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I can explain. I have 'downescalatorphobia' ;) and have had it all my life. I lack the depth perception to see the steps clearly making it difficult to jump aboard, and while I do try and move as quickly as I can, someone huffing and puffing behind me, or pushing past me, makes it worse.
I like the power saving escalators in Canada and Europe which sense someone coming, but stay on slow mode until one boards. Makes it much easier. I can usually get on after 2-4 steps, but if you behave that way it may take me 12. And I am not alone in this; I know of many people, male and female, who have the same challenge. (and no, I am not going through any change, thank you very much!) |
Originally Posted by exbayern
(Post 9858959)
I can explain. I have 'downescalatorphobia' ;) and have had it all my life. I lack the depth perception to see the steps clearly making it difficult to jump aboard, and while I do try and move as quickly as I can, someone huffing and puffing behind me, or pushing past me, makes it worse.
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I can't speak for exbayern, but I too have problems with depth perception. And while most escalators do start completely flat, the problem is more than they're moving objects... it tends to make one a bit more wary. ;) Also, most escalators go from flat to stairs in a matter of a second or two and if you're on the half-step, you'll quickly topple. Add the depth perception problem to the movement and thrown in a dash of paranoia about being off balance because you're carrying an extra bag or wheeling a rollaboard behind you, and you end up with a person who will hesitate a moment before stepping onto said moving object. :)
And yeah, I have problems with stairs in every day life as well - not just escalators. And that will be when I don't have any baggage either. I've been known to have to stop to reevaluate halfway down a flight of stairs because everything seems to be a bit off to me. I have noticed the problem happens more when I'm wearing my glasses than my contacts though, so peripheral vision may play a part as well. |
Originally Posted by ArizonaGuy
(Post 9859301)
Confused. Most escalators start and end completely flat for a few feet. Even I sometimes miss the step and I'm on the "crack' - but it's easy to correct. I'm curious - do you have any issues with stairs? I'm not making light of your situation, I'm genuinely curious.
In Europe and Canada I see the abovementioned energy saving ones, and I notice that many have a longer 'flat' portion before the steps go down. And yes, that was me at LAX a few years ago who panicked when someone pushed past me and couldn't turn around and step aside as everyone else was piling up and pushing against me. That really doesn't help the situation any - just wait until the person has let a step or two go by please :) I had a whole plane load of people behind me, and I couldn't go forwards or backwards |
Originally Posted by Oxb
(Post 9858607)
I was on a CLT - SEA flight and I had a window seat. I come to my row and there is already a couple there in the middle and aisle seat. I had to wait a couple of minutes to get into my seat since they were praying together. I politely wait until they are finished then they get up to let me in. I smile at them and put my things away and sit down.
Then - "We are Christians and we need to pray to our Saviour before taking this perilous journey, would you like to join us?" I say no thank you and start on my book. When the beverage service started there was the PA announcement about the complimentary drinks and that there would be a charge for alcoholic beverages. Then the woman next to tells me "That it would be really terrible if someone consumed alcohol in their presence" I mumbled something to the effect that she would be disappointed. Before the meal was served (yes, this quite a few years ago) I overheard her saying to her husband that I would probably not even bless my food. She was correct. |
Originally Posted by MrMan
(Post 9858867)
So my pet peeve at airports are, and as sexist as this sounds it is almost always women at the age of about going through the change, all of a sudden forget how to get on escalators and moving sidewalks. One is moving at a great stride trying to make it to a gate and down an escalator when the lady of a certain age hesitates and stops before getting on thus creating a near wreck of all the people behind her. And I am not talking grannies, but middle aged full bodied women. Is this a forgotten skill with age?
My apologies for the way this sounds, maybe it can be explained. |
Traveling ORD-ICN on KE with wife and 5 month old in tow. The GAs call for early boarding. Wife goes into full Namdaemun Market mode and knifes through the scrum with me following and carrying our son in his infant carrier (yes, we bought him a seat). Woman PAX at the head of the scrum blocks my wife and tells her that they've only called for early boarding. Wife points to me and child as way of an explanation. Woman replys, "Well, only one of you needs to get on with the baby." She repeats this complaint to the GA, who smiles, nods in sympathy, and then lets my wife, my son and me onto the plane.
Could not understand that. It's not like KE has festival seating. |
Originally Posted by Oxb
When the beverage service started there was the PA announcement about the complimentary drinks and that there would be a charge for alcoholic beverages. Then the woman next to tells me "That it would be really terrible if someone consumed alcohol in their presence" I mumbled something to the effect that she would be disappointed.
