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Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and
down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? B2003 |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote:
I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? B2003 In terms of a cost-benefit analysis, yes the pros would outweigh the cons. But in reality, better 1 businessman be on time for his important meeting, better 1 family catch that last train to Paris, than 1000 people reach the top of the escalator 5 seconds earlier. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote:
I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? B2003 Why not speed the escalators up? Or have, where there are several escalators, one faster speed escalator. Paris had (or still has) a faster speed "travelator" at Gare Montponarsse. John |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 2, 7:26 am, wrote:
Why not speed the escalators up? Or have, where there are several escalators, one faster speed escalator. Paris had (or still has) a faster speed "travelator" at Gare Montponarsse. I don't think health and safety would be happy about that and for once I'd probably agree with them. It would only take someone with a suitcase or baby buggy to fall over at the end and there could be a right mess. B2003 |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 1, 11:41 pm, JL wrote:
In terms of a cost-benefit analysis, yes the pros would outweigh the cons. But in reality, better 1 businessman be on time for his important meeting, better 1 family catch that last train to Paris, than 1000 people reach the top of the escalator 5 seconds earlier. True , but I was thinking of it being a way of clearing out the rush hour crush at places like kings cross and victoria rather than getting people anywhere quicker. Though I suppose theres an argument that perhaps it would just move the crush to the other end of the escalator. B2003 |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
"Boltar" wrote in message oups.com... On Sep 1, 11:41 pm, JL wrote: In terms of a cost-benefit analysis, yes the pros would outweigh the cons. But in reality, better 1 businessman be on time for his important meeting, better 1 family catch that last train to Paris, than 1000 people reach the top of the escalator 5 seconds earlier. True , but I was thinking of it being a way of clearing out the rush hour crush at places like kings cross and victoria rather than getting people anywhere quicker. The people who travel in the rush hour know the rules and queue up for the escalator accordingly. It's the people who don't know the rules and block the walking half unnecessarily that clog the system. tim |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 2, 11:19 am, "tim....." wrote:
The people who travel in the rush hour know the rules and queue up for the escalator accordingly. It's the people who don't know the rules and block the walking half unnecessarily that clog the system. Unfortunately theres a lot of them, or at least there seem to be. I see them almost every day. either blocking the left at the bottom while they try and push in on the right or just standing on the left regardless or anyone else behind. Also there seem to be a lot of people (usually women it has to be said) who walk up on the left and then who for reasons best known to themselves stop just before the end causing a ripple effect all the way back. They really **** me off. B2003 |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote:
I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? B2003 During the escalator reeplacement works from the Northern Line at Moorgate there were signs and announcements advising customers to stand on both sides. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 2, 12:01 pm, " wrote:
On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? B2003 During the escalator reeplacement works from the Northern Line at Moorgate there were signs and announcements advising customers to stand on both sides. I don't think this is only during works. I think it's standard on the escalators from the Jubilee at Bond Street, which has never been able to cope since the extension. Nevertheless, I tend to stand on only one side at a time. Even more difficult to comply with are regular instructions to "use both up escalators" at some stations ... I find it difficult to use more than one at a time. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
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Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
