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Elevator etiquette

Elevator etiquette

General


1. Don't touch others with your body or belongings.

2. Avoid eye contact. Look down as a prisoner going to the gallows.

3. Let the closest person to the buttons to press first their button. Then, either say your floor in a polite tone or - if space allows - press the button yourself.

4. Don't fart.

5. Don't sneeze.

6. When waiting elevator at ground floor, when the elevator gets down with other people, wait until some of them open the door. You never open the door from outside when someone is in there.


Originally posted by vandervelde
1. Don't touch others with your body or belongings.

2. Avoid eye contact. Look down as a prisoner going to the gallows.

3. Let the closest person to the buttons to press first their button. Then, either say your floor in a polite tone or - if space allows - press the button yourself.

4. Don't fart.

5. Don't sneeze.

6. When waiting elevator ...[text shortened]... until some of them open the door. You never open the door from outside when someone is in there.
When I enter an elevator I strike up a conversation, sometimes even when there's no one else in the elevator....they usually have cameras and I imagine what whoever watches them is thinking when they see my chat with no one.


Fun thread 🙂

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Alfred Hitchcock used to tell creepy stories whenever he got in one with a friend. He'd describe some murder scene and make sure to leave the story in midair when he got out. Since I read that I've tried it myself, the reactions are always interesting.

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I work in a hotel and ride the elevator regularly. I usually engage the guests in small talk. When I am not at work I seldom say more than a casual greeting when on an elevator.


Originally posted by caissad4
I work in a hotel and ride the elevator regularly. I usually engage the guests in small talk. When I am not at work I seldom say more than a casual greeting when on an elevator.
I have friends who don't voluntarily enter elevators or narrow spaces. If they had been forced to use them, small talk with a calm person would help a lot.

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I always act like I'm lost and can't find the exit.

By the way, you can fart in an elevator. You have to own it though. No fair blaming it on the passenger next to you. Let them know there's plenty more where that one came from.

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Originally posted by vandervelde
1. Don't touch others with your body or belongings.

2. Avoid eye contact. Look down as a prisoner going to the gallows.

3. Let the closest person to the buttons to press first their button. Then, either say your floor in a polite tone or - if space allows - press the button yourself.

4. Don't fart.

5. Don't sneeze.

6. When waiting elevator ...[text shortened]... until some of them open the door. You never open the door from outside when someone is in there.
Don't press all the buttons when you leave!

At the local hospital if you press the wrong floor, you can press all 5 floors then and it will reset for you to press the right one.

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I like to conduct one half of a conversation. It usually takes a few minutes of tutting and rolling of eyes before people realise that I'm not wearing a hands-free phone thing, then they give me plenty of elbow room.

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Originally posted by avalanchethecat
I like to conduct one half of a conversation. It usually takes a few minutes of tutting and rolling of eyes before people realise that I'm not wearing a hands-free phone thing, then they give me plenty of elbow room.
I like gentle stuff like that, from either side, because a) I'm shy, introspective, non-social, and generally uncomfortable; and b) I believe in confronting my comfort zones. On elevators, I've asked strangers for a high-five (almost always get one, except sometimes in hospitals or court-houses). Paper/rock/scissors is fun too (for what? bragging rights!).

Thanks! Go have a good day, hurry up!

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Originally posted by Frank Burns
I always act like I'm lost and can't find the exit.

By the way, you can fart in an elevator. You have to own it though. No fair blaming it on the passenger next to you. Let them know there's plenty more where that one came from.
Welcome back, Frank, we've missed you. 😉

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Back when I was young and aggressive and travelled in elevators, I would occasionally face the rear of the elevator and pretend to make eye contact. People would actually get out before their floor rather than deal with that invasion of their personal space.


Originally posted by vandervelde
1. Don't touch others with your body or belongings.

2. Avoid eye contact. Look down as a prisoner going to the gallows.

3. Let the closest person to the buttons to press first their button. Then, either say your floor in a polite tone or - if space allows - press the button yourself.

4. Don't fart.

5. Don't sneeze.

6. When waiting elevator ...[text shortened]... until some of them open the door. You never open the door from outside when someone is in there.
It only really gets uncomfortable on an elevator once it becomes so crowded that everyone's "personal space" becomes violated. But even then, we still endure it because we're all in the same boat and to make a ruckus would be foolhardy in such a confined space.

Same with subway cars.

But I still semi-loudly proclaim the floor I want as I enter ( "Four, please" ), I assume this is standard procedure unless the car is so empty that I can press the button myself.

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Originally posted by Suzianne
Welcome back, Frank, we've missed you. 😉
Thank you!! 🙂

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