April 12, 2006
What Metro Needs: Taking After the Tube
Yesterday, we begged Metro for a better PA system. Today, in the second installment of our newest transit feature, What Metro Wants, we go international: London, to be exact.
Stand Right Signage: While in London recently, we observed that the Underground had made an effort to remind riders to stand to the right when using the system's many escalators. The result was nothing short of absolute escalator efficiency -- coupled with the frantic London pace, riders coming in or out of stations took the escalators with ease, rarely fearing the errant tourist blocking the left-side lane of walking traffic on the escalators. Even the most clueless of tourists seemed to understand that the Underground's default pace is that of the fastest rider on the escalator, and for their own sake, they should step to the right. Metro used to have these signs. We don't understand why they were taken down. It would be a significant step forward in tourist-resident relations -- especially in the coming travel-heavy months -- if Metro once again took to reminding the blissfully unaware of the system's most basic etiquette: Stand right, walk left.
Faster Escalators: The Underground, much like Metro, relies heavily on escalators to get riders from platform to platform and in and out of stations. All told, the system has some 410 escalators. But unlike Metro, the Underground's escalators run at a breakneck speed (well, for escalators) of 145 feet per minute, moving roughly 10,000 people per hour. While we don't know how fast Metro runs their escalators, we know it's somewhere on the lower end of the scale, possibly closer to 90 feet per minute. We're not advocating that they dramatically ramp up the speed of the system's escalators, but a little boost might do wonders for moving people in and out more quickly.
Picture of sign snapped by DCist Martin, picture of escalator taken by MatthewBradley.
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I lived in London for 4 months as a student (in spring of 2004) and I never once saw an escalator down for repair, even though I rode the tube almost every day. I ride the metro almost every day now, and I see several escalators down for repair. I know it takes a lot to keep them in shape and running, but come on. Can we switch to the London escalator manufacturer or something?
While getting off at the Stadium-Armory stop for the game yesterday, I came across a Metro employee who was actually telling/asking people to NOT walk up the escalators. WTF? As if the stop isn't congested enoughon game day. It seems like Metro is constantly taking one step forward and two steps back.
While getting off at the Stadium-Armory stop for the game yesterday, I came across a Metro employee who was actually telling/asking people to NOT walk up the escalators. WTF? As if the stop isn't congested enough on game day. It seems like Metro is constantly taking one step forward and two steps back.
I heard they took down the "stand on the right" signs because they were afraid people might think it meant they had to walk on the left, they couldn't stand at all. Which is dumb.
I was under the impression that the "stand on the right" signs here came down because they were worried that if more people were walking, more would trip and fall, and then they would sue because Metro had encouraged them to walk.
Stand on the right? I always assumed that people in left-driving countries walked towards the left, similar to how we tend to walk towards the right. Following this logic, faster moving pedestrian traffic passes on the opposite side, i.e. stand right, pass left (for us right-drivers). So do Britons normally walk on the right side in everyday pedestrian situations, or do they switch from the drive side just to use stairs/escalators?
How does saying "stand on the right" mean "you must walk"? That doesn't make any sense. Even tourists should be capable of understanding that "stand on the right" means "if you want to stand, do it on the right side", not "you must walk and trip and sue us"!
The problem with Metro's logic is that if an escalator goes down, they still let people walk up/down them. (See Dupont Circle, every other day.) If they want to get rid of any liability issues, then they need to close off access altogether.
Metro actually announced last December that they were going to test out "stand right/walk left signs" over the winter, and evaluate whether to go forward with it systemwide. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/01/AR2005120101955_pf.html
Anyone know what they decided?
Metro needs more staircases, fatties! They work fine for MTA in the NYC Subway.
That said, I'm sure WMATA can find a way to make steps fail as bad as escalators...and probably in a very Escherish way minus the art.