"Eric" wrote in message .. . On 2007-09-02, wrote: On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? B2003 During the escalator reeplacement works from the Northern Line at Moorgate there were signs and announcements advising customers to stand on both sides. Exactly, because you get better total throughput that way, though obviously at the expense of those who want to use the left side to hurry. I've wondered if the escalator components wear out at all differently on left and right parts, due to the unbalanced loading? Paul |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
"Paul Scott" wrote in message
"Eric" wrote in message .. . On 2007-09-02, wrote: On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? B2003 During the escalator reeplacement works from the Northern Line at Moorgate there were signs and announcements advising customers to stand on both sides. Exactly, because you get better total throughput that way, though obviously at the expense of those who want to use the left side to hurry. I've wondered if the escalator components wear out at all differently on left and right parts, due to the unbalanced loading? Yes, I seem to remember reading that they do. Presumably the right-hand side wears faster? |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sun, 2 Sep 2007 20:12:01 +0100, "Paul Scott"
wrote: I've wondered if the escalator components wear out at all differently on left and right parts, due to the unbalanced loading? Yes they do in much the same way as if escalators are designed to run up and down but are typically only used in one direction. -- Paul C Admits to working for London Underground! |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote:
I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? They should stop the escalators completly in rush hour -- people would walk on both sides. It would speed things up and make people healthier (and thinner, meaning more room on the trains in the long run) |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On 2 Sep, 10:18, Boltar wrote:
True , but I was thinking of it being a way of clearing out the rush hour crush at places like kings cross and victoria rather than getting people anywhere quicker. Though I suppose theres an argument that perhaps it would just move the crush to the other end of the escalator. B2003 The most dangerous thing is to move the crush to the top of the escalator. The throughput of the escalator must not exceed the throughput of the ticket barriers or you get Hillsbourgh in a tube station. People cannot wait on escalators if there is a crowd ahead, but they can wait at the base where nothing is forcing them forward. On the other hand, when the crush _that_ bad, then yes, stand on both sides as long as the barriers at the top can handle it. However, it signifies that something needs to be done, usually involving adding an extra escalator. And that's expensive. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sun, 02 Sep 2007 11:16:52 -0700, MIG wrote:
On Sep 2, 12:01 pm, " wrote: On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? B2003 During the escalator reeplacement works from the Northern Line at Moorgate there were signs and announcements advising customers to stand on both sides. I don't think this is only during works. I think it's standard on the escalators from the Jubilee at Bond Street, which has never been able to cope since the extension. Nevertheless, I tend to stand on only one side at a time. Even more difficult to comply with are regular instructions to "use both up escalators" at some stations ... I find it difficult to use more than one at a time. Do you always carry to obligatory canine? After all, "Dogs must be carried". Robin |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
"Boltar" wrote in message ups.com... On Sep 2, 7:26 am, wrote: Why not speed the escalators up? Or have, where there are several escalators, one faster speed escalator. Paris had (or still has) a faster speed "travelator" at Gare Montponarsse. I don't think health and safety would be happy about that and for once I'd probably agree with them. It would only take someone with a suitcase or baby buggy to fall over at the end and there could be a right mess. B2003 try the escalators in Prague. My god are they fast and bloody steep |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On 02/09/2007 11:40, Boltar wrote:
On Sep 2, 11:19 am, "tim....." wrote: The people who travel in the rush hour know the rules and queue up for the escalator accordingly. It's the people who don't know the rules and block the walking half unnecessarily that clog the system. Unfortunately theres a lot of them, or at least there seem to be. I see them almost every day. either blocking the left at the bottom while they try and push in on the right or just standing on the left regardless or anyone else behind. Also there seem to be a lot of people (usually women it has to be said) who walk up on the left and then who for reasons best known to themselves stop just before the end causing a ripple effect all the way back. They really **** me off. B2003 And you forget those people who have tow along cases who *must* stop at the top and bottom to pull the handle out and cause chaos behind them. And those who step off the bottom and have no idea where there going to go so just stop dead in front of everyone. My 2p worth! |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
