We're starting to follow the way of the Japanese and have a keep left policy on escalators. I noticed in the city that there were painted directions going onto escalators with arrows to the left. So people who just stand on escalators do so, while people who want to climb the escalator stairs do so on the right. Makes a lot of sense to me.
So, until this new policy came in, was there no unwritten/unspoken expectation that people in WA should stand to the left on escalators?
No, people would stand wherever they wanted. On the left, on the right, it didn't matter. When I went to Japan in 2002, I saw the wise way of escalator use.
I guess there are bigger differences between cities in Australia than I imagined.
It has been "stand to the left" as long as I can remember in Sydney. Especially on the long escalators to and from the underground railway stations. I ride those every day, everyone stands to the left.
When I got back to Sydney after nearly a decade living in South East Asia, it was a bit of a culture shock to get used to the idea (again) that escalators aren't just a ride. Most people actually walk on them.
