"Don't Walk on the Escalator"... Controversy Over Nagoya, Japan's Regulation

Purpose to Reduce Accidents and Promote Safe Use
Opposing Views Claiming Excessive Regulation Are Also Strong

A regulation banning walking or running on escalators in all buildings in Nagoya City, Japan, has sparked controversy over excessive regulation.

On the 12th, local media reported, "On the 7th, the Nagoya City Council plenary session passed a municipal ordinance mandating that users must stand still on escalators."

The ordinance takes into account the possibility of users falling while moving on escalators, and the risk of sudden stops triggered by safety devices due to impacts when walking or running on escalators.

It also considered opinions that people with one hand impaired find it difficult to hold the handrail when stepping aside to let others pass on the left or right while walking on escalators.

[Image source=Pixabay]

The purpose of the newly established ordinance is to reduce escalator accidents and promote safe use. According to a survey by the Japan Elevator Association, there were 1,550 escalator accidents in Japan from 2018 to 2019. More than half of these, 51.9%, occurred due to falls caused by walking or running.

However, there is considerable opposition arguing that banning even a single step on escalators is an excessive regulation. They suggest that instead of making it mandatory by ordinance, campaigns to raise awareness should be conducted, and whether to walk or not should be left to the users.

In response, Nagoya City decided not to impose fines or other penalties even if the mandatory regulation is violated. This appears to be a concession to opposing public opinion.

Meanwhile, in Shanghai, China, in 2019, a regulation was established banning walking on escalators, replacing the custom where passengers standing still stand on the right and busy people walk on the left. However, this is not a mandatory rule.

China recommended the escalator usage etiquette of "walk on the left, stand on the right" in public places ahead of the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai Expo. However, over time, cities such as Tianjin, Xi'an, Nanjing, and Guangzhou successively abolished the single-file policy citing safety reasons.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.