Elevator or Escalator?

@wotfpatty (2065)
United States
August 19, 2007 6:49am CST
If you were on the ground floor and had to go up a floor or two, would you choose the elevator or escalator if no stairs were available? I would take the elevator. I hate escalators. I hate that I am stuck between people going at this slow pace and I can't get off there is I want to. Plus my father once said if I didn't jump off fast enough, I would be sucked in and turn into spaghetti (Thanks, Dad! lol). Even though I am stuck in a box with strangers on an elevator, I still prefer it. How about you? And why? ~ Patty
14 people like this
51 responses
• United States
19 Aug 07
I much prefer the escalator, I like looking around on the way up. I can handle an elevator but I have a touch of claustrophobia and get a little uncomfortable in enclosed spaces especially if it's full of other people. Thank goodness dad never told me about the spaghetti deal... LOL
5 people like this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
19 Aug 07
LOL. I don't know why I prefer the escalator because I am totally afraid of getting stuck in an elevator and breathing in that little space with strangers and all, eww. But something about escalators makes me nervous (The spaghetti story notwithstanding). I think it is just my natural aversion to not letting something control me. I hate standing in line too for anything because I wanna GO, I don't want to just stand there with people in front and behind me. I'm so weird. Ha.
4 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
19 Aug 07
I would take the stairs, but if there were none available, I would take the elevator. I do not like going the same pace as everyone else, so if that is all that is available, I will run up them. However, they had better start building stairs very quickly because I have vertigo, scared of heights, and looking down the escalator makes me dizzy. I can do stairs all right because the tread is a bit wider and does not narrow into the next one.
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
22 Aug 07
I have vertigo too and I think that is why I don't like escalators. I get dizzy and then what if I fall or something. Ugh. Stairs first, elevator second, escalator third, ski lift last. Haha. Thanks for the reply.
1 person likes this
@cikedo (3483)
• United States
19 Aug 07
I'd take an elevator. I've had bad experiences with escalators. When I was little my jacket got caught in the belt of the escalator and practically pulled it off my body.
2 people like this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Ack! That is so scary. I tell ya, those things are dangerous!
1 person likes this
@seabeauty (1480)
• United States
19 Aug 07
I prefer elevators. I wear sneakers with laces and I am afraid of my lace getting caught in the escalator and getting my foot cut off.
2 people like this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
19 Sep 07
OMG. Me too. All I can see is those teeth at the end of the escalator and my foot getting shredded when I get on an escalator!
1 person likes this
@youless (112100)
• Guangzhou, China
19 Aug 07
I am lazy, I think I will choose the elevator if I am not in a hurry to get there. My home is in 15th floor and my office is in 11th floor. So I like going there by elevator. If there are a lot of people waiting for the elevator, I will be one of them too. I just don't like walking the steps.
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
22 Aug 07
Well, you don't have to walk when on an escalator. The steps move and you just stand there. But all those floors? I would go bonkers because escalators are so slow! Thanks for the reply.
1 person likes this
• Malaysia
19 Aug 07
Pretty sure YES for escalator. I like its slow pace, where I feel comfortable with the safety as well. In fact, healthy for my eyeballs looking many ladies using escalator with free watching 'fashion show'...ha..ha..ha
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
19 Aug 07
Haha, good reason. I think that is what gets me nervous Looking around as I am going up. It makes me realize I am ... going up I guess. I can't see myself going up in an elevator so I can forget about it and just stand there and feel like I am on the ground floor when I step out.
3 people like this
@michele609 (1687)
• United States
19 Aug 07
I always had the fear of elevators. I think that everytime I go in one I woll get stuck.I guess that since I was a child I never got over that fear. So as for the answer I will most likely tke the escalator.
2 people like this
@dfollin (24167)
• United States
1 Jan 08
I suffered from skull fractures and a busted ear drumb that equalibrium problems.Therefore I cannot ride on an escalator.
