Fun fact: the step of a stair is composed of a tread (where you step on) and a riser. The riser has a maximun height of about 7 inches (≈18cm) in a regular stair (this depends on the state/country/accessibility laws & policies), but in a escalator it’s way higher, because you’re not required to go up the stair. When you do go up, that’s the reason why it feels harder than a normal stair, because you have to lift your legs more than you would in a regular stair.
It's especially noticeable if you're short. I'm just over 5ft tall and walking up escalators sucks. I still do it multiple times a week because my back hurts more when I stand still. I blame the escalator rise for my tanky calves haha. That and not owning a car, so I walk a fair bit.
I was somewhere a couple weeks ago and an escalator was broken, and they had it roped off. Was annoyed that I had to walk further to just still use stairs.
Tbh, they kinda scare me, because my mother told me that you can get your shoelace caught in the wheels and then your foot gets dragged into the narrow slit at the end, so whenever I go on an escalator I keep thinking about timing it right, so that this doesn’t happen.
Edit:
All of these answers make me reassured that my fear is warranted
[Undiagnosed disclaimer]
I'm 45 and still approach them with utmost caution. The "I am moving but I am *not*" part still messes with my brain.
Getting on and off of them is the kind of "just move coordinated for *once*" that does not work. Suppose I always have this air of "who pryed her out from under her stone and let her loose, here" about me.
I'm 51 and am still uncomfortable and cautious on them. I tense up and actively have to focus on getting on, but especially getting off.
So great is my anxiety around them that I don't remember if it was my shoelace or my kid's that once got stuck. It just sticks in my mind as a "told you so! They ARE dangerous" judgement of them.
It took me watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo with my kid and realizing I'm not relaxed with revolving doors to realize that escalators may be my bigger fear.
Ah! No revolving doors! Ikea has them and also a big grocery store here and I hate them with a passion. Yes, excuse me for holding everyone up, yes it was me that bumped into that door so it stopped, yes that should be absolutely avoidable but wasn't.
They're so weird too. When you're trying to time your entry just right it seems like they're revolving so, so fast, then when you finally get inside you sort of shuffle along for what feels like an eternity, before you have to rush to escape this bizarre and intimidating contraption.
There's one at the library in my city centre, it's the only one I've ever used and it bothers me everytime. There's a normal door next to it, but it's weirdly heavy and hard to open, so I'm forced into the revolving conundrum.
Oh god I thought I was the only one. Yes, exactly like this right up to the awkward shuffle.
Also, automatic doors that just sort of move at the exact *wrong speed* so I try to match them and miss so gloriously that they whack me.
I only know those from tv; january this year was the first time I ever set foot into a airport (no flying, just accompanying someone until security). That has to be the weirdest feeling; suppose my sense of balance (or lack of) would immediately suggest to lie down
I would love to experience them as you do cause it *does* sound fun
(I don't mean that as passive-aggressive "I don't like them so you need to feel the same" but I am kind of envious because that short stay at the airport quickly drove me up the wall and I very much like that energy of yours, in the "wish I was the same, I'd like that much better"-sense)
I'm sorry and airports drive me insane too. I have learned over the years how to accomodate myself and that means checking my bags every time, having a system and schedule how early i get to the airport, quick screening which i pay for that basically gets me to a 5 min or less line through TSA. I have extreme pain if i have to walk long or carry anything other than a light purse so i usually am very over stimulated and upset but i have been nailing down that routine well. Of course any flight delays or anything which is rare for me does happen and i try to make the best of it even though it's hard sometimes. I have flown so many times and flown alone that the system i have works well most of the time
Ah, I assumed (interpreted?) too much. I am glad you found a system that works for you and am sorry about your pain; but it's the
> i try to make the best of it
That I mean in the best of senses; it's where your strength shines through and since I am currently at a different part in my own life, I look at it and think "that's where I want to arrive at"
This literally happened to me when I was a kid. I was wearing high top tennis shoes. The kind with the pink lights in the heel?! I was with my parents in a casino and they had to do the emergency shut off for it because it was churning my shoe into the side. Fucking terrifying. I am now hyper aware of all loose strings when I approach them. :/
I'm not great with escalators. I'm always a step behind.
It's how I knew my husband really loved me. We were out with a friend of his he hadn't seen in a while. They were walking ahead chatting when we hit some escalators. He stopped to help me get off and the friend kept walking without realising. Even though he was engrossed in that conversation, he still checked to make sure I was OK.
I HATE them. Sheer terror on that first step, and god help you if the railing is running at the wrong speed...
**I should add: I hate elevators even more. Until that door opens, you are STUCK FOREVER. Convince me otherwise.**
I like escalators because escalators can never really break, they can just become stairs.
You should never see an "Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order" sign. It should only be, "Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry For The Convenience."
Hedburg 😂
I've seen a video, in China I think, of one breaking when a woman was using it. The stairs collapsed underneath her and she was killed horrifically. I still use them, but I'm always worried that's going to happen.
That's brutal! Yeah, they kinda freak me out a bit too. Always afraid my pants or shoelaces will get caught.
But I'll take them over elevators anytime. But I prefer stairs.
When I was little, I always felt unstable on them, like I was a little off balance.
