Commuter Etiquette: The Escalator Rule

Every morning, I get up at 6:30am, drive to the train station by 7:30am, get on the train and arrive at Union Station in downtown Toronto at 8:45am, take the subway north 4 stops and walk a block to the office for 9:00am (although once you factor in my morning smoothie, I’m in around 9:10am).

To many, this may seem excessive and insane. To my commuting brethren and me, it is an absolute necessity if we want to continue making big-city money, without having to pay the price of living in the big city. Besides (re: living in the city), I’ve been there, done that and I’ve realized that I’m a rural kind of guy.

I’ve done this commute now for about 5 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how clueless and inconsiderate people become when they’re en route to or from work. Someone once said, “as individuals people are intelligent, but as a whole, we’re all idiots” (I’m paraphrasing of course). This phenomenon couldn’t be more evident than in the commute.

Let’s face it, no one wants to be on a packed train early in the morning or after a long, hard day’s work. But if we all just observed some simple courtesies (you know, manners, I think we were taught those in kindergarten) perhaps we could make the commuting ritual a little less torturous.

This is the goal of The Commuter Chronicles. I hope that by sharing my experiences and discussing some rules of commuter etiquette, we can turn getting to and from work into less of a chore. Let’s begin with a simple rule.

The Escalator Rule: “Stand right, walk left”

These wonderful devices are knee-savers. When they aren’t broken down or undergoing maintenance (which seems to be often), they provide an invaluable service taxiing commuters up and down; to and from subway and train platforms.

Escalators are magical in that they’re one of few mechanical objects that – even when they’re not functioning, are still functional (as stairs). Other objects in this category include moving sidewalks (they become sidewalks), automatic doors (they become regular, albeit heavy doors), automobiles (if you’re a redneck, they become handsome lawn-ornaments), and computer monitors (they become effective door-stops).

Now during the evening commute (and to a lesser extent in the morning as well); it is essential that the flow of humanity remain unimpeded throughout the hallways and corridors of the city’s transit system. This becomes even more important around areas of bottle-neck. One of these such areas is escalators.

“Stand right, walk left”

It’s a simple rule really. If you don’t want to walk up the escalator stairs, keep to the right so that others who do, can. If you’re lugging a suitcase, briefcase, laundry bag, groceries or dead body with you, put it on the step in front or behind you, not beside you. If you’re with your sweetheart and you want to commit a public display of affection (IE: hold hands), stay to the right (better yet, get a fucking room!).

Of course, there are a few addenda to this rule. If you are pushing a stroller, grocery cart, wheelchair, or anything that you can’t easily pick up and carry up or down an escalator, use the elevator. There is one in every subway station.

Also, here is a quick stair rule: When using the stairs, keep to the right except to pass. Even though during rush hour, the majority of people is going in the same direction as you, it isn’t always the case. Some people need to get to wherever it is you came from. Let them get there!

Ideally, during rush-hour, no one should be standing on an escalator, but life isn’t ideal. I’m as lazy as the next person, and when given the choice between stairs and escalator, I’ll opt for the escalator 10 times out of 10; and yes sometimes, I just feel like standing. When I do though, I stand right, so should you.

Other Rules:

• The Escalator Rule
• When the Doors Open
• ATMs
• The Cell Phone Rule
• The Door Dodger
• The Human Speed Bump