Standing on the right on escalators
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What it really means
On London Underground escalators, the firm rule is: stand on the right, walk on the left. Standing on the left blocks people in a hurry and you'll quickly hear "Excuse me!" behind you. The same habit is common in stations and shopping centres across the UK.
Chinese explanation
在伦敦地铁的自动扶梯上，规矩非常明确：右侧站立，左侧通行。站在左边会挡住赶时间的人，很快就会听到背后传来"Excuse me!"。全英国的车站和商场也普遍有这个习惯。
Example conversation
A: Why is everyone standing on the same side of the escalator?
B: Stand on the right, walk on the left. Block the left side and you'll hear about it.
A：为什么大家都站在扶梯同一边？
B：右边站立，左边通行。你要是挡住左边，马上有人提醒你。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake