There was a incident in our mall . . . where a toddler grabbed the outside rail and was dangling as she was carried up the OUTSIDE of the escalator. She was very high up, and screaming (thank God she didn't let go) when a mall walker an 80 year old man with two knee replacements, ran up the escalator and grabbed her and pulled her to safety.
The Mom was quoted in the article saying something like . . . I was so shocked as I watched her going UP the OUTSIDE of the escalator, I was frozen!
I try to avoid them . . . but my DDs love them . . . they also love the moving sidewalks at the airport . . . and are ALWAYS wearing crocs! I'll have to make sure they are super careful!