[mytailorisrich]

Yes, and those campaigns by public authorities have little to do with "capitalism", in fact they remind me of slogans in socialists countries.

In any case, they can be over the top and really annoying. In some stations they have presence detectors at the bottom and top of each flight of stairs so that as soon as someone passes through they are told to "hold the handrail and take care"... Which means that when walking from entrance to platform you may be told 4 times to "hold the handrail and take care".

At this point I just want to rip out the handrail and destroy the loudspeakers in a rage... But I am conflicted because TfL also keeps telling me that I should be kind [1], patient [2], and considerate to others [3], plus someone might report me [4]

Perhaps there is a reason Black Mirror is British.

[1] https://images.app.goo.gl/kKDe7E2GzKFdefVa8

[2] https://images.app.goo.gl/octoWDN7uYuPSMTz5

[3] https://images.app.goo.gl/sX7rYKRxVk8Kq9Be8

[4] https://images.app.goo.gl/y4uDdmjruySP22mb8

[Symbiote]

"Hold the handrail", "mind the gap" and so on are there because falling down escalators and falling between train and platform are the leading cause of injury on public transport in Britain, especially London. There are also signs advising people not to run down stairs.

I think "MIND THE GAP!" (when a recorded male voice pretty much shouts it[1]) on the platforms with the sharp curves and wide gaps is fine — it's unusual, and especially useful for visually impaired people.

The more common "Mind the gap" with the female voice is worse than useless, as it is used far too often, when there is barely any gap, and detracts from the significance of the other announcement.

"Hold the handrail" is ridiculous; we should expect some personal responsibility from people. I laughed the first time I heard this, 15 years ago in China, and was disappointed some years later when I first heard it in Britain.

It would be interesting to see statistics on accidents before and after these messages were introduced.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5Em-xoAtSM

[mytailorisrich]

"Hold the handrail" is thoroughly ignored so the effect is going to be zero. It's even more ridiculous when you realise that it is simply impossible to do in a crowd, anyway.

Either it's the nanny-state gone mad (with people trying to justify their jobs), or it's the lawyers who advised that "that way they can't sue us". Either is plausible in 21st century London.

[drewcoo]

Both are great examples of trying to cover up bad UX with words.

Any time there is "helpful" commentary like that, whether in a tube station or in software, it tries to make individual consumers responsible for what is in fact a design flaw.

[Symbiote]

I think everyone will agree the curved platforms on the London Underground are a problem. So far, no engineer has found a suitable solution.

I'd hesitate to call it a "design flaw" though, bearing in mind the design for these stations was from the 1880s-1910s. There were much different requirements then: far fewer passengers were expected, all of them able-bodied and most of them locals. It's clearly a compromise, as it allowed the station to be where it was wanted rather than on a straighter section of track.

I don't know what alternative there is to escalators — lots and lots of lifts?