Stentophone is a new word to me, and apparently a new word to spellchecker. How about you?
I found this a great read,
It has always seemed a queer thing to me that while British drive on the left, I think generally walk on the left, and trains mostly run on the left, on an escalator you pass by on the left and those standing on the escalator, stand on the right. As far as I know, convention around the world follows the side of the road you drive on; you overtake on the right of a left travelling vehicle, or person. I note for Japan, it varies from area to area.
In Melbourne I am always interested in guessing about those who stand on the right of the escalator, clearly ignorant of the stand on the left custom. At some underground railway stations, it does say stand to the left. Department stores are even worse. Such people will not be regular users of escalators, and so I can mentally place them in a box. "You aren't folk from around here then?", to quote a line from something.
Ooh... You sent me down a rabbit hole with this one.
ReplyDeleteI found this article which suggests the default for the escalators was intended to be for passengers to always walk up, on the left. It said, if you must stand, then stand on the right...which may explain the left/right conumdrum?
https://londonist.com/london/escalator_gramophone_announcements
That's a good link JayCee, thanks, and not dissimilar to the one I linked to.
DeleteHuh, I would not have thought about what side of an escalator one stands on. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra, you are a regional lass. You know not better. Poking out my tongue😛
DeleteHa:)
DeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
No one really sticks to one side. It is all chaos these days
ReplyDeleteRoentare, it depends where. Parliament and Flagstaff users are pretty good. Most are ok out of shopping hours.
DeleteWhen I go to the supermarket there is a moving walkway and I generally walk up it . Coming down there is a device that controls trolley movement so that it is impossible to pass if there is a trolley in front of you.Alighting planes , if you don’t move quickly you should always stay on the left . My pet hate are retired men accompanying partners to the supermarket and standing in the middle of the aisle with the trolley while partner peruses the shelves . . Shopping is not entertainment ,
ReplyDeleteGo play bowls , have a coffee , eat a pie , or but don’t block up supermarket aisles please,😂
I don't like those angled walkways. I don't feel safe on them, though I do use one at times. Escalators are ok but I prefer lifts. Oh yes, those old men in the supermarket aisles, I would add to that women who don't get their purses out at the checkout until presented with total display.
DeleteI stand to the right so people can pass. Not everyone does, though.
ReplyDeleteBob, as most of us do. People who don't, don't usually know the etiquette.
DeleteI think we should be leftist on every issue!
ReplyDeleteNicely put, Comrade.
DeleteMelbourne Central is the worst, as it is always crowded both the station and the shops and you'll get that lone person who stands on the right or a couple who have to stand together. I don't recall seeing any signs about standing on the left.
ReplyDeleteJ, the worst in other ways too. I'm sure there are some at Parliament Station.
DeleteI stand in the middle if the escalator is narrow, but on the left on the newer ones. What irks me is the road crossings and footpaths. We drive on the left, so why not also walk on the left when on the footpath or crossing the road? It would save all that dodging and weaving trying to get across the road before the lights change and make it easier to walk along the footpath, just cut across with an "excuse me" when you need to if entering a shop or some other place.
ReplyDeleteRiver, generally people here are inclined to walk on the left. Some overseas born tend to not do that, and can cause mayhem in busy and narrow streets. It also falls apart a bit when crossing at traffic lights.
DeleteI must be one of the folks who aren't from around here because I never heard of any such rule. Are you talking about when you get on the escalator? Maybe it's because I tend to avoid escalators when a store (I've never been on a subway) is really crowded, because I generally avoid the store itself when it's crowded!
ReplyDeleteAh Kirk, so yes, you would stand on the right of the escalator. Escalators can be quite dangerous when they are busy. I prefer to use lifts.
DeleteWell you can imagine and probably know that down here we just walk probably in the middle, not enough people to bother which side.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, I think you would find though, that if two people are directly approaching each other on foot, there is a natural inclination to pass them on the left.
DeleteStentophone was a new word to me too. The derivation from the "Stentor" who also lies behind "stentorian" gave me a flash back to teaching "The Tale of Troy" to Year 8 English in about 1987.
ReplyDeleteTo me it's a special kind of "new" word: a word for an old thing which has now been forgotten so the word itself when dragged up from history seems new. My own favourite example of this encountered in the last couple of years is "rastrum" - which is a five-nibbed pen for the convenient free-hand drawing of music manuscript lines.
The rastrum must have been very helpful, another name I've never heard of. Gough Whitlam was said to speak with stentorian voice.
DeleteAt first I thought you meant Stentefon, which is a widely used communicating tool at ABC Radio, allowing you to speak to all of the radio studios and central control in all of the cap cities.
ReplyDeleteJames, the two words are pronounced so alike. The two must be connected.
DeleteSigns are really helpful for world travelers.
ReplyDeleteTP, getting signs right is a real science
DeleteI used to walk pedestrian bike paths along the river in Portland while waiting for cats to be fixed at the FCCO. Bikes used the path too and would come up from behind at high speed and say "to the left". I'd have no idea if they were going to the left or if I should, then being rather bad at instant left right recognition, I was nearly hit many times, until I quit using those shared paths. The bikes travelled so fast on them, it was dangerous. I don't think I've seen an escalator in 20 or more years.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, I can certainly understand. They can travel very fast and if you take one step out of line, bang. Here the word cyclists call out is passing, which means you stay to left and they will pass you on your right. The opposite for you, of course.
DeleteSigns ARE helpful. I didn't know there was any etiquette re: escalators. But of course, I don't often see an escalator, let alone ride one. I just know that some people walk up the escalators and it seems only polite that you get out of their way.
ReplyDeleteDebby, they will probably walk up on the left, and so you will naturally move to the right to allow them to pass, if you aren't already.
DeleteThat picture could have been taken in my hometown.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, it is a little strange that cars in the UK pass on the right but people on escalators on the left. I guess I never thought about it because I don't drive and passing on the left comes naturally to me, being American!
Steve, I did read a reason for why that originally happened, and became the custom.
DeleteThat's an interesting observation! Fascinating how escalator etiquette can defy a country’s usual traffic conventions!
ReplyDeletePradeep, I am not sure which side of the road you drive on. From what I've seen, both and in the middle.
DeleteAs a L/H person I naturally move to the left. Could a R/H person do the same?
ReplyDeleteYes Thelma. You react to what other people are doing. Everyone, almost, standing on the right, that's what you will do. People in groups can be very distracted from what is happening around them, and may not pick up what others are doing.
DeleteI never thought about this before but here we stand to the right on escalators and pass on the left.
ReplyDeleteAs your whole continent would Pat.
Delete