2 people like this
@jbrooks0127 (2324)
• United States
19 Aug 07
Depends on the number of floors I want to go up. I prefer the escalator but in some cases it is not practical. If I am in no hurry the escalator wins out if available. And quite often I too love the view you never get in an elevator.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85273)
• United States
19 Aug 07
I prefer the elevator, but if I'm with someone who likes the escalator better, I'll go ahead and take the escalator. I hate the escalator because I almost had one of my legs shred to ribbons on an escalator when I was four. To this day I am highly uncomfortable on them, and hold the rails very tightly.
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
22 Aug 07
See? I tell ya, escalators are dangerous. I hate them. I will use one but I hold on tight too. Thanks for the reply.
2 people like this
• United States
19 Aug 07
I would pick an escalator because it if breaks, you can just use it like stairs. And you are in public. With an elevator if it breaks , you are stuck. You are not in public.I feel safer in public than in a little place with strangers.
2 people like this
@Se7enth (170)
• United States
19 Aug 07
I guess it would be the escalator. I don't have a problem with either one but elevators are slow. Get in, push the button, wait of the doors to close, wait for the ride up, wait for the doors to open. Packed little room with a bunch of people you don't know, that hopefully bathed that day. I'll take the risk of shoe strings dragging me under the stairs now that I come to think of it. 7
2 people like this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
22 Aug 07
Escalators are slow! You are totally at their mercy and you can't walk up or down, you have to stand there with people behind and in front of you and the possibility of shoelaces getting stuck and you turning into spaghetti. Ack. I don't mind elevators but usually don't go in packed ones just in case they get stuck. I don't want to be packed like a sardine if it happens. I was stuck in one once but it was just me and it wasn't too bad.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
19 Sep 07
Wotfpatty. I prefer the elevator because it is fater than the escalator. Thank you for responding!
• Philippines
19 Sep 07
Ha ha! Sorry for that "Thank you for responding" phrase. I thought I was answering somebody's answer to my own discussion.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
19 Sep 07
Also, sorry for the typographical error - "fater" should have been "faster".
1 person likes this
@DJules (55)
• United States
19 Aug 07
Even though I remember being slightly frightened of the "teeth" at the end of escalators as a child on the rare occassions when I rode on them, I think I would choose to ride the escalator. I grew up in a small town where there weren't any escalators, so they still retain an aura of "big city magic" to me. I enjoy riding on them nowadays, because they just seem like pretty cool contraptions! (And I tend to a bit of claustraphobia as well, so I prefer the space that riding an escalator provides.)
• India
11 Apr 08
I prefer escalator and feel more safe with it.But i use only stairs if it is available.It is more safe and is also a good exercise.
1 person likes this
@MikeMe (100)
• United States
22 Aug 07
I prefer elevators because they are faster, besides, I was on an escalator once when the power went out...I was stuck on that thing for hours!!!! ;P
1 person likes this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
22 Aug 07
Haha, well next time that happens, get creative. Maybe um, walk up or down the stairs instead of standing there. That might just save you from standing there for hours. lol. I got stuck in an elevator once but it wasn't scary. It was just me and they had a mirror all along the back so I put make up on and did my hair. I looked marvelous when I finally got out. Really, that did happen! 3 plus hours!
1 person likes this
@rhane7315 (5649)
• Philippines
25 Apr 08
elevator for me also lol so i can access the floors faster
1 person likes this
@tezovhemo (360)
11 Apr 08
escalator is better because theres not much waiting
1 person likes this
• United States
7 May 08
Never ever the elevator. I am claustrophobic. I cannot stand inclosed spaces at all, and elevators scare the crap out of me. Now.. If I HAVE to take them.. I will.. but If I have the choice.. NOOOOOoooo. Definatley taking the escalator or those good old fashioned things called stairs.. that oddly enough, most people forget exist.
• United States
13 Jun 08
I would probably prefer to take the escalator because then I would not have to wait for the elevator. Some people act very weird in the elevator and I have always feared that I would get stuck in an elevator with a stranger. I would much rather get sucked up and turned into spaghetti than get stuck in an elevator with a weird person that I did not know.