Escalators---parents beware!

[dunelover]

I felt the need to issue this warning after what I witnessed today. I know it has probably been heard many times before. I just never have witnessed it before.

Oldest daughter and I were shopping today and as we were headed to go down another mom/daughter were heading up. This other little girl (maybe 5 years old) had her shoe stuck in the escalator!!! The man behind her and I were both trying to help. He got her foot out of the shoe only for the shoe to be quickly gobbled up by the escalator.

Ok, so you should be asking what kind of shoe? It was one of those jelly type that is a ballet flat style. Can't even imagine how it was grabbed by the escalator. The girl was ok, foot was not even scratched, thank the Lord. But, it could have been sooo much worse. Another important point, the escalator was never closed afterward!

 

[DD]

DL-- I witnessed this very thing too once when I worked in retail..
The outcome was not so good though. Could be why I have a "thing" about escalators to this day.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Been there, done that, learned my lesson, and now I don't try to see what would happen if I try to jam my foot against the side of the elevator.
I was maybe five or six years old and still have a very vivid memory of that experience. I was wearing Keds, which looked similar to the Chuck Taylor's, but were a different brand. As my Mom and I were ascending on the escalator, I tried to see if it was possible for someone to get stuck, and I wondered what would happen if one got stuck. It took only a couple of seconds to feel like my foot was being sucked into a black hole. I freaked, and said nothing to my mom, who was in front of me, as I tried with all my might to pull my foot out. It finally worked. Seemed like hours, but was no more than a couple of seconds. My turned around and saw me and then she freaked, thinking about what just happened. When we reached the second floor of Sears, we checked out my shoe. The Keds shoe which I was wearing, has a bottom thickness of about 3/4 of an inch. The escalator had made a smooth slice right through the sole of my shoe, all the way to the canvass above the rubber sole. My foot would have been next.

With all of the chances of major accidents by children riding escalators, I have no clue why they don't have more safeguards to prevent such things.

 

[ShallowsNole]

I haven't had THAT type of problem, but since I have issues with vertigo, I try to avoid them whenever possible. I'm OK on small (10 - 20 steps) ones, but the escalators in the Atlanta airport give me an anxiety attack, especially when I am dragging luggage behind me.

Not that I advocate doing away with them, as stairs would be brutal. But meanwhile, I'll squeeze into the elevator.

So glad the little girl is OK (and, SJ, that you were too when you were young)!

 

[John R]

somehow my brother broke his wrist on an escalator when he was about 5-6. have never gotten the whole story from him.

 

[DD]

I haven't had THAT type of problem, but since I have issues with vertigo, I try to avoid them whenever possible. I'm OK on small (10 - 20 steps) ones, but the escalators in the Atlanta airport give me an anxiety attack, especially when I am dragging luggage behind me.

Not that I advocate doing away with them, as stairs would be brutal. But meanwhile, I'll squeeze into the elevator.

So glad the little girl is OK (and, SJ, that you were too when you were young)!

OMG!! SN!!! I have the same thing. (I don't think the incident I witnessed helped at all...but) I can't stand them! Sunkist and the whole family and most of my friends make funn of me because I will seek out an elevator every time! I break out in a cold sweat! When I went to Vegas, I was horrified to see that you can't get anywhere there without riding an escalator. I solved this issue with vodka.

 

[peapod1980]

Remember when the escalators were made with the "feeding" part of the belt up high instead of down on the floor? Don't remember how old I was--kindergarten age, maybe; I didn't take my hand off the rail/belt part right when I got to the bottom, and my hand went into it. Don't remember much about it, just being scared.

 

[Jdarg]

Remember when the escalators were made with the "feeding" part of the belt up high instead of down on the floor? Don't remember how old I was--kindergarten age, maybe; I didn't take my hand off the rail/belt part right when I got to the bottom, and my hand went into it. Don't remember much about it, just being scared.

So that's what happened to you. I always wondered.

 

[peapod1980]

So that's what happened to you. I always wondered.

I said hand, not head. :roll:

 

[30A Skunkape]

The only escalator mishap I have witnessed involved an elderly lady who fell on the thing;keep an eye on the seniors riding escalators, too