Comedic "things you would ban": minor things that irritate you

[Ediswan]

Especially bad when they actually try to lift their luggage over the suitcase-prevention fences.

Whats is a suitcase prevention fence ? A picture would be good.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whats is a suitcase prevention fence ? A picture would be good.

Those silly metal bars they put across the entrance to escalators to stop you taking suitcases on them. Except they don't stop you taking suitcases on them, as everyone just lifts them over or turns them sideways.

There aren't that I know of any on the Tube though. They are mostly in airports, plus I think Paddington may have them in places.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Those silly metal bars they put across the entrance to escalators to stop you taking suitcases on them. Except they don't stop you taking suitcases on them, as everyone just lifts them over or turns them sideways.

There aren't that I know of any on the Tube though. They are mostly in airports, plus I think Paddington may have them in places.

Leeds has them. It's also a hotspot for the aforementioned "standing on the left" problem.

I'm also going to "ban" people who don't keep to the left when walking through stations. If I mention it often enough, maybe eventually they'll stop.

 

[A Challenge]

Those silly metal bars they put across the entrance to escalators to stop you taking suitcases on them. Except they don't stop you taking suitcases on them, as everyone just lifts them over or turns them sideways.

There aren't that I know of any on the Tube though. They are mostly in airports, plus I think Paddington may have them in places.

I thought they were there to stop you trying to take luggage trolleys on the escalator?

 

[yorksrob]

Leeds has them. It's also a hotspot for the aforementioned "standing on the left" problem.

I'm also going to "ban" people who don't keep to the left when walking through stations. If I mention it often enough, maybe eventually they'll stop.

Leeds could do with some "please stand on the right signs" as I suspect a few of the passengers don't get down to London much.

 

[gabrielhj07]

I thought they were there to stop you trying to take luggage trolleys on the escalator?

They are, but they'll stop anything larger than a normal-sized rucksack.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They are, but they'll stop anything larger than a normal-sized rucksack.

I don't recall them ever preventing me taking a suitcase on the escalator, it's easy enough to lift over/turn sideways.

 

[gabrielhj07]

I don't recall them ever preventing me taking a suitcase on the escalator, it's easy enough to lift over/turn sideways.

Indeed it is, but that's the problem, as they clog up the escalators.

 

[D6130]

Indeed it is, but that's the problem, as they clog up the escalators.

....and if they fall over and go crashing down the escalator, they can take a lot of people with them. It's primarily a safety issue rather than a congestion issue.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Non-curly shaver cords.

No idea why they stopped doing these, but the present non-curled ones don't half get tangled up and get in the way everywhere, even if kept tied up.

 

[gabrielhj07]

Non-curly shaver cords.

No idea why they stopped doing these, but the present non-curled ones don't half get tangled up and get in the way everywhere, even if kept tied up.

Second!

Electrical cords should be curly on all domestic appliances, so much easier to extend.

 

[GoneSouth]

Indeed it is, but that's the problem, as they clog up the escalators.

War, global warming, famine, these are problems

Being delayed 10 seconds on the tube because somebody needs to take some luggage with them, not so much

 

[43096]

War, global warming, famine, these are problems

Being delayed 10 seconds on the tube because somebody needs to take some luggage with them, not so much

You might want to remind yourself what the thread title is.

 

[xotGD]

Making everyone stand in single file on one side of the escalator should be banned. You can fit twice as many people if they stand on both sides. Much more efficient use of the space available when there is a queue at the bottom of the escalator.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Making everyone stand in single file on one side of the escalator should be banned. You can fit twice as many people if they stand on both sides. Much more efficient use of the space available when there is a queue at the bottom of the escalator.

In certain circumstances, when it's busy, this can indeed be the case, although it does seem to be counter-intuitive. Think it's to do with wasting time waiting at the bottom for a place on the standing side of the escalator, when you could be using the other side.

Folk don't seem to like doing it though, as it removes their "choice" as to whether to stand, or to walk/run up the steps on the non-standing side of the escalator.

 

[yorksrob]

Building platforms without slopes.

Such abominations are just another sign of hideous modernity.

 

[Yew]

I'd like to nominate people who stand on the left hand side of escalators to be banned. Alternatively, people who stand on the right but leave their children/luggage obstructing the left.

