Crocs and escalators are a dangerous mix

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Crocs and escalators are a dangerous mix

Apr 12th 2007

by Susan Wagner

Every spring, I get the same note from my sons' schools: please, the note begs, do not send your child to school in Crocs. The kids tend to fall when they wear them to run and climb, and the playground mulch gets in them and makes the kids crazy. Please send your child to school in closed-toed shoes suitable for play.

Makes sense to me.

Apparently, though, Crocs won't just slow kids down on the playground; according to an ABC News report, Crocs can pose a serious threat to children riding escalators. The rubbery garden clog-like shoes can become wedged between the moving stairs and the side of the escalator, often trapping the child's foot.

Chloe Johnson, a 10-year-old from Kansas City, had exactly that happen to her at the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport last year. "Chloe said, 'My toe, my toe,'" her mother, Kay Hopkins, said. "And we took the Croc off and seeing the blood and seeing her toe - it was frightening." Chloe's injury was fairly mild, but other children have had more serious injuries. James Yuen, a plastic surgeon at Arkansas Children's Hospital, says, "Imagine that you are taking a child shopping and out of the blue their foot is mangled, trapped. Can you imagine a child stuck for almost an hour? It is a very traumatic event."

The ABC News report points out that it's not only Crocs that pose a danger on escalators, but any soft, pliable shoe, including flip flops. ABC News also reminds us that while approximately 245 million people ride escalators every day, only a small number of Croc-related incidents have been reported. However, for parents of small children, especially kids who love their Crocs, it is something to keep in mind. No matter what kind of shoes your kids are wearing, they should stand in the middle of the escalator step and not drag their feet along the sides while riding. Very small kids should be held by an adult on an escalator. And you should always keep in mind that every escalator has an emergency shut off button, just in case.

But you still might want to leave those Crocs at home.

[Ban Hammer 13,340]

it took me a while but i finally figured out you were not talking about crocodiles on escalators

[mawilson 2,133]

it took me a while but i finally figured out you were not talking about crocodiles on escalators

Yep....very disappointing. What a croc.

[JenT 0]

Those are the ugliest of shoes but the kids love them.

[pedroh 21]

who the hell wears crocs anymore? they are SO NOT IN!!

[Mags 112]

who the hell wears crocs anymore? they are SO NOT IN!!

I wear them when I'm gardening. I can easily wash them (and my feet) under the garden hose before I go in the house.

[almaty 19]

who the hell wears crocs anymore? they are SO NOT IN!!

agreed...only hoosiers.