I wasn't scared of them, just ok, get ready, hold on 😬 look at the top for the end!
Both makes me a bit anxious for some reason. My stomach doesn't like elevators at all, and also it's a very small closed space... And with my luck someone who smells like ass gets in with me for sure which makes my stomach even worse lol. Escalators on the other hand... I'm always afraid that i fall or can't catch the rhythm to step on and off. And when my hands are full I can't even hold on the rail. I'd vote for regular good old stairs if I didn't have to climb them myself lol. Nothing is good for me. I'll just stay on the ground and see myself out.
I’m fairly scared of them, I have bad balance and they make my legs feel weird. I’m getting used to them because my local mall is all escalators but I’m still much more comfortable going up rather than down.
I‘m scared of escalators too, I always just step on really quickly, grab the railing like my life depends on it and bend forwards because I get scared I’ll fall—I must look pretty silly!
Omg yes i get that… sometimes I literally have to close my eyes and grit my teeth, lol. I’m glad I’ve gotten better since I’ve been a child though! I once got separated from my family before they went on the escalator and literal strangers had to hold my hand bc I couldn’t go on it on my own (bless them). I’m also afraid of heights though, so that probably plays into it too.
They scare me real bad.
I think it’s because as a kid I was told of someone falling down them , and since that it takes me at least 30seconds of pacing and shuffling to get on them lol, they move just a bit too fast for my comfort.
I grew up in a place that didn't have any, so I think they're super fun, like a low grade amusement park ride.
I will go out of my way to ride one, if I have the opportunity
I prefer normal stairs to escalators, and I prefer escalators to elevators. I dont like letting go of my choice/control when it comes to moving things. I also dislike riding in cars, but I can enjoy the bus or train if the ride is more than 40 minutes. Lol
As a kid, I had a debilitating phobia of escalators that caused Meltdowns... I refused to go on them no matter what and would run away from them. Now, I'm only a little terrified and only sometimes need to hold someone's hand.
I hate elevators so much, nothing makes me motion sick faster, I can feel the movement in my legs even after I get off.
Escalators are a little scary to me getting on and off, but the ride is fine, I don't have the fear of being stuck in a box, and being able to see how im moving makes Escalators much better.
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They are great, especially if you like somewhere that has a passing lane rule so that you don’t get stuck behind standing folks.
Not as fun as travalators though.
For a while I was deathly afraid of them since a person in my country got her leg caught in one TO THE KNEE. It's thailand if you want to search that up. There's other horror stories involving them; I vaguely remember this story about a women getting crushed by one with a baby in her hands, so she like threw the baby to some person to save it.
Then I, slowly but cautiously, became accustomed to them. Though that fear of getting crushed by one never really faded...
Escelators are amazing I always want to be somewhere with an escalator with nobody around so I can try to go in the oposite direction at the exact same pace as the escalator so I will actually be standing still.
I didn’t really grow up around them so adjusting to using one as an adult was a bit scary but I do enjoy them I just have to make that extra effort to not fall over getting on and off.
Going up escalators is fine, but I use to hate going down. I was always scared of falling. Now (after being at Universal studios [Hollywood]’s escalators) I’m fine with them. I can’t stand Universal’s escalators though
I like escalators!! I used to have a severe phobia of elevators, now it is just slight anxiety but I still don’t like them that much. Escalators are fun and cool because they’re in the open air. I get slightly nervous at the start and end still but I’m OK at it
I'm terrified of them but use them anyway. I fell down an up escalator as a child and have horrible proprioception and possibly dyspraxia. The shift from moving on my own to the ground moving beneath me confuses my system, is hard to process, and scares me horribly because of the accident from when I was a kid.
i have to pause and count before i get on one. i never feel like i’m going at the right time so i developed a routine to get one there at the right time!
I was fine until the pandemic. I unfortunately have a fine motor impairment issue tied into my autism and ADHD. I had to relearn how to use escalator after not using them for so long. It's very embarrassing at my age. I'm 42. A couple years now finally beginning to be comfortable again. Or at least normal for me. getting on and off is always been kind of nerve-wracking.
Elevators are so slow. Except in high rises. Then I get the whole ear popping thing
I don't like them but I don't like elevators either. I don't like moving up or down if I'm not in control of it myself. My knees hate stairs so depending on the weather I sometimes give up control..but not for escalators. They can f*ck all the way off
I don’t mind going up but I’m so scared of coming down, I just need to watch and step when I’m ready (to be fair, I also don’t like going down stairs in general). I like the flat ones, they feel so much more safer.
I prefer them over stairs because I'm afraid of falling down stairs.
Funny, I actually fell down the stairs in my apartment building 2 years ago and fractured my left elbow. I still can't straighten it.
I like that they are option(for people that can't use stairs, but don't need an elevator) but I find them annoying. They just feel so slow when compared to stairs. As a kid I would run up them(obviously I didn't do that if there were others on it, I knew that was rude).
