to get out and I can sling the ultra-lightweight buggy across my back (note unrealistic planning for not having tons of shopping/general junk to carry - this could be why we have yet to put any of these plans into action )

does the bugaboo bee fit through the front part of the bus?

When my two were little I took both on tube regularly otherwise would have gone mad. Used both my pram and buggy on the escalators no worries - when going down balance the back wheels closet to you and hold tight - when going up the front wheels -the tube map tells you the the best stations for exists ie. escalators/lifts - Bond Street very good esacalators all the way up - enjoy the baby days

When my two were little I took both on tube regularly otherwise would have gone mad. Used both my pram and buggy on the escalators no worries - when going down balance the back wheels closet to you and hold tight - when going up the front wheels -the tube map tells you the the best stations for exists ie. escalators/lifts - Bond Street very good esacalators all the way up - enjoy the baby days

If it was an Olympic sport, I'd be in with a chance of a medal - boast boast. There are dangers in everything of course, people have died when an insect flew into their yawning mouths.

I have taken ds on escalators, since he was born. I find it really really easy. Not difficult at all to balance.

We took DS up the escalator in a shopping centre near us for the first time the other day in his Zapp. I felt very daring!

Liberating not having to traipse to the nearest lift and wait 3 hours for it to arrive and then be full of people.

Okay, took baby and Bug Bee on the Tube - going down was scary I admit (going up was a breeze). I kept thinking, going down, that the back wheels would spin and lurch us forward (held onto it for dear life). I guess I need to get used to it. I think the Bug Bee is a little long in the body so more balancing is needed. I can see that an ultra lightweight Maclaren etc would be easier to balance going down.

Yay, well done Orissiah!!!

I have taken a buggy on the Tube, it's tricky but do-able. I found a sling much easier though and would choose a sling over a pram, esp with a young babe it's so much less physical.

I did this for the first time this week - I have Stokke Xplory with the flicky-flacky back wheels and it was fantastic, much less terrifying than I'd expected. Not sure I'd feel confident with a normal pushchair though!