ONE would think it is a simple rule. So simple in fact that one does not need high IQ to follow or even just understand it. I am talking about the escalator rule of stand on the right and walk on the left. And yet the reality is quite different. Next time you go to mall or wherever there is an escalator, take notice of what a lot of idiots are doing.
Standing on the left, completely oblivious to the sign at the bottom of the escalator that is practically screaming: stand on the right and walk on the left.
This violation, this moving violation, if you want to call it that is beyond my imagination. It is such a simple rule. Stand on the right and walk on the left. And yet, yet, yet so many clowns are so unmindful and they blissfully stand on the left and stare into space. Or chat. Or text.
Never mind the rule that is practically screaming. I sometimes shake my head in amazement and disbelief. Is this such a difficult rule to follow?
I think if you can stand, I think if you know the difference between right and left then you would have no problem with that simple rule. However, this supposed to be a very simple rule is apparently difficult for others to follow.
The question is, why? Let me take a shot at this.
One. People have been used to standing anywhere in the escalator. Years upon years have molded their thinking to just stand wherever they want. And as we all know, habits are hard to break. So perfect excuse, nasanay na ako eh. Okay, that is granted.
But now that there is a rule that practically shouts at your face, why then are there people still walking on the left. We go back to the “sanay” excuse but we cannot always use that. So why can’t we un-sanay ourselves? Hard to break nga eh! Given.
But that cannot always be an excuse. And it should not be. Otherwise we would all be reproducing like rabbits.
So what is it then? Well we read it but we do not care. Scary. It’s like that passenger on a plane who refused to listen to the announcement that says switch off your phones and just went on talking over the phone or hear someone texting.
No bomb jokes will be tolerated and yet you can read some idiot being arrested because he or she just made a bomb joke. Some did it for plain fun.
But it really is not funny because of the insistence of some people with their stupidity. Stupidity, like speed, kills. Stupidity like the common cold is contagious. Stupidity like nicotine is addictive. And when you combine all those, you get a zombie as a product. Or a fanatic. Or a dummy. Take your pick.
And there are so many of that prowling around nowadays. No smoking, they smoke. In silence, they scream. No jaywalking, they…you get the picture.
But it does not change the fact that I get really irritated whenever I see people standing on the left when they should be standing on the right.
When will this all change? Never. As long as we have rules, people will break them.