I'm disabled and need my right hand for my cane which forces me to stand to the left on escalators. Because of the speed of an escalator's movement I also can't play the "switch-hands" game (using the cane in my left while on)when getting off without losing my balance and falling. The elevator isn't always an option either because if you pay attention, a good majority of those who do use them haven't a physical reason to do so making for long waits just to be able to get on - especially at Medical Center on the Red Line. It's not a hoot being disabled to begin with and hearing the nasty comments people feel free to make to me because I upset their routine when riding the escalator isn't much fun either.
re: the stairs in nyc thing, yeah, it does work fine for us, but the subway is barely underground compared to how deep beneath the earth the metro is.
Well, whatever it is...something needs to happen. Spring is great and all, but it means serious tourist induced Metro rage for me. Thank god I dont work for SI anymore and need to commute to the mall daily....
would faster escalators make my vertigo better or worse at woodly/adams?
would faster escalators make my vertigo better or worse at woodley/adams?
Not too long ago, I had a broken collarbone and my right arm was in a sling. I was mostly unable to move it -- or at least I wasn't supposed to. Actually, at first it would hurt to move it in such a way that would be required to grasp the hand-rail. So I would stand on the left side of the escalator. I tried to do so responsibly, and in a location on the escalator where there wasn't somebody standing to my right side, thereby allowing people to move past me. I thought the situation (and the reason for standing on the left) seemed obvious when one looked at it, and for the most part I'm guessing people understood. But, that didn't stop one busy-body from hissing at me as he passed me on the right "You're supposed to stand on the right side!" When I responded that I couldn't grasp the handle rail that way, he shrugged and said that didn't matter. I was a little miffed by the attitude, but more to the point, I'm wondering where that guy is in all those situations where I'm waiting by a vast group of tourists standing cluelessly. If I say something, I'm like the guy beeping the horn behind a long line of cars, like the one in front causing the problem can hear me or cares. But, it would be nice to have someone else be the obnoxious one and give voice to my feelings!
Amen, amen and amen! I noticed this again, as well, when I was in London about a year ago. They seem to move almost twice as fast as ours. God, could you imagine the bitching ... but I do think that Metro should pump up the volume, so to speak. They do move at a snail's pace.
And would it kill ya to put some signange up? Sheesh.
Faster escalators would be great. I used to ride the Bethesda escalator up and down every day on my way to work, which has probably added up to years of my life that I'll never get back again.
I think a lot of the escalators' problems stem from them being open to the elements. They probably could've chosen a better service provider, but having them rained on can't be helping. The post ran a series about them about a year and a half ago. Everytime a small problem occurs, it takes a ridiculous amount of time to "reboot" it.
I also thought that walking on them actually shortens their life span, and Metro doesn't want to actively encourage people to walk on them. But if they really are going to use "walk left" signs, I would guess that means I'm wrong, or they've changed their mind.
Also, I know people criticize the short escalators as useless, but with all the tourists and general travelers that use Metro, the steps would be jammed up all the time by people hauling up large bags. With such narrow space on the platform and on the escalator, turning them into stairs could cause huge bottlenecks, more so than we already get (just look at what happens when they go down).
It seems that Metro needs to increase the amount of all types of signage it has. I am always struck by the lack of system-maps at most metro stations. If I (or a tourist) need to figure out which direction to take the train I shouldn't have to search the whole station for a map! I was in London recently and was struck by the amount of Underground maps that were posted in stations and trains. As a tourist this was very helpful...
Exposure to the elements is definitely an issue associated with the Metro's escalator woes, but it sure isn't the only issue. I can think of numerous completely sheltered escalators that have gone out of service and then been down for two, three, even six months while they were being "repaired."
And while as a commuter I appreciate an open walking lane on the escalator, people who get huffy and outraged and spit venom at strangers over the stand right/walk left issue are, by definition, assholes. Significant blockages are almost exclusively confined to the shorter escalators, like the ones between platforms, meaning that the time difference between walking and standing tends to be something in the range of 10 to 20 seconds. If you can't wait 20 seconds to accommodate someone who might have a valid reason for blocking your way, or even just a tourist mom obliviously chatting with one of her kids, you seriously need to get a grip.
