Escalator or stairs?

No, its not fun to see brats bouncing around the stairs to make different noises instead of proceeding in an orderly manner.
It discourages the invisible median barrier on the staircase.

I know of one health club where the weight room is accessible only by elevator... seems absurd.

Also these bifurcated escalators wherein its ride an escalator very briefly then walk a short distance and continue on another short escalator are foolish.

Most public places have brats that automatically press the emergency stop button to force old fogies to walk the stairs.

Quote: Wizard

I agree 100%! One complaint I have is that Vegas hotel towers discourage taking stairs with signage about alarms going off (I'm not sure if they really mean it). I hate waiting for elevators and appreciate the opportunity to get some exercise.

I think hotels are probably the last place that will incorporate friendly stairways. The sheer cost of building a safe stairway with access to rooms, and the extremely limited number of people who would use such a stairway, means that it is unlikely to happen.

Here is a good example of an enticing stairwell in Seattle. It's goal is to encourage people to ignore the elevators.

Quote: Wizard

Funny how people in this country will drive to a health club, pay money to get in, only to climb stairs on a machine. I bet most of these people will then take the escalator, when given the choice, outside of the gym.

Not to mention circling the parking lot at said gym for a close-in spot.

That being said, I prefer the escalator. While I walk a lot for exercise, I am not the most coordinated individual physically and sometimes trip. Rather ride.

China has a problem with poorly maintained, poorly designed, and fraudulent use of materials in their escalators. A whopping 37 people died in 2014 in escalator accidents, and officials say tens of thousands of escalators are at risk. A horrifying video from July of a 30 year old mother pushing her child to safety before being sucked into escalator machinery and crushed to death is circulating. People are panicking to the point of riding escalators in an unusual ways to be safe.



The London Underground was the scene of the single worst escalator accident in 1987 when 31 people died after an explosion caused by build up of lint. Hong Kong has the world's busiest escalator at 55K riders per day.

This spinning trick (especially while drunk) is a good way to bend parts of your body in unusual ways.

Quote: Pacomartin

People are panicking to the point of riding escalators in an unusual ways to be safe.

But using stairs, like cavemen, that's a no-no :)

I'll use the escalator.

Though if I'm in a rush and the stairs are nearby, I'll use them to go down. And at the Mex city subway, I tend to use the stairs if the escalators are crowded because 1) it's faster and 2) it's safer.

Frankly i find the stairs fetish ridiculous.

If you get no exercise regularly, then climbing a few stairs, even daily, won't make much difference. if you get regular exercise, you don't need the extra "exercise" of climbing a few stairs.

If you want to get in some real exercise, walk a mile at some point during the day. it takes only 20 minutes, tops.

Given a choice, I 'll take the stairs every time. Even when I worked in the casino and had the 5th floor garage spot, I took the stairs 90% of the time. I hate waiting and dealing with other people that much.

The worst are the riders. It's not Disney Land, folks. Who gets on a moving sidewalk and just stands there?! It's one thing if you're carrying 5 oversized bags and you're a 70yr old woman. But the rest of you need to haul your freight. Drives me nuts. Just GO! already.

Quote: Nareed

Though if I'm in a rush and the stairs are nearby, I'll use them to go down. And at the Mex city subway, I tend to use the stairs if the escalators are crowded because 1) it's faster and 2) it's safer.

There is some indication that in Western countries people resort to stairs if the crowds are too big. The Chinese will not take the stairs even if there is a huge crowd.

I usually take the escalator, and almost always walk them (in the right direction!)

I'll take the stairs sometimes if the escalator is crowded.

Quote: Pacomartin

China has a problem with poorly maintained, poorly designed, and fraudulent use of materials in their escalators.

China reminds me of an amusement park that
looks great when it's built, but quickly falls
apart from being poorly built. Everything
gets done so fast there, freeways, tall buildings,
escalators. Fast usually means faulty.