Eric’s Etiquette Inquiry - Vol. 3
I ride an elevator everyday at work. My building has 14 floors and I work on the 8th so depending on who gets on at the first floor with me, I sometimes have to stop at a few floors before getting to mine.
Let’s assume that, including myself, 4 people (all strangers to me) get on the elevator. Buttons for floors 4, 5, 8 (my floor), and 12 are pressed by the 4 individuals. In the elevator, the four of us are standing shoulder to shoulder in the same order as our floors, 4th floor person next to 5th floor person next to me next to 12th floor person. We make the stops at floors 4 and 5 and the respective people get off. Now I am left with the 12 floor person with whom I have been standing right next too.
Etiquette question - do you remain standing right next to your fellow elevator rider? Or do you casually move to the other side of the elevator?
This question arose because I’m always thinking that if I remain standing next to the other person, they may think I’m weird to be standing so close in an otherwise empty elevator. But, if I move away, do they think they are offensive to me in some way?
What do you think?
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Comments
Try pressing 8 and Close Door at the same time…you might be able to put your elevator in “Express Mode” and go directly to your floor.
On some elevators, if you simultaneously press the button for your floor and the Close Door button, it will take you directly to your floor. And if you don’t believe me you can read about it here.
However, if that trick doesn’t work in your elevator, I say you’re obligated to move away from the person a little further each time another person exits the elevator. It’s like 3 dudes sitting on a couch. If the dude on the far right leaves the other two guys aren’t going to continue sitting right next to each other.
if possible make loud turret’s type noises. make HIM back a way from you! you had a delicious breakfast and don’t need to waste your precious energy moving away. if anything the 12th floor guy would back a way to the railing and think…”Jeez this IS a long ass elevator ride, especially when i’m stuck in here with this nut job.”
Basically freak out enough people so that when you get on the elevator everyone gets off. Yup! your gonna be that guy.
Seriously though…take the stairs!
As a coworker of Eric’s, I would hope he would have the decency to move to the other side of the elevator.
Slowly back away from them into the farthest corner of the elevator, then run your eyes up and down them with a look of disgust on your face.
Okay, seriously, it’s cool to give yourself a little more personal space as people get off of the elevator. No one is offended. Or, at least, they shouldn’t be.