I am on the fence regarding whether or not to consume an adult bevvo, my seatmate's prejudices may affect me.
Originally Posted by Oxb
Before the meal was served (yes, this quite a few years ago) I overheard her saying to her husband that I would probably not even bless my food.
She was correct. double for praising the Lord, blessing His holy name, and so on. Are these folks so arrogant as to imagine that they are doing some superior being some good by saying these things? Or are they just sucking up to the guy in the executive suite? In which case, they should beware, as sycophants don't necessarily do as well as those who think for themselves, especially when the boss is secure in his/her position. This being marginally on topic as my strange complaint onboard is "what makes these guys the notion that they have the right to do this stuff?" Occasionally voiced in public on the plane. |
Originally Posted by exbayern
(Post 9859466)
Europe and Canada I see the abovementioned energy saving ones, and I notice that many have a longer 'flat' portion before the steps go down.
I thought I was going to be sick if I didn't focus only on the steps and tune out the motion. This leads me to a pet peeve, to keep this on topic: Why can't people clearly move to the side on an escalator if they're standing still? I can accept not everyone will stay to the right or left - but pick one so others who want to pass can do so! Why is it less difficult to block the way? |
Originally Posted by violist
(Post 9861475)
This being marginally on topic as my strange complaint onboard is "what
makes these guys the notion that they have the right to do this stuff?" Occasionally voiced in public on the plane. |
Originally Posted by exbayern
(Post 9859466)
Pretty much as OfftoOz described it, including going down stairs. I find it more difficult in the US as the escalators tend to move more quickly, or have those annoying yellow stripes on the sides, which make it more difficult to see.
In Europe and Canada I see the abovementioned energy saving ones, and I notice that many have a longer 'flat' portion before the steps go down. And yes, that was me at LAX a few years ago who panicked when someone pushed past me and couldn't turn around and step aside as everyone else was piling up and pushing against me. That really doesn't help the situation any - just wait until the person has let a step or two go by please :) I had a whole plane load of people behind me, and I couldn't go forwards or backwards |
Originally Posted by ArizonaGuy
(Post 9861680)
Speaking of Europe - ever been to Budapest? The subway escalators are the steepest and fastest I've ever encountered in Europe. That's based on my personal observations of London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Rome, Prague and Bucharest as well.
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Originally Posted by MCOFlyer
(Post 9826065)
Have you ever gotten a strange or off-the-wall complaint from a fellow pax? Not that your music is too loud or they don't like your perfume or they want you to close the window, but something bizarre?
On one flight the woman in front of me kept pushing my bag out from under her seat. Hubby and I were flying standby so we'd been separated and I was in a middle seat. At first I thought I was hallucinating. I would push my bag under the seat in front of me and it would slide backwards. I'd push it again, it would slide back again. Then the pax turned around and snapped, "Stop it! Your bag is in my foot space!" I knew that was well nigh impossible, as I was flying with that bag weekly and had never had a complaint before. Furthermore, there was a bar on the seat that prevented it from going that far forward. Still, she insisted that it was in her space. Finally I said, "Okay, so what you're telling me is that if I get up right now and look, I will see that my bag is in your foot space. Tell you what, I'll come up there and look and I'll move it if it really is. I just want to be very sure because if I have to come up to your row, that means I have to climb over the person in the aisle seat. I don't want to inconvenience him for nothing. Are you saying that I should come look?" She sputtered and gave me a death look, but it shut her up and my bag stayed put for the rest of the flight. That was a really weird one. One plausible explanation was that the woman was hooking her heels of her shoe over the bar. The bag prevented her from doing it. |
Satan be gone!
Originally Posted by Oxb
(Post 9858607)
When the beverage service started there was the PA announcement about the complimentary drinks and that there would be a charge for alcoholic beverages. Then the woman next to tells me "That it would be really terrible if someone consumed alcohol in their presence" I mumbled something to the effect that she would be disappointed.
Before the meal was served (yes, this quite a few years ago) I overheard her saying to her husband that I would probably not even bless my food. Did I mention that I do a mean Satan impression? He finally got the message, and was a bit more quiet after that. :) |
Originally Posted by ArizonaGuy
(Post 9861680)
Speaking of Europe - ever been to Budapest? The subway escalators are the steepest and fastest I've ever encountered in Europe. That's based on my personal observations of London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Rome, Prague and Bucharest as well.
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