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Moving walkways/escalators/elevators thread


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#1 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 02:58 PM

I thought we might have a thread to discuss this machinery in our lives.

Mods, move if you want, I wasn't sure where to put it, but I'd say it's an URBAN ISSUE, since I haven't come across many of these in the countryside.

First off, I was in the mall downtown the other day pant-shopping (I might wear my new pants to the Saturday meet, see if they meet with your approval), and watching all the people going up and down via the escalators. Quite impressive.

But I got to thinking, do you really need a "down" escalator? Up, yes, I understand the need. I knew a guy that owned a condo on Bay St. that was/is 3 or 4 stories, no elevator. Here it is, at least 3.5 stories. Strange. Anyway, no one wants to walk up 3 floors of the Bay Centre. But "down"?

Granted, maybe it is slightly more dangerous to have a fixed set of stairs, than a moving set, but only for the most infirm. BC Ferries deal with this by having elevators (and the Bay Centre has a nice glass one), and by the fact that the sheer volume on a BCF stairwell would prevent anyone else from falling too far, they just fall back into the 50 people coming up behind them, and be caught.

Further, if for some reason you do feel a down escalator is a legitimate need in malls (and I guess most mall-owners do, because I know of no malls with just up, although the movie theatres at University Heights had/has(?) only one, and they would have it A) fixed, most of the time, or B) heading down before the movie, up afterwards. I suppose the change-over is a bit like the changeover of the lanes through the Deas Tunnel, or the Lions Gate Bridge. But less dramatic. Or certainly less dramatic even if you do it wrong. I guess what I'm saying is if the flunky movie-theatre manager hits stop with a guy on the escalator, then fires it up in reverse, he's got way less chance of a serious accident than the guy that hits green lights northbound without a bit of intermission with red north and south, through the Deas Tunnel. Likely if you are applying for the Deas job, you can't say on your resume that you have experience switching the movie-theatre escalator over precisely 20 minutes into Schindlers List (even though I think Schindler had something to do with escalators, or some bad German company that used slave-labour did).

Anyway, I'm off track. What I was going to say, is if you do believe down escalators are legit, then how do you explain people stopping on them once they've "boarded"? I've never taken kiniesiology, but I'm going to venture that stepping down steps, uses less energy than walking along a level plane. Do people get on the escalator, and just then think, well, I'm on it now, this thing will take me down at 2.6mph, same as walking, so I'll just stop. Why? Why not keep walking, and go 5.2mph? You've walked around the mall for two hours, and never stopped for a rest, except when the escalator was moving you. Maybe it's a guilt thing. This mall installed a $2M piece of eqiupment, I'd be showing disrespect by actually walking on it?

Now, don't get me going about the escalator in say, the London Underground. You wouldn't want to get caught standing on the wrong side of that, just for the leisurely ride down. No, that's serious business there, you want to be on the correct side on that thing. You know it's the same guys that drive the lorries on the motorways and flash their lights at you to get the hell out of the fast-lane, you know it's those exact same guys that are coming down that escalator at full speed.

Wouldn't it be in the best interest of the mall to get you to move faster, to actually walk down the moving escalator? You aren't doing any shopping while you're riding the moving stairwell. Why don't they have ones like new ski lifts? You get on, and it's hardly, or not moving, but once you're "on", it speeds up to 12mph? High-speed quad escalator. Get to your "destination", and then it slows back down.

#2 yodsaker

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 03:16 PM

In Canada these devices are installed to ensure that doughheads have a convenient place at the bottom to stand and discuss their bowling league. Once aboard the contraption, two abreast is the way to go... wow, its a ride!
They are people-movers in other places.

#3 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 03:29 PM

Do we have any people-movers here? Flat conveyor belts, at no, or very little grade?

That'd make for a funny candid-camera type of thing. You get on one, at an airport, and it goes along, but then it's gets a little steeper, just a bit, the "victim" has to hold the rail, but then, increasingly, you have it going at steeper and steeper an angle, but you provide no gaps for the guy to get off, next thing you know, its at 45+ degree incline, and the guy is holding on for dear life, or lying flat on the belt to stop from falling over. But here's the great thing, he's at an airpirt, so his luggage cart and bags are flying backwards down the hill too.

Christ, we should do that to Tiger Woods. 1. Because it would be so funny, and 2. Because the stunt would take $3M to set up, and his ex-wife ought to be able to afford the set-up.

Sure beats anything I've ever seen on "Punked!"

Everyone been on the elevator at Hotel Grand Pacific? It's glass, but only has a view for the top 2 or 3 floors, so if you are not ready for it, you ride up, not really noticing it's anything more than a standard elevator, then BANG, you get a very nice view over the harbour. Chix dig it.

#4 victorian fan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:00 PM

You need elevators for those in wheelchairs and babys in strollers.
In London, you quickly learn to stand to the side if you don't what to be rammed in the back on a subway escalator.

#5 sebberry

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:02 PM


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#6 G-Man

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:08 PM

Most of the new Canada Line stations in Vancouver only have up escalators.

#7 Holden West

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:09 PM

I like your prank idea.

