Another idea to reduce congestion even further: "Please ALL walk up the escalator."
No. The point of this experiment is to show that this would make things worse. Much worse.
A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
21–30 of 53 posts
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#22I really feel like more effort should be put into tube automation. In Singapore, all the lines are automated. Each platform has those safety double-elevator type doors the trains line up with (The Jubilee line is automated in London and has this same setup at most platforms). This allows Singapore to run a lot more trains. I don't think I ever waited for more than five minutes. Automation is possible in London. The D…
Victoria line is at 34tph at peak. I think the jubilee line is running at 30tph right now and will be going up to 34tph when they have more trains.
All lines will go to CBTC soon. Not having a driver doesn't add any capacity. Indeed it can lower it quickly in the event of something going wrong (may take a while to get staff to the train to fix it)
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#23>Walking anywhere in London or navigating the subway during rush hour means having to make a mad, dodging, aggressive dance against an oncoming tide of people, many of whom seem oblivious to Britain’s long tradition of walking on the left. I feel obliged to point out that this 'long tradition' only exists on escalators in the London Underground. Anywhere else in the country (or London for that matter) we walk on whic…
I have seen people observing the rule of leaving the left line for people walking in any escalator in London. Perhaps out of habit of taking the tube, but it's not specific to the tube anymore.
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#24Maybe someone could explain why it is necessary to reach the top of an escalator before everyone else. Is your work so crucial that 5 seconds is going to make so much difference or is it that you just don't like standing still?
Yeah, actually sometimes I'm in a hurry. Sometimes I'm trying to make it to a plane or get to a meeting that starts at a particular time, and making it to one train versus the next one fifteen minutes later can make or break an opportunity. Does that make sense?
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#25Maybe someone could explain why it is necessary to reach the top of an escalator before everyone else. Is your work so crucial that 5 seconds is going to make so much difference or is it that you just don't like standing still?
During rush hour the platforms are packed meaning you might have to wait for 2-3 trains before you can board. So arriving at the platform a few seconds earlier can shorten your trip by 10 minutes or more depending on your route.
Thanks, it was a genuine question and this goes someway to explaining what, to an outsider, looks like crazy behaviour.
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#26Maybe someone could explain why it is necessary to reach the top of an escalator before everyone else. Is your work so crucial that 5 seconds is going to make so much difference or is it that you just don't like standing still?
Yeah, actually sometimes I'm in a hurry. Sometimes I'm trying to make it to a plane or get to a meeting that starts at a particular time, and making it to one train versus the next one fifteen minutes later can make or break an opportunity. Does that make sense?
Yes, thanks
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#27I commute to this station every day, at rush hour. There is an 'avatar' (a projection of a person) repeatedly asking people to stand on both sides. Recently she has started becoming more sarcastic, I think they are A/B testing her instructions as there are quite often people counting at the top of the flight. It is very, very difficult standing on the left, it goes against every fibre of my being to do so, but I've m…
I, for one, am going to ask you to step aside if I need to get up the escalator, and damn the glass avatar. Your instincts are correct.
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#28Maybe someone could explain why it is necessary to reach the top of an escalator before everyone else. Is your work so crucial that 5 seconds is going to make so much difference or is it that you just don't like standing still?
Why being fast and energetic when we can be slow and inefficient?
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#29I commute to this station every day, at rush hour. There is an 'avatar' (a projection of a person) repeatedly asking people to stand on both sides. Recently she has started becoming more sarcastic, I think they are A/B testing her instructions as there are quite often people counting at the top of the flight. It is very, very difficult standing on the left, it goes against every fibre of my being to do so, but I've m…
It's easier to stand on the left if there's someone in front of you blocking your path.
In other words I will will stand on the left if there is other people there too. I will walk up the left until I'm blocked though.
(Usually, to tell the truth I am travelling in non peak times with a wheely bag so have to stand anyhow)
Re: A London Subway Experiment: Please Don’t Walk Up the Escalator
#30Extensive discussion of this question from around 5 months ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10916704