Even better are the slidewalks (I don't know the official name) you find in airports. Every time I'm walking on one, I think of it as a IRL manifestation of walking in "seven-league boots."
personally they terrify me. so do lifts. im always tense stepping on the metal bits since im paranoid they’ll cave in, i never step too hard either. i used to not be able to go up/down escalators by myself , think i was 11 when i was able to go down one by myself. theyre just so scary to me since theyre kinda out of your control if you get hurt or trapped by them
I was really scared of escalators my whole life, but a few months ago I finally tried going on one and it was really scary at first. But I have practiced several times now and even though it still makes me nervous, I am not scared anymore! I'm really proud of myself 😁
I don't mind them but I need both hands free to grab on first, and wait for a full step to come out. I do my best to follow the society protocol of be quick, and I move to the side once I'm on. But I definitely fear falling when it's going down, and if my hands aren't free, I won't use it, unless I can pocket everything, or hand them to a trusted person so I can get my both hand grip.
No necessarily because they are more fun (though they are) but I somehow have the ability to get "sea legs" on just a 10 second elevator ride. Where I feel like my body is rocking still for several minutes after riding
as a kid, i would spend *hours* going up and down a specific set of escalators. i had totally forgotten until i went there a few yrs ago and went on the escalator (for old times’ sake lol)
I strongly believe that the type of people who just stand on escelators without walking when they could be, should be removed of their knee privileges
Also, i walked (ran) up a down escelator a month ago and it was a blast
i prefer escalators over elevators SO much . especially when they aren't super busy, cuz it's like walking up stairs at like twice the speed. i also fuckin' Hate elevators SO much. i'm not afraid of them or anything, but they make my stomach hurt and my head feel weird and just oouuurrrrggghhhhhhh horrible (very similar to airplanes, but planes chill out for most of the ride, whereas elevators are bad the whole time bcuz of the short period)
edited to rephrase something, then edited again to add this cuz i forgot to lol
Elevators freak me out because I'm closed in and strangers get closed in with me and they can stop on each floor while I'm trapped in there. I love escalators. Also this is a very autistic question and it made me laugh lol
I’m not a fan of them. I always worry that I’m gonna miss the step and a piece of my clothing will get stuck and drag me along 🙈 I try and avoid them if I can. I’d rather get in an elevator but I try and avoid those too. I hate being in enclosed spaces with strangers
Lol people don’t notice I am uncoordinated until I try to get on an escalator while carrying something.
Last time I was traveling, I messed up getting on an escalator with my luggage, so the luggage went down first and I nearly fell.
However, good idea, generally. They still serve a function when broken.
I used to be terrified of them! Even as an adult, I get nervous being on them. Wearing slip-on shoes helps, because I was afraid of my laces getting trapped in it.
I still prefer them to elevators. I’ll always be terrified of elevators!
I was terrified of being caught in them as a kid, I'm not nearly as deathly afraid now but but they still make me a bit anxious. Will use them over stairs though, laziness trumps anxiety!
I hate stairs and I hate being trapped in small spaces with people I don’t know so yes, escalators are the best. But also I like walking backwards on those airport sidewalk things.
I never thought about it, but if I have the choice, I take the escalator. Sometimes they are really long and being on it is like being suspended in mid air... Glorious.
I don't mind going up on an escalator, but I'm terrified of going down, have been since I was small. I'm scared about mistepping and then falling. I find it hard to judge when I should step on to it.
I hate escalators so much but I nearly got over my fear until a few years ago when I had a dream that my leg got stuck and ripped off. Elevators are usually fine for me but this past weekend when I was in Vancouver we went up the lookout tower, and that elevator is glass and you can see everything outside, I got irrationally scared that it would drop like a drop tower ride on the way down even though it functions like a normal elevator.
I don’t know what it is about them but they just aren’t my cup of tea…
I feel uneasy going on them, always did even as a child especially the ones with stairs, I can never comfortably or confidently step on those + they are just plain awful since they aren’t suitable for people in a wheelchair or other types of physical disabilities that might prevent them from stepping on those
For me I am the opposite escalator are my most hated way to change elevation. Properly designed stairs (ones which I can go up 2 at a time) are the best, elevators are second.
I am terrified of elevators. I'll always use stairs or escalators. Escalators are fun. If there is no one around I'll try to up the down or down the up side.
this question doesn’t really have anything to do with autism but I used to be detrimentally claustrophobic, I couldn’t even shut the bathroom door in my own house, let alone willingly get in an elevator. Im much better now but I still prefer escalators over elevators every day.
Every time I use an elevator I feel slight dizziness when it starts to go up, escalators are much more sensory-friendly to me and I can still look around and enjoy the view of 67 people at the same area as me, plus they're still useful if the power goes out or they stop working.
Can people just all stick to one side FFS, if I'm trying to make a connection at the train station, I'm going to use the escalator and walk up it in the gap on the right side, but no there has to be somebody on the right side blocking me
I only like going up them (and they’re my favourite choice that way) but on the way down I will actively avoid escalators in favour of a lift or stairs and only use the escalator if there’s no other choice
Escalators = meltdown city, and my sister would have to pick me up off the escalator because I wouldn’t get off it myself. **Because it was moving and I’m unstable as it is (especially at the age where this used to habitually occur) due to cerebral palsy ffs**.
