I'm on elevators all day long and my day is constantly delayed by people who still don't quite get how they operate. So here's a helpful PSA on the subject.
- Before you enter an elevator, decide if YOU want to go up or down. If you want to go up, press the UP button. DOWN for down. DO NOT press the UP or DOWN button based on where you think the elevator is. Example (this happens often) a person on the 10th floor who wants to go down presses the UP button because they want the elevator to come up to get them...wrong!
- Most elevators have buttons that light up once they're pressed. If the button you want to press is already lit YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRESS IT AGAIN.
- Repeatedly pressing a lit button DOES NOT make the elevator come faster.
- Most elevators have clear indicators which floor you have stopped on. PAY ATTENTION! There should be no confusion about which floor you are exiting onto.
- Most multiple elevator lobbies indicate very clearly which direction the stopped elevator is going. PAY ATTENTION! Don't just get on any elevator that stops. If you're going down, watch for the indicator that the stopped elevator is going down.
- Before you enter an elevator, decide if YOU want to go up or down. If you want to go up, press the UP button. DOWN for down. DO NOT press the UP or DOWN button based on where you think the elevator is. Example (this happens often) a person on the 10th floor who wants to go down presses the UP button because they want the elevator to come up to get them...wrong!
- Most elevators have buttons that light up once they're pressed. If the button you want to press is already lit YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRESS IT AGAIN.
- Repeatedly pressing a lit button DOES NOT make the elevator come faster.
- Most elevators have clear indicators which floor you have stopped on. PAY ATTENTION! There should be no confusion about which floor you are exiting onto.
- Most multiple elevator lobbies indicate very clearly which direction the stopped elevator is going. PAY ATTENTION! Don't just get on any elevator that stops. If you're going down, watch for the indicator that the stopped elevator is going down.