I'd like to nominate Londoners who get upset about which side of the escalator to stand on

 

[GoneSouth]

You might want to remind yourself what the thread title is.

Did you not sit this in my post

I found it funny

Making everyone stand in single file on one side of the escalator should be banned. You can fit twice as many people if they stand on both sides. Much more efficient use of the space available when there is a queue at the bottom of the escalator.

Maybe escalators should he banned, everyone has to walk, obesity in London halved

 

[krus_aragon]

I'd like to nominate people who stand on the left hand side of escalators to be banned. Alternatively, people who stand on the right but leave their children/luggage obstructing the left.

This rule has confused me terribly in the past, by the fact that it's the same in the UK and North America, despite them driving on the other side of the road.

 

[Ediswan]

This rule has confused me terribly in the past, by the fact that it's the same in the UK and North America, despite them driving on the other side of the road.

The London Underground has a significant US legacy. 'Cars' rather than 'carriages'. N,S,E,W as directions.
https://www.theamerican.co.uk/pr/ft-London-Underground-American-Design-Influences

Electrification, when it came in the early 1900s, was heavily influenced by American companies, engineers, and technology.

 

[gg1]

This rule has confused me terribly in the past, by the fact that it's the same in the UK and North America, despite them driving on the other side of the road.

Is it possible the rule originated in the US before being introduced to London?

It’s spread outside London is comparatively recent, to the point that many people from elsewhere in the country who never visit London may not know such a ‘rule’ even exists.

 

[Gloster]

Could it be to do with the majority of people being right-handed and the logic of which hand is used to hold on? It was probably not developed after years of exhaustive tests and surveys, but was just chosen automatically when the first escalators were designed.

 

[krus_aragon]

Having done a bit of digging, it appears the first escalator installed at Earl's Court (1911) had people disembark diagonally at the end (as the 'comb' plate we know today was still patented at the time). As disembarkation was to the left, they figured that getting standees to walk across to the walking side was a safer option than getting walkers to plough through a line of standees.

The curious reason behind why we stand on the right on escalators

If you’re a Londoner who likes to walk on escalators, it’s likely that you will be frustrated weekly, if not daily, by a fellow passenger who just hasn’t got the memo:

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Gloster]

Having done a bit of digging, it appears the first escalator installed at Earl's Court (1911) had people disembark diagonally at the end (as the 'comb' plate we know today was still patented at the time). As disembarkation was to the left, they figured that getting standees to walk across to the walking side was a safer option than getting walkers to plough through a line of standees.

The curious reason behind why we stand on the right on escalators

If you’re a Londoner who likes to walk on escalators, it’s likely that you will be frustrated weekly, if not daily, by a fellow passenger who just hasn’t got the memo:

www.telegraph.co.uk

I can remember escalators that you had to leave at an angle, probably as late as the 1970s (or even later). I must have seen it more than once because I saw nothing odd in it. I can remember one which was still wood-panelled, and with iron lamp stands and wooden slatted steps, though I can’t remember where it was.

 

[yorksrob]

I know we're not supposed to ban people but...

People who piss all over the toilet seat and don't clean up after themselves.

They should be forced to wear a colostomy bag.

 

[gabrielhj07]

I know we're not supposed to ban people but...

People who piss all over the toilet seat and don't clean up after themselves.

They should be forced to wear a colostomy bag.

That doesn't sound very light-hearted! I'm going to have to agree though, disgusting behaiviour.

 

[yorksrob]

That doesn't sound very lighte-hearted! I'm going to have to agree though, disgusting behaiviour.

I know. I'll be light hearted in the morning though !

 

[py_megapixel]

I wish TOCs would stop using the word "unsuccessful" to refer to a delay repay claim where they have determined that the delay is too short to qualify for compensation. That implies that "successful" would be the train being slightly later. In reality it would be the damn thing running on time so I have no reason to fill in this form in the first place!

 

[RichJF]

Use of the word "literally" or "like" in all but the correct meanings. I mean "like" come on!

 

[D6130]

Use of the word "literally" or "like" in all but the correct. I mean "like" come on!

Expanding on that theme:

People - ususally young - saying "I was like" instead of "I said" or "I was saying".

and

People - usually young - saying "Can I get....?" instead of "May I have....?"

Apologies for the rant....my mother was an English teacher!