Perhaps elevators are more novelty than commonplace; I seem to encounter more and more people who do not realize how elevators work most effectively. If you are a hermit, or someone who mostly visits one-story establishments, an elevator may seem like a hot new gadget. However, on behalf of frustrated users everywhere, I would like to highlight some guidelines as to how to properly maneuver this technological marvel.
Merriam-Webster’s defines an elevator as “a cage or platform and its hoisting machinery for conveying people or things to different levels” (Def. 1.b. Merriam-Webster.com). Here in the United States, this means in practice, an elevator is going to be an enclosed box that typically travels up and down a shaft in a building to allow one access to different floors. You press a button indicating whether you wish to go up or down in relation to the floor you are on, and a little while later is where the fun begins.
In the simplest case, the doors will open to an empty elevator, you will get in, press the button corresponding to where you get off, the doors will close, and will then reopen on your desired floor, allowing you to exit and continue your day. But way too many people seem to get confused about what happens if there is a deviation from this. In no particular order, I present to you a few scenarios and how to most efficiently handle them.
Scenario 1: The elevator doors open, and there are already people on the elevator.
What Should Happen: There is an implied social contract here, and requires both parties to participate in order to achieve the optimal end result.
Anyone exiting the elevator once the doors open has the right of way. Because an elevator is a small box, it can only hold so many. The person exiting the elevator is expected to exit the elevator as quickly as possible, as (1) elevator doors do not stand open forever, and (2) it is not an amusement park ride – when you enter you know you will be getting off seconds later. The person entering the elevator should stand to the side of the elevator doors so as to not block the pathwayand help ease this transition. Once no one else needs to exit, feel free to now enter the elevator.
I recently encountered a group of businessmen who were in an elevator and talked through this entire process. Seriously. The lobby doors were closing again before they decided they actually did want to exit and not ride up again. Don’t be like them.
Scenario 2: There is only one keypad (or number panel) inside of the elevator, and you are standing in front of it.
What Should Happen: You can initiate the conversation by asking the entering passenger what floor, or you can wait for the other party to tell you. If the keypad is in your personal space, you should press the button.
Don’t want to press the button? If you are unable to move from in front of the panel (which you should do if you don’t want to press buttons for anyone else), prepare to have your personal space invaded. Most people will try not to avoid contact with your person or belongings, but there are no guarantees.
Scenario 3: You want to get on the elevator but when the doors open, the elevator seems to be near capacity.
What Should Happen: Wait for the next car.
Knee hurt and don’t want to walk up three flights of stairs? Wait for the next car. Going to be late for your appointment and really need to get to the fifteenth floor? Wait for the next car. Shaped like Flat Stanley so you’re pretty sure you can fit? Wait. For. The. Next. Car.
Most people know there are weight limits, but there also number of passenger limits. It’s not a clown car. I don’t need you to be that proverbial grain of rice that causes an elevator incident and now we are all stuck. Just wait until the doors close and press the up or down button again.
It seems crazy that I felt compelled to write this post, but it seemed necessary. If you are reading this and feel these social constructs or a bit too restrictive, on behalf of elevator users everywhere, please consider taking the stairs.