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At peak times in Hong Kong's subway, it pains me to see one side of the escalator basically empty. Normally I walk up, so that should make things faster for me, except it's impossible to get to the escalator for the queue of people. If people just used both sides it would be faster - for everyone.

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In the Shanghai subway system, the normal case is that one half of the escalator walks and the other stands still. But when the crowd is large, population pressure forces both halves to stand still.

This experience made me surprised that Tokyo would need to implement such a system top-down; I figured their crowds would be large enough that it was happening anyway.

Looks like "better" queueing behavior may be responsible for the failure.

You often need that first person to stand still.

I now take it upon myself to be the first person” sometimes. If I see a long line forming to stand, and no one is walking at all, I will stand in the “walking” lane.

After that I see a lot of people with relief on their faces when they stand behind me.

I guess it also helps that I’m bald, Asian guy with a long beard. so maybe they think I’m a bum. Otherwise there were times I’ve seen people admonish the standers.

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