Nate, not all bottlenecks are confined to short escalators. Have you been to Woodley on a nice day? Tourists treat the escalator as an amusement park ride--stand, take pictures ("It's so long!"), sit on the escalator on the way down... It's self preservation to tell them what to do--I refuse to spend my life waiting on that escalator because tourists have their heads up their butts.
A simple solution for everyone would just be to have one elevator going down, one going up, and a large staircase in the middle. If getting stuck behind fat tourists is the bane of your existence then simply take the stairs. They also won't break down all of the time and make it easier to control traffic up and down.
Chris, awesome idea w/r/t stairs. Getting stuck behind tourists and their luggage can mean much more than a 20-second delay--I was stuck behind a long line at Gallery Place yesterday before 9am and had to wait 9 minutes for another train. I'd gladly walk for a little control over my commute.
GhettoBurbs:
I lived in London for a year. In normal pedestrian traffic (ie walking down the sidewalk), you stay to the left. It royally messed me up when I came back to the states, and kept trying to step to the left to avoid oncoming pedestrians. Invariably Americans step to their right, which results in one of those little "Oh, excuse me, sorry, pardon me" sidewalk jigs, as you both desperatly try to step around each other.
The escalators might last a little longer if they didn't leave them running all night too. I was at Arlington Cemetary around 2am last night (like the spooky goth I am), and at least one of the escalators was happily chugging along, releasing nice screeches occasionally to delight the birds nearby.
Oh, and another idea stolen from Europe. How about motion sensors in front of the escalator to kick it on when needed during off-peak hours? I can't imagine how much power is wasted at 10pm on escalators in the middle of nowhere.
I don't think it matters what the signs say or whether there are signs or not. People seem to be too ignorant or rude to realize that whether or not there is a sign it is common courtesy to stand on one side or the other (as an escalator walker-uper it does matter) as long as people are able to walk up without having to ask someone to remove their shopping bags/luggage/children/elderly parents/etc.
I think having the escalators turning on and off all the time would cause more wear and tear than if they stay on. More energy efficient perhaps, but if it makes them break down more, it wouldn't necessarily make it economically efficient.
I once had to use a crutch for a while, with the consequence that, like Ray, I couldn't walk up the escalator and needed my right hand to handle the crutch.
At first, I found myself forced to stand on the left and blocking the escalators, but I soon found a way around the problem -- face backwards. I held onto the right side railing with my left hand, et voila, a ride up the escalator without blocking anyone. The first few times, I was worried about turning around when the ride ended, but even at Dupont Circle during rush hour that was never a problem.
Hell, it worked so well that even after the crutch was banished I would sometimes ride up backwards anyway. That way, if I was reading something good, for example, I could hold the book right-handed.
Here's an unrelated question about Metro:
Why is the website a dot com? They should have a dot org and/or a dot gov website. I always type in the wrong URL before finally stumbling into wmata dot com.
I dunno, is there a rule on .com? I though that was open to most anyone, but there are restrictions on who can use .gov and .org. Chicago uses a .com for their transit system. NYC uses a .us. SF uses .gov for BART.
A quick trip to Wikipedia says anyone can register for .com or .org. Maybe Metro just doesn't like being seen as a .gov.
To the folks complaining about using canes, crutches, slings, etc. when on the escalators -- have ya ever thought about using the elevator instead?
Maybe if folks thought about ways to avoid inconveniencing each other once in a while it would help everybody be less bitchy/righteous.
I'd like to see Metro install ticket/card machines that are easier to use. Whenever I come to DC I always have to re-learn how to charge my Smartcard or buy a pass. And I've seen plenty of tourists stuck at the machines completely frustrated (with a long line of locals and other tourists fuming behind them).