I have been on a couple of long Soviet-era escalators in Eastern Europe and they go twice as fast and look ramshackle--the grooves are twice as wide. I couldn't wait to get off. People in Germany obediently stand on the right so you can pass.

I can't think of a local people mover besides the Thrifty Foods' moving ramp to the parkade at Tuscany Village.

even though I think Schindler had something to do with escalators, or some bad German company that used slave-labour did).


The elevator in my building is serviced by former war slave employer Thyssen Krupp.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
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#8 G-Man

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:11 PM

Macy's in New York still has working wooden escalators.

I am a huge Movelator fan. Sometimes shop at Tuscany Village just for the privilege.

#9 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:13 PM


Classic. I think there was a rant in this week's Monday Mag, a guy/gal complaining someone at the gym uses the bench-press, then does not remove the weights after they are done. I guess they hate the extra "work" they must do to reset the weights.

I was going to ask about outdoor escalators. There's my answer. Singapore ▼




#10 sebberry

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:31 PM

How can you take an escalator downstairs? Wouldn't that be a de-escalator?

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#11 Baro

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:38 PM

I really wish we had this "slower traffic keep right" culture here. I don't know if it's a north american retardation or more of a small-town big-town thing but good god I haven't been anywhere in north america that didn't have everyone standing abreast filling the escalators (but found "escalator culture" well developed in asia and europe).

Signs really wouldn't hurt. In many places they have simple signs telling people if you're standing, keep right. It actually seems to work for the most part.
"beats greezy have baked donut-dough"

#12 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 04:45 PM

Downtown Empire Theatres (Capital 6) solution?



#13 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 05:02 PM



Just for fun, if I ran this place, I'd place a simple sign at the bottom. Points RIGHT, to the stairs, and says STAIRS. Points LEFT to the up escalator, and says LAZY. Of course, I'd be pulled up in front of some type of human rights tribunal, no doubt.

That would also be a good candid-camera thing, and less expensive than the Tiger Woods prank.

#14 yodsaker

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 05:26 PM

I really wish we had this "slower traffic keep right" culture here. I don't know if it's a north american retardation or more of a small-town big-town thing but good god I haven't been anywhere in north america that didn't have everyone standing abreast filling the escalators (but found "escalator culture" well developed in asia and europe).

Signs really wouldn't hurt. In many places they have simple signs telling people if you're standing, keep right. It actually seems to work for the most part.


Europe and Asia are like that, too. In Taipei the main subway interchange is 4 levels, deep underground with masses of people at 8am. Everybody keeps moving, stand to the right or run up the left side. Never saw anyone barge into anyone else. People have caught on they are people movers and not 'rides'. They also understand that doorways are for moving through, not standing in and yakking.

#15 victorian fan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 05:40 PM

Stockholm's piano stairs.

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#16 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 06:28 PM

^ That's not bad.

Somehow this should be more exciting, for all the trouble. A cool spiral escalator would be like a real tight spiral staircase, you hang onto the center pole as it rotates you down, like a drill bit, or worm gear.

rIYaCUkwMHE

#17 SamCB

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 07:19 PM

What I was going to say, is if you do believe down escalators are legit, then how do you explain people stopping on them once they've "boarded"? I've never taken kiniesiology, but I'm going to venture that stepping down steps, uses less energy than walking along a level plane. Do people get on the escalator, and just then think, well, I'm on it now, this thing will take me down at 2.6mph, same as walking, so I'll just stop. Why? Why not keep walking, and go 5.2mph? You've walked around the mall for two hours, and never stopped for a rest, except when the escalator was moving you.


I stop on moving on the mall escalator precisely because it I just walked around the mall for 2 hours without stopping for a rest. It's a novelty thing- moving for 'free'- and it doesn't get old for me. It's fun to look around without having to worry about who you might bump into.

Now, don't get me going about the escalator in say, the London Underground. You wouldn't want to get caught standing on the wrong side of that, just for the leisurely ride down.

In Toronto subway escalators are similarly serious business. I think it is a big-town-small-town thing. I can't stand when people stand on the left...

walk left, stand right. They have stickers saying that on the TTC subway escalators.

#18 LJ

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 08:43 PM

You need elevators for those in wheelchairs and babys in strollers.
.


Ummm, actually those people are supposed to use the elevators not the escalators.

Escalators and wheelchairs, strollers, luggage carts etc. do not get along very well. Although you see it being done/tried all the time. Until you see it go wrong you may not appreciate it. Most airports have signage to this effect, not sure about malls.
Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#19 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 09:34 PM

I remember talk of a car elevator in some project here, but this is all I get on my search, there is nothing in the cache:

Chard Development Ltd.
- 9:27pm
DETAILS: 82000 Sq.Ft. 14 storeys, 110 units, mixed-use, steel, ... a 2 storeys of curved glass faced penthouse units and a car elevator system – to be the ...
charddevelopment.com/future.php - Cached -



#20 G-Man

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Posted 15 December 2009 - 09:46 PM

Sounds like his planned Broughton project with the two floors of curved glass.

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