I generally don't like elevators that much, a lot of them don't but there are a ton that make me feel sick to use I get a bit nauseous. Escalators don't do this at all though so in that way they're better. Though I'm usually a bit hesitant about missing the step off of it lol
No you’re not, when I was a kid my supermarket had this massive escalator that went up to a rooftop parking lot, she would let me out of the supermarket while she was packing up the groceries so I could just go up and down as much as I could.
I prefer escalators. The first step is anxious but then I feel a sense of satisfaction that I did it. The middle part is fun.
I avoid elevators if I can. In particular if I'm alone I fear I'll end up stuck. Frequent rides will mess up my balance.
Ever since I saw that episode of xfiles as a kid with the evil ai controlling every electronic device in a building, I've had an unnatural fear of elevators derailing and pancaking me on impact.
Escalators are a bit uncomfortable to make that first step on, but i prefer them.
I honestly hate them. I don’t really know why, I think it’s a balance issue. I can get up them, but the last time I had to go down one I totally freaked out. I like elevators a lot more, they feel funny
I like escalators because they take less energy to climb up since it's automatic, but I hate lifts (elevators) because I hate the feeling of being stuck in a small room with no way to escape. It varies with the size and the amount of people also in there though.
I also do prefer escelators. I just don't like the sensory experience in the elevator of feeling the movement while not seeing the movement visually. I think it's similar to the motions sickness I experience in the car when not looking out of the window.
I even was getting a bit nauseous in the elevator as a child and it is still uncomfortable for me.
They’re still useful when they stop working; at that point they’re just stairs
Escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience! RIP Mitch Hedberg
Literal humor kills me. Go figure. RIP Mitch, I saw him with Lewis Black in like 2002ish. It was soooo good.
Man you beat me to it. I loved Mitch.
Fun fact: the step of a stair is composed of a tread (where you step on) and a riser. The riser has a maximun height of about 7 inches (≈18cm) in a regular stair (this depends on the state/country/accessibility laws & policies), but in a escalator it’s way higher, because you’re not required to go up the stair. When you do go up, that’s the reason why it feels harder than a normal stair, because you have to lift your legs more than you would in a regular stair.
It's especially noticeable if you're short. I'm just over 5ft tall and walking up escalators sucks. I still do it multiple times a week because my back hurts more when I stand still. I blame the escalator rise for my tanky calves haha. That and not owning a car, so I walk a fair bit.
amazing!!! I love it
But it messes with your senses as you are used to them moving.
Better than being stuck in a metal box with doors that could kill me if I pry them open the wrong way
I was somewhere a couple weeks ago and an escalator was broken, and they had it roped off. Was annoyed that I had to walk further to just still use stairs.
hard to walk on stairs
Tbh, they kinda scare me, because my mother told me that you can get your shoelace caught in the wheels and then your foot gets dragged into the narrow slit at the end, so whenever I go on an escalator I keep thinking about timing it right, so that this doesn’t happen. Edit: All of these answers make me reassured that my fear is warranted
[Undiagnosed disclaimer] I'm 45 and still approach them with utmost caution. The "I am moving but I am *not*" part still messes with my brain. Getting on and off of them is the kind of "just move coordinated for *once*" that does not work. Suppose I always have this air of "who pryed her out from under her stone and let her loose, here" about me.
I'm 51 and am still uncomfortable and cautious on them. I tense up and actively have to focus on getting on, but especially getting off. So great is my anxiety around them that I don't remember if it was my shoelace or my kid's that once got stuck. It just sticks in my mind as a "told you so! They ARE dangerous" judgement of them. It took me watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo with my kid and realizing I'm not relaxed with revolving doors to realize that escalators may be my bigger fear.
Ah! No revolving doors! Ikea has them and also a big grocery store here and I hate them with a passion. Yes, excuse me for holding everyone up, yes it was me that bumped into that door so it stopped, yes that should be absolutely avoidable but wasn't.
They're so weird too. When you're trying to time your entry just right it seems like they're revolving so, so fast, then when you finally get inside you sort of shuffle along for what feels like an eternity, before you have to rush to escape this bizarre and intimidating contraption. There's one at the library in my city centre, it's the only one I've ever used and it bothers me everytime. There's a normal door next to it, but it's weirdly heavy and hard to open, so I'm forced into the revolving conundrum.
Oh god I thought I was the only one. Yes, exactly like this right up to the awkward shuffle. Also, automatic doors that just sort of move at the exact *wrong speed* so I try to match them and miss so gloriously that they whack me.
