What are those things on the side of some escalators?

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MurrayM

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#133878 6-Nov-2013 15:43

A few years ago my local shopping mall, Westfield Glenfield, added some strange shaped things onto the outside of the escalators. They're see-through and look like they're made of acrylic. They are about a metre or so in length and near the bottom of each escalator. They stick out from the side, a bit like a shelf, but they're angled and not flat.

Does anyone know what they things are meant to do?

I thought maybe they were some sort of safety device, but I can't really see how they are meant to work other than maybe stopping people from sitting on the rail and dangling their legs over the edge.

I tried looking online for an image of one so people would know what I'm talking about, but none of the images of escalators that I found on Google have them, maybe they're not used overseas?

kingjj

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#928229 6-Nov-2013 15:51

Some sort of advertising platform? Or a platform for decorations at Christmas time?

Edit: speelings

MurrayM

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#928237 6-Nov-2013 15:53

kingjj: Some sort of advertising platform? Or a platform for decorations at Christmas time?

There's no writing on them.

I'll try to get a pic next time I'm up there.

richms

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#928256 6-Nov-2013 16:13

To stop people going up the side of escalator and then falling off like the kid in the funny youtube video that I can't find since I'm on my phone.

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MurrayM

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#928266 6-Nov-2013 16:21

I found some images that show them. Interestingly they came from Westfield's own site, I can't find pics from anywhere else so maybe they were invented by Westfield?!?

Here's the image, with arrows added by me pointing them out.

Note that they always appear near the bottom of the escalator and the direction of the escalator doesn't seem to matter (i.e. an escalator going down has them at the bottom, just up from where you would get off, which seems weird if they are meant to stop you from riding on the rail).

jaymz

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#928269 6-Nov-2013 16:23

Maybe they are something that the blind use to alert them to the approaching end of the escalator?

MurrayM

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#928272 6-Nov-2013 16:26

jaymz: Maybe they are something that the blind use to alert them to the approaching end of the escalator?

If this were the case then they should be located at the exit end of each escalator, but from what I've seen they appear at the lower end of each escalator (i.e. at the start of ones going up and the end of ones going down).

tardtasticx

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#928275 6-Nov-2013 16:29

I saw those at Westfield St Lukes as well a few months ago. Its bizarre, I too thought maybe some sort of safety thing to stop people holding onto the rail maybe and going up, but then theres no point having them going on the ones that go down.

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JarrodM

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#928278 6-Nov-2013 16:29

they look like they could be there to stop people walking up the side?

jaymz

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#928281 6-Nov-2013 16:32

MurrayM:
jaymz: Maybe they are something that the blind use to alert them to the approaching end of the escalator?

If this were the case then they should be located at the exit end of each escalator, but from what I've seen they appear at the lower end of each escalator (i.e. at the start of ones going up and the end of ones going down).

Good point, to be honest i havent noticed them on the escalators here in Hamilton (Westfield Chartwell, The Base)

Maybe it is something local?

MurrayM

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#928288 6-Nov-2013 16:40

JarrodM: they look like they could be there to stop people walking up the side?

I think you might be on to something there! They would definitely stop someone walking up the little ledge on the outside of the escalator.

I've found a PDF from an escalator manufacturer and they mention "deck barricades":

jpoc

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#928296 6-Nov-2013 16:53

As others have pointed out, they are designed to stop people from harming themselves by doing dumb stuff on and around the escalators.

Around the world you will see similar clear plastic panels - often on different parts of the escalator depending on the environment in which it is installed.

The reason that you see them on the bottom part of escalators, regardless of whether they are going up or down is that escalators can usually go both ways so either could be the up escalator depending on things like maintenance schedules.

The reason that they are clear panels is to make the escalator light and open looking and not enclosed in a way that will make folks fear that they are riding to their doom.

MurrayM

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#928299 6-Nov-2013 17:01

Thanks jpoc, that pretty much answers my question.

BlueShift

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#928576 7-Nov-2013 10:36

jaymz:
MurrayM:
jaymz: Maybe they are something that the blind use to alert them to the approaching end of the escalator?

If this were the case then they should be located at the exit end of each escalator, but from what I've seen they appear at the lower end of each escalator (i.e. at the start of ones going up and the end of ones going down).

Good point, to be honest i havent noticed them on the escalators here in Hamilton (Westfield Chartwell, The Base)

Maybe it is something local?

The Base ones defninitely have them. And they have them on both sides because they're to stop people climbing up the outside of the escalator, and also escalators can go either way. AFAIK there's no convention that says for instance that the left side shall always be the up side, they switch them sometimes.