In article .com,
Boltar writes there seem to be a lot of people (usually women it has to be said) who walk up on the left and then who for reasons best known to themselves stop just before the end They've probably just remembered they need to retrieve their ticket or oyster card from their vast handbag. It's the same in supermarket check out queues: the person in front of you will wait 10 or more minutes to be served, but only begins digging around for their purse after the cashier announces the total spend. -- congokid Eating out in London? Read my tips... http://congokid.com |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 3, 11:00 am, congokid wrote:
It's the same in supermarket check out queues: the person in front of you will wait 10 or more minutes to be served, but only begins digging around for their purse after the cashier announces the total spend. Indeed. Always seems to come as a total surprise to them that they have to pay. B2003 |
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Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
"Paul Weaver" wrote in message oups.com... On 1 Sep, 19:36, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. Opinions? They should stop the escalators completly in rush hour -- people would walk on both sides. It would speed things up and make people healthier (and thinner, meaning more room on the trains in the long run) I'm sure those who have disibilites or luggage would thank you for that idea! I'm assuming ambluances will be parked outside to cope with the increase in heart / asthma attacks as well. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sat, 1 Sep 2007, Boltar wrote:
I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. People who stand on escalators clearly aren't in a hurry; if they were, they'd be walking [1]. Thus, speeding up their passage along the escalator is pointless, and doing it at the expense of slowing down people who actualy are in a hurry, doubly so. The point about increasing throughput to avoid crowds forming is a good one, but as another poster pointed out, it might just lead to moving the crowd elsewhere. Still, if it's an up escalator, moving the crowd from the platforms to the ticket hall might be a good thing from a safety perspective. tom [1] Excluding those with luggage, the mobility impaired, the terminally lazy, etc -- Thinking about it, history begins now -- sarah |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 4, 12:34 pm, Tom Anderson wrote:
On Sat, 1 Sep 2007, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. People who stand on escalators clearly aren't in a hurry; if they were, they'd be walking [1]. Thus, speeding up their passage along the escalator is pointless, and doing it at the expense of slowing down people who actualy are in a hurry, doubly so. The point about increasing throughput to avoid crowds forming is a good one, but as another poster pointed out, it might just lead to moving the crowd elsewhere. Still, if it's an up escalator, moving the crowd from the platforms to the ticket hall might be a good thing from a safety perspective. tom I've never been claustrophobic, but getting off the Jubilee in the morning rush hour does make me feel nervous. A very confined area, very far below ground, crammed solid most days. Getting the maximum number of people up the escalator is a Good Thing without doubt. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 4, 8:51 pm, MIG wrote:
On Sep 4, 12:34 pm, Tom Anderson wrote: On Sat, 1 Sep 2007, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. People who stand on escalators clearly aren't in a hurry; if they were, they'd be walking [1]. Thus, speeding up their passage along the escalator is pointless, and doing it at the expense of slowing down people who actualy are in a hurry, doubly so. The point about increasing throughput to avoid crowds forming is a good one, but as another poster pointed out, it might just lead to moving the crowd elsewhere. Still, if it's an up escalator, moving the crowd from the platforms to the ticket hall might be a good thing from a safety perspective. tom I've never been claustrophobic, but getting off the Jubilee in the morning rush hour does make me feel nervous. A very confined area, very far below ground, crammed solid most days. Getting the maximum number of people up the escalator is a Good Thing without doubt.- I meant at Bond Street, by the way, built for a very different line from what the Jubilee is now. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:53:06 -0700, MIG
