Is it true that the handrails and steps of the escalators are moving at different speeds for the safety of passengers?

A common city legend explains that the escalator’s elements are moving non -ishrically so that passengers constantly control the position of the body. We checked whether this is the opinion of reality.

With concern for passengers, this phenomenon is explained by some users of services "Big question" And "Yandex.ku" - In their opinion, the handrails and steps move at different speeds so that the person does not fall asleep on the escalator. Designer Artemy Lebedev so answered To the question of his subscriber about this: “The handrail and steps on the escalator are moving at different speeds around the world. This is done specifically in order to reduce the trauma of automatic stairs. When the passenger rides down, the handrail rides slower steps so that the passenger deviates back. During movement up, the handrail rides a little faster so that the passenger lean forward. If the opposite was the contrary, every day someone would break his neck. ”

When asked why the handrails and steps on the escalators move at different speeds, representatives of the largest metro in the post -Soviet space answered in different years. For example, the press service of the Moscow Transport Department Reportedthat the cause of non -ishronism lies in the wear of the elements: “The speed of the escalator handrail depends on the drive unit, and the speed of movement of the staircase on the electric motor. From friction, the block is gradually erased, so it is initially made with a small margin. ” If the drive block is new, then the handrail can even “overtake” the steps.

With Moscow colleagues agree in Petersburg And Kiev Metro. They noted that regulatory documents allow the discrepancy in speeds up to 2% - "this is not a problem and is not dangerous." At the same time, this difference has no laid function, and the employees of the subway themselves tell a version about the care of passengers in the form of a joke.

In fact, in a different hand and steps move not only on escalators in the subway, but also in shopping centers, airports and other buildings. At the same time, they are not large enough and we drive a very small distance on them, so when using such escalators, we usually do not notice the difference.

Not true

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. This is who escalator handrails move Faster than the Steps
2. "Moscow 24". Episode about escalators in the program "inside out"