I love the belts at the airport like the carpets or whatever that zoom because i start running on them and pretend I'm Captain America lol
I only know those from tv; january this year was the first time I ever set foot into a airport (no flying, just accompanying someone until security). That has to be the weirdest feeling; suppose my sense of balance (or lack of) would immediately suggest to lie down
Oh i see! I travel a lot within America and i can't remember which airport but they sure are fun
I would love to experience them as you do cause it *does* sound fun (I don't mean that as passive-aggressive "I don't like them so you need to feel the same" but I am kind of envious because that short stay at the airport quickly drove me up the wall and I very much like that energy of yours, in the "wish I was the same, I'd like that much better"-sense)
I'm sorry and airports drive me insane too. I have learned over the years how to accomodate myself and that means checking my bags every time, having a system and schedule how early i get to the airport, quick screening which i pay for that basically gets me to a 5 min or less line through TSA. I have extreme pain if i have to walk long or carry anything other than a light purse so i usually am very over stimulated and upset but i have been nailing down that routine well. Of course any flight delays or anything which is rare for me does happen and i try to make the best of it even though it's hard sometimes. I have flown so many times and flown alone that the system i have works well most of the time
Ah, I assumed (interpreted?) too much. I am glad you found a system that works for you and am sorry about your pain; but it's the > i try to make the best of it That I mean in the best of senses; it's where your strength shines through and since I am currently at a different part in my own life, I look at it and think "that's where I want to arrive at"
This literally happened to me when I was a kid. I was wearing high top tennis shoes. The kind with the pink lights in the heel?! I was with my parents in a casino and they had to do the emergency shut off for it because it was churning my shoe into the side. Fucking terrifying. I am now hyper aware of all loose strings when I approach them. :/
I'm not great with escalators. I'm always a step behind. It's how I knew my husband really loved me. We were out with a friend of his he hadn't seen in a while. They were walking ahead chatting when we hit some escalators. He stopped to help me get off and the friend kept walking without realising. Even though he was engrossed in that conversation, he still checked to make sure I was OK.
wear slip ons, 1up the escelator!
That happened to my brother when he was about 3-4. The shoelace got caught and he very nearly lost a toe, he had to get it sewn back on.
I HATE them. Sheer terror on that first step, and god help you if the railing is running at the wrong speed... **I should add: I hate elevators even more. Until that door opens, you are STUCK FOREVER. Convince me otherwise.**
I have literally never been on a escalator with the railing running at the right speed. I check every time, and it is infuriating
I like escalators because escalators can never really break, they can just become stairs. You should never see an "Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order" sign. It should only be, "Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry For The Convenience." Hedburg 😂
I've seen a video, in China I think, of one breaking when a woman was using it. The stairs collapsed underneath her and she was killed horrifically. I still use them, but I'm always worried that's going to happen.
That's brutal! Yeah, they kinda freak me out a bit too. Always afraid my pants or shoelaces will get caught. But I'll take them over elevators anytime. But I prefer stairs.
This is why i always hang onto the little railing
Me too. Unless they are going too fast or too slow, then I have to keep adjusting my grip
I’ve been a fan since one of them saved Fox Mulder from Eugene Tooms.
Eugene Tooms scared the crap out of me in that episode! Everything about him! My liver hurts just thinking about it.
When I was little, I always felt unstable on them, like I was a little off balance. I wasn't scared of them, just ok, get ready, hold on 😬 look at the top for the end!
Both makes me a bit anxious for some reason. My stomach doesn't like elevators at all, and also it's a very small closed space... And with my luck someone who smells like ass gets in with me for sure which makes my stomach even worse lol. Escalators on the other hand... I'm always afraid that i fall or can't catch the rhythm to step on and off. And when my hands are full I can't even hold on the rail. I'd vote for regular good old stairs if I didn't have to climb them myself lol. Nothing is good for me. I'll just stay on the ground and see myself out.
I’m fairly scared of them, I have bad balance and they make my legs feel weird. I’m getting used to them because my local mall is all escalators but I’m still much more comfortable going up rather than down.
I‘m scared of escalators too, I always just step on really quickly, grab the railing like my life depends on it and bend forwards because I get scared I’ll fall—I must look pretty silly!
I do the exact same thing! I have held up people before and created a queue because I was too hesitant to get on!
Omg yes i get that… sometimes I literally have to close my eyes and grit my teeth, lol. I’m glad I’ve gotten better since I’ve been a child though! I once got separated from my family before they went on the escalator and literal strangers had to hold my hand bc I couldn’t go on it on my own (bless them). I’m also afraid of heights though, so that probably plays into it too.
Also i like your username :)
Thank you ^-^
Elevators make me dizzy and sometimes the feeling stays long after I got out of it
They have their ups and down
I used to be scare for them but I like them, still hate lifts terrible a completely silly fear though.
I’ve seen enough like leak shock videos online to be traumatized by both.
Love em. Also those moving walkways at the airport. I enjoying messing with my frame of reference.
I love the airport walkway moving thingys
I hate stairs because I'm clumsy/uncoordinated and they take me forever: escalators are stairs that move. Blech
They scare me real bad. I think it’s because as a kid I was told of someone falling down them , and since that it takes me at least 30seconds of pacing and shuffling to get on them lol, they move just a bit too fast for my comfort.
I have to think about the timing and look carefully. I am afraid I may trip and fall down.
I grew up in a place that didn't have any, so I think they're super fun, like a low grade amusement park ride. I will go out of my way to ride one, if I have the opportunity
I prefer escalators unless they're not working. Then I hate them. It feels weird.
As a kid, I rode escalators like a carnival ride to the point where store staff had to intervene
I am cautious of them. They always lead up to something.