wrote: I meant at Bond Street, by the way, built for a very different line from what the Jubilee is now. If you want claustrophobic on LUL, try changing from the Northern Line to DLR at Bank. Or, worse, try changing from DLR to the Northern Line when a train has just arrived and hundreds of people are trying to do the opposite down a low-ceilinged stairway that's barely wide enough for two abreast. Neil -- Neil Williams Put my first name before the at to reply. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
Neil Williams wrote:
On Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:53:06 -0700, MIG wrote: I meant at Bond Street, by the way, built for a very different line from what the Jubilee is now. I have thought about that sometimes... If the Jubilee Line had been extended from Charing Cross through City and then down the East London Line instead as it was initially planned to be, had that really meant that much fewer interchanges/entries/exits to/from Jubilee at Bond Street compared to the situation today? Not necessarily, or? In case not, why was Bond Street built the way it was? Was is planned to be rebuilt when the line was finally extended (not likely)? (About the same wonderings about Green Park.) If you want claustrophobic on LUL, try changing from the Northern Line to DLR at Bank. Or, worse, try changing from DLR to the Northern Line when a train has just arrived and hundreds of people are trying to do the opposite down a low-ceilinged stairway that's barely wide enough for two abreast. That last example is one of the worst I know in London, pretty much an "I am lucky if I survive"-feeling. Doing it using Oyster PAYG and having to get to the Oyster readers on the way adds some further excitement. -- Olof Lagerkvist ICQ: 724451 Web: http://here.is/olof |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Tue, 4 Sep 2007, MIG wrote:
On Sep 4, 12:34 pm, Tom Anderson wrote: On Sat, 1 Sep 2007, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. The point about increasing throughput to avoid crowds forming is a good one, but as another poster pointed out, it might just lead to moving the crowd elsewhere. Still, if it's an up escalator, moving the crowd from the platforms to the ticket hall might be a good thing from a safety perspective. I've never been claustrophobic, but getting off the Jubilee in the morning rush hour does make me feel nervous. A very confined area, very far below ground, crammed solid most days. Getting the maximum number of people up the escalator is a Good Thing without doubt. It was like that at Euston this morning - coming from the northbound Northern/Victoria platforms, the queue for the escalators ran halfway down the passageway. And another thing! Those little wheelie briefcases - BAN THEM! For suitcases, fair enough, it's a sensible way to move them, but i see an sizeable number of people, mostly but not exclusively women, with really quite small bags on wheels which they drag behind them. We're talking something the size of a suitcase or a small handbag, smaller than my rucksack, which could quite easily be carried. They take up enough space for someone to walk in, just so the dragger can be saved the effort of actually carrying their possessions. Fine if you're somewhere with space to spare, but if you're in the underground, that's just selfish. BAN AND INCINERATE. tom -- Nullius in verba |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Wed, 5 Sep 2007 11:00:15 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote: And another thing! Those little wheelie briefcases - BAN THEM! For suitcases, fair enough, it's a sensible way to move them, but i see an sizeable number of people, mostly but not exclusively women, with really quite small bags on wheels which they drag behind them. We're talking something the size of a suitcase or a small handbag, smaller than my rucksack, which could quite easily be carried. They take up enough space for someone to walk in, just so the dragger can be saved the effort of actually carrying their possessions. Fine if you're somewhere with space to spare, but if you're in the underground, that's just selfish. BAN AND INCINERATE. *applause* they can be very dangerous as they are mobile tripping hazards and people use them quite deliberately to carve a path for themselves. One day someone will trip over one and end up under a train. -- Paul C Admits to working for London Underground! |
