Rules were NOT made to be broken!

Almost every escalator that I have approached since having a baby has a 'no stroller' sign on it. See below.






Now, usually there is an elevator nearby to accomodate people with strollers. The building that houses the 100 yen store right off base has an escalator with a 'no stroller' sign. I always disregard it being as the elevator is all the way on the opposite end of the shopping center. I always told myself that it was a stupid rule anyway. I mean, how much is it going to inconvenience anyone if I take my stroller up the escalator? How dangerous could it be?

Well, I have a bruise from the shin to the knee of my right leg to prove how dangerous it can be!

We boarded the escalator and made it all the way to the very top. As I was about to push the stroller over the threshhold one of the front wheels got stuck sideways and jammed up against the wall. I don't think I can even explain what happened in terms that are understandable. The stroller would not budge! It would not move forward. However, the steps of the escalator kept moving forward and pushing me, and eventually my mother-in-law, up against the stroller. I got my foot stuck between a moving step and the basket on the bottom of the stroller. It pushed my leg into the stroller so hard that my eyes watered. I was trying to jiggle the stroller free and lift it and pull it...anything I could do to get us out of this predicament. My mother-in-law is freaking out right behind me as she is being pushed into my back. We both panicked for a little while. The whole ordeal probably lasted no longer than 4 or 5 seconds, but it seemed like we were never going to get free!

Amidst our panic, a Japanese man walked by. I couldn't tell if the look on his face was saying, "stupid American's can't follow the rules," or if he was deciding whether or not we needed his help. We got free before he could get too close. I guarantee that we would be on You Tube by now if he had a video phone . I kind of wish someone would have gotten this on video.

Anyway, I will be using the elevator from now on. I might just have developed a phobia today. Do you think they have an actual name for a fear of being stuck on an escalator?




"An escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You should never see an 'Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order' sign, just 'Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience.'" -- Mitch Hedberg