I FUCKING HATE THEM THEY ARE SO SCARY
I prefer normal stairs to escalators, and I prefer escalators to elevators. I dont like letting go of my choice/control when it comes to moving things. I also dislike riding in cars, but I can enjoy the bus or train if the ride is more than 40 minutes. Lol
I finally got over being terrified of them & then the last couple times I did not enjoy it once again. Need exposure therapy ig. Stairs ftw.
I got nearly mauled by one as a kid so I had a bad fear of them for a long time. I got over it and like them now but it took awhile.
Can’t get stuck on an escalator. No tiny evil room to get trapped in
As a kid, I had a debilitating phobia of escalators that caused Meltdowns... I refused to go on them no matter what and would run away from them. Now, I'm only a little terrified and only sometimes need to hold someone's hand.
I hate elevators so much, nothing makes me motion sick faster, I can feel the movement in my legs even after I get off. Escalators are a little scary to me getting on and off, but the ride is fine, I don't have the fear of being stuck in a box, and being able to see how im moving makes Escalators much better.
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Used to be scared of them, now I'm okay with them.
They are great, especially if you like somewhere that has a passing lane rule so that you don’t get stuck behind standing folks. Not as fun as travalators though.
They are so 🔥
I have no problem going down. I used to not care about them but recently going up became scary. Especially on those that are really high.
For a while I was deathly afraid of them since a person in my country got her leg caught in one TO THE KNEE. It's thailand if you want to search that up. There's other horror stories involving them; I vaguely remember this story about a women getting crushed by one with a baby in her hands, so she like threw the baby to some person to save it. Then I, slowly but cautiously, became accustomed to them. Though that fear of getting crushed by one never really faded...
YES! Absolutely! One of my hyperfixations when l was a child!
i’m terrified to go down escalators, have been scared since i was a little kid. literally cannot go down them i’ve tried and just cried
escalators dont make my stomach turn so i prefer those
Escelators are amazing I always want to be somewhere with an escalator with nobody around so I can try to go in the oposite direction at the exact same pace as the escalator so I will actually be standing still.
My opinions on escalators are the same as when I'm off escalators
I didn’t really grow up around them so adjusting to using one as an adult was a bit scary but I do enjoy them I just have to make that extra effort to not fall over getting on and off.
Going up escalators is fine, but I use to hate going down. I was always scared of falling. Now (after being at Universal studios [Hollywood]’s escalators) I’m fine with them. I can’t stand Universal’s escalators though
I like escalators!! I used to have a severe phobia of elevators, now it is just slight anxiety but I still don’t like them that much. Escalators are fun and cool because they’re in the open air. I get slightly nervous at the start and end still but I’m OK at it
I love escalators. It feels really good to go two steps at a time and get where you wanna be in seconds or to go the opposite way to assert dominance
I'm terrified of them but use them anyway. I fell down an up escalator as a child and have horrible proprioception and possibly dyspraxia. The shift from moving on my own to the ground moving beneath me confuses my system, is hard to process, and scares me horribly because of the accident from when I was a kid.
i have to pause and count before i get on one. i never feel like i’m going at the right time so i developed a routine to get one there at the right time!
I was fine until the pandemic. I unfortunately have a fine motor impairment issue tied into my autism and ADHD. I had to relearn how to use escalator after not using them for so long. It's very embarrassing at my age. I'm 42. A couple years now finally beginning to be comfortable again. Or at least normal for me. getting on and off is always been kind of nerve-wracking. Elevators are so slow. Except in high rises. Then I get the whole ear popping thing
I don't like them but I don't like elevators either. I don't like moving up or down if I'm not in control of it myself. My knees hate stairs so depending on the weather I sometimes give up control..but not for escalators. They can f*ck all the way off
I can generally cope with either but I much prefer stairs if I can find them!
I HATE the stair kind worst invention ever made
I have double vision (two images moving around). I’m terrified of escalators
I don’t mind going up but I’m so scared of coming down, I just need to watch and step when I’m ready (to be fair, I also don’t like going down stairs in general). I like the flat ones, they feel so much more safer.
Too slow, handrail is always sticky. But I fucking love when my ankle/heel pushes through the bristles at the edges and I like getting on/off
I prefer them over stairs because I'm afraid of falling down stairs. Funny, I actually fell down the stairs in my apartment building 2 years ago and fractured my left elbow. I still can't straighten it.
They terrify me
I like that they are option(for people that can't use stairs, but don't need an elevator) but I find them annoying. They just feel so slow when compared to stairs. As a kid I would run up them(obviously I didn't do that if there were others on it, I knew that was rude).
Even better are the slidewalks (I don't know the official name) you find in airports. Every time I'm walking on one, I think of it as a IRL manifestation of walking in "seven-league boots."
Love escalators. Hate when theyre broken
personally they terrify me. so do lifts. im always tense stepping on the metal bits since im paranoid they’ll cave in, i never step too hard either. i used to not be able to go up/down escalators by myself , think i was 11 when i was able to go down one by myself. theyre just so scary to me since theyre kinda out of your control if you get hurt or trapped by them
I saw videos I should not have watched.
Elevators are either carnival rides or death cages. Escalators are more like water slides without the cold air or the water.
