SFist Rants: Up the Down Escalator
Several weeks ago, SFist vented about our number one pub trans pet peeve. This week, we want to vent about our second biggest pub trans pet peeve. Consider this a sequel, kind of a Move to the Back of the Bus: Electric Boogaloo. The peeve this time? People who don't walk up the left side of the escalator.
Granted, this isn't necessarily a public transportation situation. Escalators are everywhere- at the Metreon, at Virgin, at the opera- but the situation seems to mainly bug whenever it involves MUNI or BART. Maybe because it's more pronounced. Or maybe it's because we're in more of a hurry because we've once again overslept. Or maybe it's because we like walking up the escalator because it makes us feel like we're exercising when in reality we're too lazy to take the stairs. But wherever it takes place, people who don't walk on the left side of the escalator suck. Isn't the whole the-left-side-is-for-walking a general rule? Isn't it one of the Universal Truths? A little known addendum to the Ten Commandments? Shouldn't the offenders realize something's up by the constant stream of people shoving past them muttering "excuse me, excuse me"?
Image of BART escalator from Refracted Moments
The types of people who don't move seem to fall into one of these categories-
The Couple- this is a couple (obvs) who are so busy being all-schmoopy with each other that they can't possibly deign to not be in a position where they can't lovingly stare at each other.
The Gossipers- these are people too busy telling each other what Biff said to Ashleigh and what Ashleigh did to Trent to notice that they're holding everyone up.
The Oblivious- Usually an iPod person, these people kind of stand in the middle of the escalator, thus blocking everyone on either side. Or they just go on the left side and stand there, totally clueless about all the people behind them murmuring hateful things about them and their mother.
The Big Backpacker- We have some sympathy for these people as we've often gone on MUNI or BART with luggage, but we also have to admit that we've made an effort to move our stuff out of the way. We've even dared put our suitcase down in front of us instead of next to us.
The Punk- These kids know exactly what they're doing in clogging up the lane and think this makes them cool. We hate these people the most and wish nasty things to happen to them. Hopefully involving weasels- mean, hungry, viscious, little weasels.
So remember people, after being packed tight like sardines and having suffered through the inevitable MUNI breakdown, please stay on the right side of the escalator if you don't feel like walking up. Leave the left to people like us, people who are too impatient and stressed out to wait to go to the next floor.