The Escalator Shuffle

By dave on February 27, 2006 9:00 AM | Permalink

What's with that silly shuffle some people do when trying to get on an escalator? You know, they walk up to the escalator, stop dead waiting for a nice looking step and move on to it. When it's in a busy place it's very annoying as the crowd crowds into the backs of people forced to stop by someone who doesn't know how to use an escalator.

I've first encountered it in Hong Kong, and just put it down to your average Hongkies complete lack of awareness of what's going on around them: "Oh shit! It's a moving thing. Wait, wait, I learned how to do this is school. Put one foot on the moving thing and then the other! I'm so clever! Why is that gweilo glaring at me?"

Other examples of this include the "I'm hurt you're beeping at me" look, even though the person has been meandering all over the road and there's a queue of traffic behind her.

And, of course, there's the Hong Kong classic "Lets all stop at the top of this escalator in the busiest MTR station during rush hour and discuss our plans for the day."

But you see it here in Brisbane as well. Normally it's older people, but youngsters do it too. Perhaps they're from more rural parts and unfamiliar with all the conveniences of modern city living.

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