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On Sep 5, 6:15 pm, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Wed, 5 Sep 2007 11:00:15 +0100, Tom Anderson wrote: And another thing! Those little wheelie briefcases - BAN THEM! For suitcases, fair enough, it's a sensible way to move them, but i see an sizeable number of people, mostly but not exclusively women, with really quite small bags on wheels which they drag behind them. We're talking something the size of a suitcase or a small handbag, smaller than my rucksack, which could quite easily be carried. They take up enough space for someone to walk in, just so the dragger can be saved the effort of actually carrying their possessions. Fine if you're somewhere with space to spare, but if you're in the underground, that's just selfish. BAN AND INCINERATE. *applause* they can be very dangerous as they are mobile tripping hazards and people use them quite deliberately to carve a path for themselves. One day someone will trip over one and end up under a train. Absolutely. They are ridiculously dangerous, because they are impossible to see in a crowd. I nearly landed on my face after tripping over one just the other day. I've also had my legs taken out from behind when someone does a tight overtaking manoeuver while dragging something wider the space they've just squeezed through. Bikes and skateboards wouldn't be allowed to be used in such circumstances, but at least they can be seen. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
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Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 9, 6:19 pm, (Colin Rosenstiel) wrote:
In article , (Olof Lagerkvist) wrote: That last example is one of the worst I know in London, pretty much an "I am lucky if I survive"-feeling. Doing it using Oyster PAYG and having to get to the Oyster readers on the way adds some further excitement. It's been suggested elsewhere that the requirement to touch in when using Oyster PAYG and transferring between LU and the DLR at Bank is no longer necessary. Does anyone have chapter and verse? I don't think it ever was. The speculation is more to do with why it's there (ie the lift, which avoids the barriers when coming from the street). But as I found once, if you forgot to touch in at Euston, you can touch "in" on the DLR at Bank before continuing your journey or, as I did, exiting at Monument and being charged for a zone 1 journey rather than the £4 penalty. |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On 5 Sep, 11:00, Tom Anderson wrote:
On Tue, 4 Sep 2007, MIG wrote: On Sep 4, 12:34 pm, Tom Anderson wrote: On Sat, 1 Sep 2007, Boltar wrote: I can't help thinking that the escalators would get more people up and down them in a given time if people could stand on both sides in the rush hour since you always get a (sometimes dangerously) large queue for the right side and far fewer people going on the left (plus theres always some idiot tourist who can't read who blocks it anyway). I realise it might inconvenience people in a hurry but I reckon the pros would outweight the cons. The point about increasing throughput to avoid crowds forming is a good one, but as another poster pointed out, it might just lead to moving the crowd elsewhere. Still, if it's an up escalator, moving the crowd from the platforms to the ticket hall might be a good thing from a safety perspective. I've never been claustrophobic, but getting off the Jubilee in the morning rush hour does make me feel nervous. A very confined area, very far below ground, crammed solid most days. Getting the maximum number of people up the escalator is a Good Thing without doubt. It was like that at Euston this morning - coming from the northbound Northern/Victoria platforms, the queue for the escalators ran halfway down the passageway. And another thing! Those little wheelie briefcases - BAN THEM! For suitcases, fair enough, it's a sensible way to move them, but i see an sizeable number of people, mostly but not exclusively women, with really quite small bags on wheels which they drag behind them. We're talking something the size of a suitcase or a small handbag, smaller than my rucksack, which could quite easily be carried. I don't like them much, either ... but in my job I end up moving around London quite a lot on any given day with a rucksack which contains a laptop and often quite a lot of documentation. I find the rucksack fine - in fact I use a particularly small rucksack to enforce myself into only taking essentials and keep the weight down but sometimes have to take a big one when that's not practical. Some of the girls in the office find that they get a sore back if they carry around a rucksack for too long, so they use a wheely - for the more slight girls, it's a must. A 50kg girl can't be expected to lug around 10-15% of her bodyweight on her back around the City for extended periods. And in the long run it's better than lots of expensive visits to the physio. If you picked up the wheely and strapped it to her back, she'd probably fall over. That probably means she needs the wheely. Granted, I am sure there are plenty of fairly empty wheelys (wheelies?) around; but a lot of them are actually necessary. D. |
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In message , Richard J.
