The final in my week-long series on little cultural differences between America and Australia. Do let me know if you've enjoyed this series!
It’s the Little Things
#7 – Escalators
Photo from www.designofsignage.com
It’s not the sort of thing that anyone would think to write in a Lonely Planet guide, but there is one sure-fire way to annoy the locals, and that is to not know/obey the rules of the escalator.
The rules are simple, and I won’t waste your time. It is, after all, “the little things.”
If you are on the left side of the escalator, you stand still and wait for your ride to deliver you at the top/bottom.
If you are on the right side, you are in a hurry or simply want to show off that you are more physically fit than the left-side people. You walk, with some haste, up/down the stairs. And in the elevator race, you are always declared the winner against the left-side people!
Yes, it’s as simple as that. Follow these rules, and you will be a/de-scending like a local from day one.
It's the other way round in Germany - stand on the right, walk on the left!
ReplyDeleteI'll bet it is because of the side of the road that we drive on.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny because I don't notice any "rules" about standing/walking in the U.S. It is generally a free-for-all. Every man for himself!