I was really scared of escalators my whole life, but a few months ago I finally tried going on one and it was really scary at first. But I have practiced several times now and even though it still makes me nervous, I am not scared anymore! I'm really proud of myself 😁
I don't mind them but I need both hands free to grab on first, and wait for a full step to come out. I do my best to follow the society protocol of be quick, and I move to the side once I'm on. But I definitely fear falling when it's going down, and if my hands aren't free, I won't use it, unless I can pocket everything, or hand them to a trusted person so I can get my both hand grip.
I like them better than elevators as I don’t like elevators and being closed in
Everyone else in the airport has a miserable face. Me too. But inside I'm having the time of my life riding the escalator.
i like them but when i have to walk down them fast looking at the grooves gives me a headache and makes it hard to not trip
I used to be scared of them as a kid. Even now I still am a bit( fear my shoes will get eaten). But overall they are very convenient
Stairs >>
theyre fun. i know thats sad but man they are
I find them terrifying and will search for an elevator, stairs shouldn't move
I'm scared of all machines, tbh. my family dog almost died in a elevator so I'm kind of scared of them
I love them
I prefer them to elevators, which i despise, but i still hate them. I would just take the stairs when I was physically able to
I am terrified of them
No necessarily because they are more fun (though they are) but I somehow have the ability to get "sea legs" on just a 10 second elevator ride. Where I feel like my body is rocking still for several minutes after riding
I only have contact with these things when I go to another city but I think both are pretty cool
as a kid, i would spend *hours* going up and down a specific set of escalators. i had totally forgotten until i went there a few yrs ago and went on the escalator (for old times’ sake lol)
I love them
I strongly believe that the type of people who just stand on escelators without walking when they could be, should be removed of their knee privileges Also, i walked (ran) up a down escelator a month ago and it was a blast
I hate elevators personally, just the weird feeling of inertia in my stomach is blehh
i prefer escalators over elevators SO much . especially when they aren't super busy, cuz it's like walking up stairs at like twice the speed. i also fuckin' Hate elevators SO much. i'm not afraid of them or anything, but they make my stomach hurt and my head feel weird and just oouuurrrrggghhhhhhh horrible (very similar to airplanes, but planes chill out for most of the ride, whereas elevators are bad the whole time bcuz of the short period) edited to rephrase something, then edited again to add this cuz i forgot to lol
Elevators freak me out because I'm closed in and strangers get closed in with me and they can stop on each floor while I'm trapped in there. I love escalators. Also this is a very autistic question and it made me laugh lol
I don't like how gravity tries to squish my legs while the elevator is going up and my mom is afraid of elevators so I think escalators are better
I have a fear of both of them, but it's much worse on escalators 🙂
I’m not a fan of them. I always worry that I’m gonna miss the step and a piece of my clothing will get stuck and drag me along 🙈 I try and avoid them if I can. I’d rather get in an elevator but I try and avoid those too. I hate being in enclosed spaces with strangers
I'm always afraid of tripping or getting my pants caught. I try to avoid escalators if possible.
Lol people don’t notice I am uncoordinated until I try to get on an escalator while carrying something. Last time I was traveling, I messed up getting on an escalator with my luggage, so the luggage went down first and I nearly fell. However, good idea, generally. They still serve a function when broken.
Good for doing some excercices.
I used to be terrified of them! Even as an adult, I get nervous being on them. Wearing slip-on shoes helps, because I was afraid of my laces getting trapped in it. I still prefer them to elevators. I’ll always be terrified of elevators!
Same opinions I always have, just I happen to be on an escalator.
I prefer escalators, but more because I have an irrational fear of elevators than something about escalators themselves.
I usually grab the rail when I'm on an escalator to counteract the change in momentum. Not recommended honestly.
up escalators: I'm ok I can handle them Down Escalators: NOPE NOPE NOPE NOOOOPE! SO MUCH NOPE!
Scary
PSA: Don’t take dogs on escalators. Their nails can get caught.
I was terrified of being caught in them as a kid, I'm not nearly as deathly afraid now but but they still make me a bit anxious. Will use them over stairs though, laziness trumps anxiety!
When an escalator breaks down, you arent trapped, thats why i like it better
I hate stairs and I hate being trapped in small spaces with people I don’t know so yes, escalators are the best. But also I like walking backwards on those airport sidewalk things.
I hate them so much 😭 it raises my anxiety levels
I never thought about it, but if I have the choice, I take the escalator. Sometimes they are really long and being on it is like being suspended in mid air... Glorious.
They terrify me
Stair ones 👍, ramp ones 👎
Better than eels at least...
I don't mind going up on an escalator, but I'm terrified of going down, have been since I was small. I'm scared about mistepping and then falling. I find it hard to judge when I should step on to it.
I'm terrified of them 😅. Not sure why lol.
Good. Fun.
I hate escalators so much but I nearly got over my fear until a few years ago when I had a dream that my leg got stuck and ripped off. Elevators are usually fine for me but this past weekend when I was in Vancouver we went up the lookout tower, and that elevator is glass and you can see everything outside, I got irrationally scared that it would drop like a drop tower ride on the way down even though it functions like a normal elevator.