Fewer steps in the process would make it easier, and so would an upgrade to whatever computer is inside so it processes each transaction more quickly.
YES ANON!!!!!
Metro started with inferior product and are now dealing with it. Drop your suggestions at http://www.wmata.com/riding/riderSuggestion/default.cfm
Constructive criticism trumps whining anyday.
GhettoBurbs- more than you ever wanted to know about driving on the left/right, walking on the left/right, standing to the left/right, ascending spiral staircases on the left/right but were afraid to ask: http://www.brianlucas.ca/roadside/ (though they accidentally say "stand to the left" for UK escaltors, but get it "right" a few paragraphs later)
The point made by a person above about "not walking on the left" was the standard line of WMATA for many years. I remember Dr. Gridlock quoting longtime WMATA PR person Beverly Silverberg about this at least once.
I think it has to do with liability from slip and fall. If they encourage people to walk (i.e., with a London-style sign), which admittedly is more dangerous than just standing there, there would be contributory negligence.
Generally, I am not in favor of avoiding the obvious because of legal concerns (you know, like the sticker on the top step of a ladder saying you shouldn't stand on that step because it's dangerous), but I do think this might be a legit reason to go for the "don't tell, don't ask" approach.
2. No rules about .com. they use it because most people use .com without really knowing what it means, just like .www. doesn't really mean World Wide Web, it means the server-subdomain that people access for whatever reason, it could be called wtf for all nameservers "care".
Amtrak uses both .com and .gov I think. So does the Post Office. I think it makes sense to do both.
3. I like the motion detector idea. Wasting the electricy gets to me too. At some stations, they turn off at least one of the escalators then, but if the walk is long...
I have sympathy for the disabled people with escalator troubles, but Ray's comment says that he doesn't want to wait for the elevator and therefore he makes all the people behind him wait on the escalator. What sense does that make?
A few facts:
Further on cminus' point, I'd like to see more people turn sideways to avoid blocking the left lane on the escalators. If you are wide, traveling with kids or luggage, talking to a friend etc., think about arranging yourself or your party with your back to the right rail, vertically over several steps.
Also, Metro escalators are *so* slow. If they were faster, I think fewer people would walk.
And finally, no strollers on the escalators! Extremely unsafe, as well as a traffic obstacle.
As proof that Metro escalators are too slow, just go to Pentagon City or Friendship Heights. The privately-owned escalators that connect you to the Fashion Center or Chevy Chase Pavilion are significantly faster than their WMATA counterparts. If these for-profit malls aren't worried about decent speeds leading to lawsuits, why is WMATA?
Could it be because WMATA's board doesn't actually ride Metro, and thus doesn't even realize how annoying their slow escaltors are?
I don't mind the lack of signs in Metro stations for one really simple reason: does anyone actually think tourists would bother to read them?
Anyway, one of my most treasured memories: I'm heading down the Foggy Bottom escalator one weekend, and half of a group of four tourists is blocking the left side. I politely ask if I can get by, and they do so, but not without muttering about how rude people in DC are.
The Blue line train pulls up just as I make it to the platform, and I get on. A moment later, I see them all sprinting down the second escalator, only to have the doors shut right in their faces. The next Blue line won't arrive for 12 minutes. I make eye contact with one of them, and shrug. I like to think that in that instant, he understood why DC residents hurry down escalators, and realized they were the rude ones. But I doubt it.
As it is, WMATA sees around 10 serious escalator injuries per month, on average.
This fact brought to you by the Department of Made-Up Statistics. Do you happen to have sources for these facts? I could say "Fact: George Bush is a good President." But that doesn't make it true. I don't think you're lying. I would like to see though where you got your facts from.
I was in Hong Kong a few years ago, and I immediately noticed that the subway escalators there are FAST. I wish WMATA would follow HK's lead and crank up the speed on the escalators.
Then again, they would probably just break faster.