saving steps
So we've all heard about saving time, saving money, saving energy... how about saving steps?
In a common stairwell or staircase that has a landing that compells you to ascend or descend in the opposite direction, like the photo below, a number of steps can be saved by placing only one foot on the landing as you move from one stair section below the landing to the next one above. Without changing your speed you gain two to five steps on other people who make a much broader use of the landing.
5 comments:
If you were a spider, you could just spin a web that cuts along the hypotenuse of the stairway and reduce your steps even moreso.
Then again, you'd have eight legs, so it might end up being four times the amount of steps.
What we need to figure out is the perfect ratio of web-spinnery to leg-steps with regards to humans versus spiders. Then we'd be able to find a way to save steps.
The shortest distance between two points is a line, thus the stairway is an attempt to frolic against the laws of physics and geometry. A better choice would be to jump down one side of a shaft into a some kind of tramploline. The person on the trampoline would then be bounced up to their level. Elevators would not be needed. However, some additional weight might be needed to balance the system from time to time. A good source for balancing equipment would be unclaimed baggage at the airport. Happy bouncing.
Actually - it's funny - but the bulk of the dreams I have take place in stairwells like these - when I'm being chased. So in my dream - it's fun and efficient - because as I get closer to the last 4 steps or so on a change of angle, I just use my hands on the hand rail and swing and slide down more and more steps.
If I was on the 10th floor or higher at the beginning - by the time I near the bottom my feet never even hit the stairs. It's all hands and arms and smooth sailing!
I get motion sickness, and that photo makes me dizzy. Even though it ain't moving, and neither am I.
stairs...makes me think of Dostoevski for some reason.
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