YOKOHAMA -- "Don't' walk along escalators!" That's what Yokohama Municipal Subway officials have asked passengers by putting up warning signs at all of its 32 stations starting this fall.

The move was prompted by a series of complaints filed by passengers with the Transportation Bureau of the Yokohama Municipal Government. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also says that escalators are not designed to be walked along by passengers.

City officials say they have received numerous complaints from passengers. One of them said, "When my grandchild and I were standing next to each other on an escalator, a man who was walking up from behind said, 'Get out of my way,' and pushed my grandchild aside."

Another complaint said that passengers in the Kanto region customarily stand on the left to make room on the right-hand side of the escalator for others to walk up, while in the Kansai region, the practice is the opposite.

"An elderly person who was standing on the right side of the escalator was forced to walk up the stairs ahead of another passenger who hurriedly walked up from behind," a person complained to the Yokohama city office.

The city's Transportation Bureau started calling on passengers not to walk along escalators in May, while flashing a warning on electronic signboards on trains, saying, "It is very dangerous to walk or run on an escalator. Please ride the escalator by standing still and holding the handrail." The bureau also put up warning posters at the start of escalators in September.

However, these efforts did not really work. "Many people still walk up the right side of the escalator during rush hours. We will continue to warn passengers," said a representative of the city bureau.

Meanwhile in Nagoya, the city's Transportation Bureau has banned passengers from walking along escalators at Nagoya Municipal Subway stations since July 2004. The city has put up warning signs and made announcements on trains, but people still walk on escalators.

"Why can't we walk on the right side of the escalator? I often see people walking on escalators," said a 40-year-old company employee who uses the Nagoya Municipal Subway system.

During a session of the Nagoya Municipal Assembly in November 2004, an assembly member even said, "Why did we suddenly ban walking on escalators? It has been a customary practice to make room on the right side of the escalator (for people in a hurry.)"

According to a survey by the Tokyo Fire Department, 1,199 people were involved in accidents while riding on escalators in Tokyo in fiscal 2005, of which 702 people -- or nearly 60 percent -- were involved in such accidents at train stations. Among them, 333 were elderly people aged 65 and above.

"When you walk on escalators, you are prone to losing your balance and could hit other passengers. You should avoid walking on escalators," said a representative of the fire department.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, however, admits that it is difficult to legally ban passengers from walking on escalators.

"Because there is no effective measure to crack down on passengers walking on escalators, it is difficult to legally ban the practice at the moment. We are not sure if we can gain public support (for such a ban)," said a ministry official.

Other train companies, including JR East, Tokyo Metro and Toei Subways have also given similar warnings to passengers, but they find it difficult to stop passengers from walking on escalators as they can't really impose the ban.

In order for train companies to impose such a ban on passengers, "It is necessary for us to gain support among passengers themselves, as with the use of mobile phones on trains," said a representative of the Association of Japanese Private Railways.

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Walking on streets is dangerous too
written by Adam , May 08, 2008

Walking on escalators is no more dangerous than walking on stairs. I view the standers who don't move to the side as obstructions to efficiency. OK, if you're impaired, just move to the side. Obstructing is just rude. It says "My convenience is more important than all of your time."

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