China Says We’ve Been Riding Escalators All Wrong

It’s part of a long list of urban etiquette we likely abide by for the longest time. Not only does it show respect for other people, but it tells about how civilized societies work.

However, experts in China are now making it obsolete. They claim that the practice can even be dangerous for public safety, the Wall Street Journal said. But how?

The reason they argue is the uneven wear-and-tear of the escalator caused by movement on one side.

The officials have a point, considering that escalators in China—as in subway stops—are mostly unidirectional. They often only go up according to Zhang Lexiang, general secretary of the China Elevator Association, who compared them with subway entrances in Western countries, which have up-and-down operations.

That means Chinese commuters need to be more careful when riding escalators, and the way to go is to stay still. Host Matt Lauer said it well on the “Today” show (via Refinery29):

But with China, let’s not forget that wear-and-tear isn’t always to blame. There could be other reasons which, unfortunately, led to a series of the most horrifying accidents city dwellers faced in previous years. At this point, it appears they’ll do whatever it takes to prevent these machines from killing them.

And whether this new recommendation applies to the world’s longest sightseeing escalator, we’re probably yet to find out.