5. For the Sake of Argument

Lots of people use subway these days. And do you know how many accidents exist in subway station in last year? It’s 198. Pretty much, isn’t it? But it was only 75 in 2006. Could you guess why it increased so much? The answer is etiquette of escalator.  Seoul metropolitan rapid transit corporation (SMRT) made people to stand on the right and left-hand side is left for walking people. Since 2008 they change policy again to stand in 2lines, but it’s not to make people’s habit change again. Let’s stand in 2-lines while taking escalator. I strongly recommend it. I think we should try to change our habit for ourselves.

First, escalator is so related with our safety. Accidents of escalator are almost 90% of total accidents in subway station. Therefore SMRT concentrate to escalator. The most important thing is accidents come from our carelessness and increasing of moving in escalator makes higher probability of accident. To avoid accident, we should stand in 2-lines and don’t walk or run in escalator.

Another reason is about some people are saying like standing 2-lines in escalator is too selfish, because it blocks busy people. That could be true. But if I’m busy, I’ll take stairs instead of escalator. For use escalator we have to wait the line and then we have to walk with risk of accident. Also we have to share its risk. I can’t understand those people who is busy and don’t take stairs. Almost every time stairs which is next to the escalator are free. If your legs are fine, please take stairs instead of escalator for your health, to avoid risk, and save your time. Then we all could be happy.

Last one is mechanical trouble of escalator. Left the side for busy people makes unbalance of the escalator and that unbalance becomes to break down. It makes us uncomfortable and wastes our money.

I know it’s not easy. People who are behind of us usually blame us. But to change this habit we need time and our effort. At first it could be unfamiliar to them, but publicity of SMRT and our effort can change our kind of habit. And it will save us from accident.