writes At Montparnasse-Bienvenuë Métro station actually. It runs at 9 km/h instead of the usual 3 km/h. Stepping on and off a travelator going at that speed would be hazardous, so they have a transition area at each end where there are small rollers turning at a slower speed. It could be tricky to use the same technique for an escalator. There's a photo I took earlier this year at http://images.fotopic.net/?id=40778626&noresize=1 I've been there several times but never found it working. Have I been unlucky, or has it been taken out of use permanently? -- Clive Page |
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On Mon, 10 Sep 2007, David F wrote:
On 5 Sep, 11:00, Tom Anderson wrote: And another thing! Those little wheelie briefcases - BAN THEM! For suitcases, fair enough, it's a sensible way to move them, but i see an sizeable number of people, mostly but not exclusively women, with really quite small bags on wheels which they drag behind them. We're talking something the size of a suitcase or a small handbag, smaller than my rucksack, which could quite easily be carried. I don't like them much, either ... but in my job I end up moving around London quite a lot on any given day with a rucksack which contains a laptop and often quite a lot of documentation. I find the rucksack fine - in fact I use a particularly small rucksack to enforce myself into only taking essentials and keep the weight down but sometimes have to take a big one when that's not practical. Some of the girls in the office find that they get a sore back if they carry around a rucksack for too long, so they use a wheely - for the more slight girls, it's a must. A 50kg girl can't be expected to lug around 10-15% of her bodyweight on her back around the City for extended periods. Cobblers, if i may say so. I have small female friends - a few quite a bit smaller than 50 kg, i suspect - and none of them need wheelies. I suspect a combination of laziness and status symbology is at work. And in the long run it's better than lots of expensive visits to the physio. We're talking about a backpack, not a hod! If you picked up the wheely and strapped it to her back, she'd probably fall over. That probably means she needs the wheely. No, it means the wheely weighs as much as the things in it, and isn't shaped for carrying on the back. Although i suspect we weren't really talking literally here! But anyway, i'm not saying ban wheelies (okay, i did say exactly that, but YKWIM) - i'm saying ban the wheeling of wheelies in crowded places, like tube stations. They have little handles on, right? So when you're somwewhere packed, do the decent thing and carry it. tom -- Also, a 'dark future where there is only war!' ... have you seen the news lately? -- applez |
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Clive Page wrote:
In message , Richard J. writes At Montparnasse-Bienvenuë Métro station actually. It runs at 9 km/h instead of the usual 3 km/h. Stepping on and off a travelator going at that speed would be hazardous, so they have a transition area at each end where there are small rollers turning at a slower speed. It could be tricky to use the same technique for an escalator. There's a photo I took earlier this year at http://images.fotopic.net/?id=40778626&noresize=1 I've been there several times but never found it working. Have I been unlucky, or has it been taken out of use permanently? You've been unlucky. It was working when I took the photo in April, and I used it again in August. -- Richard J. (to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address) |
Stand on the right - time to get rid of it?
On Sep 13, 12:24 am, Tom Anderson wrote:
On Mon, 10 Sep 2007, David F wrote: On 5 Sep, 11:00, Tom Anderson wrote: And another thing! Those little wheelie briefcases - BAN THEM! For suitcases, fair enough, it's a sensible way to move them, but i see an sizeable number of people, mostly but not exclusively women, with really quite small bags on wheels which they drag behind them. We're talking something the size of a suitcase or a small handbag, smaller than my rucksack, which could quite easily be carried. I don't like them much, either ... but in my job I end up moving around London quite a lot on any given day with a rucksack which contains a laptop and often quite a lot of documentation. I find the rucksack fine - in fact I use a particularly small rucksack to enforce myself into only taking essentials and keep the weight down but sometimes have to take a big one when that's not practical. Some of the girls in the office find that they get a sore back if they carry around a rucksack for too long, so they use a wheely - for the more slight girls, it's a must. A 50kg girl can't be expected to lug around 10-15% of her bodyweight on her back around the City for extended periods. Cobblers, if i may say so. I have small female friends - a few quite a bit smaller than 50 kg, i suspect - and none of them need wheelies. I suspect a combination of laziness and status symbology is at work. And in the long run it's better than lots of expensive visits to the physio. We're talking about a backpack, not a hod! If you picked up the wheely and strapped it to her back, she'd probably fall over. That probably means she needs the wheely. No, it means the wheely weighs as much as the things in it, and isn't shaped for carrying on the back. Although i suspect we weren't really talking literally here! But anyway, i'm not saying ban wheelies (okay, i did say exactly that, but YKWIM) - i'm saying ban the wheeling of wheelies in crowded places, like tube stations. They have little handles on, right? So when you're somwewhere packed, do the decent thing and carry it. I see nothing at all with banning things that are clearly dangerous. The argument about how useful they may be is irrelevant. If one drove a truck across the concourse, one could carry even more, but it would clearly be dangerous, so it isn't allowed. Maybe someone senior will have to land on his/her face before anything is done about it. |
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