Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kiwiduncan]

For the last several months the Seoul Subway has been running a campaign to discourage walking on the escalators. Rather than the old system where you could stand on the right and walk on the left, we are now expected to stand on both the left and right. You may have seen the posters in the station, with that nasally voiced Italian wench from "Chat With Beauties" acting as their poster child.

The campaign is focused on safety. The subway authorities justify it by noting that in 2007 about 64 people were injured on the escalators. I think that includes pretty minor injuries, and really, considering millions of people use the subways everyday, that doesn't seem so bad.

[Faunaki]

Ahhhh, I thought the poster was a public ad. explaining how to use the escalator properly.

No, I don't support it. The left lane is for walking.

Undoubtedly the accidents are from drunks, the elderly and people in a bali bali state of mind. These people are going to fall anywhere, it does matter if it's on an escalator or on a sidewalk.

[kiwiduncan]

It's very disappointing that one of the Chat with Beauties girls could align herself with such a stupid campaign. Still, money talks and bullshit - in this case - stands.

The campaign poster roughly translates to "One line standing, No. Two lines standing, Yes".

It annoys me that the subway authorities don't seem to have considered a sensible "please walk on the escalators carefully" campaign and have instead gone for this "don't even walk" approach. I imagine heart disease kills more people in Korea every year than escalator accidents, but by running this campaign Korean commuters have even less chances for cardiovascular exercise.

[IncognitoHFX]

I always walk on escalators. I hate when someone blocks the left lane and is too oblivious to move.

If they enforce that rule, then I'll always take the stairs.

[orosee]

The thing is that it only takes one person per escalator to follow the campaign. Then the left lane will be blocked for anyone wanting to walk up. All they have to do is reach 10% of the people.

In any way there aren't that many stations with escalators. I'd rather see them enforce rules (especially for the narrow access stairs) which side of the stairs to walk down or up.

[Ginormousaurus]

This campaign has no chance of taking hold. They've been running it for a few months now and I've noticed no change. Too many people are in a hurry in this country. As for myself, I almost always walk up the escalator. About the only time I stand still is when it's really hot and I'm trying to minimalize the amount of visible sweat running down my back.

Slightly different topic, but I hate it when people stand on the moving walkways.

[ED209]

Can I still slide down the bit in between the escalators? (Obviously when drunk, I don't want to hurt myself!)

[eamo]

There should be slow lanes and fast lanes everywhere. Including escalators.

If I were president, the sidewalks would have one lane for dwaddling middle-school kids, the elderly and ajummas with fifty shopping bags......then another lane for normal people who want to get where they're going.

[RyanInKorea]

I am proud to report I have asked people to get out of my way this past week. Don't worry, I am pretty sure they were younger than me.

Ryan

[pkang0202]

I think you should be able to walk UP and escalator. I hate it when people walk on the DOWN escalator. Take the freaking stairs. Its not like its any harder to do.

[Faunaki]

[aka Dave]

That's what was so nice about Tokyo, well trained Japanese all standing on the right, walking fast on the left.

Walking, like all exercise, is good for your health. You can get injured doing anything healthy.

E l'Italiana che ha ditto questo, che stronza!

[Lekker]

Sangsu station. I saw a man running up the escalator that was going down. I was going down the escalator. He yelled at me because I was in his way. I wouldn't move, so he had to wait until I got off the bottom so he could try and run back up. When I got to the bottom, I turned around and watched the same thing happen to a woman who was coming down. She was in his way and he yelled at her. I will never understand the mentality of some people here.

[RyanInKorea]

I don't think I will ever understand the mentality of your avatar choices Lekker!

Ryan

[Join Me]

Safety is part of the issue but maintenance is also a big part as well. The fact that the weight distribution is constantly uneven between the left and right sides of the escalators due to more people standing still on the right causes a lot of wear and tear on the escalators. That is why half the time you go to a subway station they have one of the escalators torn down.