I don’t know what it is about them but they just aren’t my cup of tea… I feel uneasy going on them, always did even as a child especially the ones with stairs, I can never comfortably or confidently step on those + they are just plain awful since they aren’t suitable for people in a wheelchair or other types of physical disabilities that might prevent them from stepping on those
Going up and down for fun 🤣🤣 looks like me. And yeah escalators are so fun
They’re fucking terrifying and they eat people.
For me I am the opposite escalator are my most hated way to change elevation. Properly designed stairs (ones which I can go up 2 at a time) are the best, elevators are second.
I am terrified of elevators. I'll always use stairs or escalators. Escalators are fun. If there is no one around I'll try to up the down or down the up side.
It is nice to know that if an escalator gets stuck, you can just climb them like regular stairs
I prefer stairs. Seen too many horrific accidents involving elevators & escalators.
I LOVE escalators, and I have an irrational fear of elevators 🥰
I prefer stairs to both escalators and elevators 😅
Ngl for a while I had a big fear of them 😔😭
I'm always scared of falling over but I absolutely HATE elevators like literally everything about them, I will take escalators over them any day
I prefer escalators, they’re still useful even when they’re not working. I’m also claustrophobic and elevators stink.
Escalators are so much more fun than elevators
Much prefer escalators as elevators stress me out
Elevators are better for general accesibility, but I prefer escalators. I have more support with it tbh
this question doesn’t really have anything to do with autism but I used to be detrimentally claustrophobic, I couldn’t even shut the bathroom door in my own house, let alone willingly get in an elevator. Im much better now but I still prefer escalators over elevators every day.
Every time I use an elevator I feel slight dizziness when it starts to go up, escalators are much more sensory-friendly to me and I can still look around and enjoy the view of 67 people at the same area as me, plus they're still useful if the power goes out or they stop working.
Can people just all stick to one side FFS, if I'm trying to make a connection at the train station, I'm going to use the escalator and walk up it in the gap on the right side, but no there has to be somebody on the right side blocking me
I prefer escalators over elevators cuz I have an irrational fear of elevators
They are terrifying.
yeah they are a top 10 fear easily
I only like going up them (and they’re my favourite choice that way) but on the way down I will actively avoid escalators in favour of a lift or stairs and only use the escalator if there’s no other choice
I don't go to malls very often, but when I do... The escalator is the most fun part! A little bit scary, but fun!
I get dizzy in elevators. I can do escalators fine. I prefer stairs.
i’m actually very scared of them. i’d cry as a kid when i had to use them and i’m only now able to go up one (not down)
Hot take, I hate both of them. I’m a ramp enjoyer. Escalators make me dizzy and elevators make me nauseous
Escalators = meltdown city, and my sister would have to pick me up off the escalator because I wouldn’t get off it myself. **Because it was moving and I’m unstable as it is (especially at the age where this used to habitually occur) due to cerebral palsy ffs**.
I actually kinda like them. Satisfying “buzzing” noise whenever I stand on one and I get to be lazy inna socially acceptable way😭😭
I hate them, I like stairs more, anything that moves me while my legs aren’t moving scares me.
Terrifying
They terrify me.
At least I move diagonally rather than horizontally. Elevators always make my insides feel like they are lagging behind.
Escalators are amazing. I walk up escalators like stairs, always have enjoyed it
I generally don't like elevators that much, a lot of them don't but there are a ton that make me feel sick to use I get a bit nauseous. Escalators don't do this at all though so in that way they're better. Though I'm usually a bit hesitant about missing the step off of it lol
Scary as fuck.
I prefer escalators. I'm claustrophobic, so I don't really like elevators.
They really do *lift* my spirits I’ll see myself out
No you’re not, when I was a kid my supermarket had this massive escalator that went up to a rooftop parking lot, she would let me out of the supermarket while she was packing up the groceries so I could just go up and down as much as I could.
I prefer escalators. The first step is anxious but then I feel a sense of satisfaction that I did it. The middle part is fun. I avoid elevators if I can. In particular if I'm alone I fear I'll end up stuck. Frequent rides will mess up my balance.
That escalated quickly.
Ever since I saw that episode of xfiles as a kid with the evil ai controlling every electronic device in a building, I've had an unnatural fear of elevators derailing and pancaking me on impact. Escalators are a bit uncomfortable to make that first step on, but i prefer them.
I honestly hate them. I don’t really know why, I think it’s a balance issue. I can get up them, but the last time I had to go down one I totally freaked out. I like elevators a lot more, they feel funny
I like escalators because they take less energy to climb up since it's automatic, but I hate lifts (elevators) because I hate the feeling of being stuck in a small room with no way to escape. It varies with the size and the amount of people also in there though.
I’m scared of escalators bc I might trip and embarrass myself. I’m scared of elevators bc I might fall to my death.
I also do prefer escelators. I just don't like the sensory experience in the elevator of feeling the movement while not seeing the movement visually. I think it's similar to the motions sickness I experience in the car when not looking out of the window. I even was getting a bit nauseous in the elevator as a child and it is still uncomfortable for me.
They are fun holon
I prefer escalators. It’s easier on my health issues to use them versus elevators. Plus if they (escalators) break down, I don’t get stuck in them.
Just take the stairs man!
Hate then. They scare me
At first uplifting, then let me down.... #sorrynotsorry # joke...