Elevator Etiquette

[rubytue]

Wow...you're right! It's ONLY a cruise ship phenomenon!

I've expierenced it other place, including in office buildings. I got it alot in the medical building where my oncologist was (14 stories). People would just barge in, no matter what. And people would be downright rude, too. Several times I had an older person in the elevator comment that I shouldn't stay up partying so late at night and how young folks just party too much. :eek: And usually, it was someone who barged in without even looking to see if anyone was coming out. Um, thanks Mr. I just finished chemo and now I have to drive myself home. Wait.. that was off topic :o

 

The point I really want to make is, if you are in the front of a crowded elevator and someone behind you needs to get out. Please step off the elevator, let them off, then step back in. If you are paranoid, keep your hand in the door. But its so much more elegant and poliet than cramming your body into someone else to make enough room for them to get off. :)

Edited February 13, 2009 by rubytue

[TomBeckCruise]

Strangely enough, the ONLY place I have ever seen this kind of behavior has been on cruise ships (specifically, crowded mass-market cruise ships). I've been in many instances in buildings on land in which there were crowds, and lots of people wanting to use the elevators - but in every case, the people outside the elevator seemed to understand the basic concept that they must wait for those wanting to get off to actually exit, before they begin to cram themselves in.

 

I would love to find out what it is about cruise ships that seems to result in seemingly normal people not understanding the basic physics, not to mention etiquette, of elevator usage.

 

Any behavioroligists out there interested in doing a study? ;)

 

Maybe they are drunk. Or maybe they are late for bingo!:(

 

I've had the same thoughts as you. Why does this happen?

[TucsonRick]

Strangely enough, the ONLY place I have ever seen this kind of behavior has been on cruise ships (specifically, crowded mass-market cruise ships). I've been in many instances in buildings on land in which there were crowds, and lots of people wanting to use the elevators - but in every case, the people outside the elevator seemed to understand the basic concept that they must wait for those wanting to get off to actually exit, before they begin to cram themselves in.

 

I would love to find out what it is about cruise ships that seems to result in seemingly normal people not understanding the basic physics, not to mention etiquette, of elevator usage.

 

Any behavioroligists out there interested in doing a study? ;)

I may be wrong, but I think that many of these people do not ride elevators of a regular basis. I worked in downtown San Francisco for many years and rode elevators several times a day. In that situation, all the riders knew the etiquette. Here in Tucson, there are few elevators because most buildings are one story. Some here may ride an elevator only once a year, so it is a foreign experience.

 

Rick

[momofmeg]

After reading these posts, I am glad I take the stairs most of the time-I only take the elevator if it is more than 3 decks up. It seems I save myself a whole lot of grief!

[TomBeckCruise]

After reading these posts, I am glad I take the stairs most of the time-I only take the elevator if it is more than 3 decks up. It seems I save myself a whole lot of grief!

 

Not to mention a few lbs.:)

[BARBARA J.W.]

Some people just don't

think,,,,,,When the Elevator doors opens

they are ready to step in,not

thinking some one needs to get

out first,before they get on.........

 

Some people are in a hurry

to get to food,bingo,a show.........

Also they maybe soooooo EXCITED

they are on a Cruise.........

And they aren't thinking of others...

 

When I am on the Elevator & it

stops at the deck I want,I try

to be ready to step out when the door

opens,,,,,,,and I am always ready to

say EXCUSE ME................

Before they can get on........

[cruiserbryce]

yes out before in and it shocks me how many people dont do this

[Happy ks]

We take the stairs unless we have more than 5 floors to walk up or down or...if I have stupid high heels on, then I won't go more than 2 floors.

 

I was never made more aware of how impolite people are at elevators until I cruised with a disabled friend. We ended up, after about day 3, of guarding the space in front of the door to first allow passengers off, then to allow him to board in his wheelchair. We would then allow others to get in as we headed off to the stairs to meet him on the destination floor. A few people were not happy with us, we never butted in front of them, we waited our turn. We were amazed that some people would try to butt in front of his chair.

 

I think they were shocked that we didn't board and allowed them to go instead of us. I'm hoping that a few may have been ashamed of themselves and may have learned to be a little more considerate in the future.

 

I am also very aware that disabilities are not always visible to the human eye. Some people may have a difficult time with stairs due to heart or breathing problems, so be careful when being critical of that seemingly healthy person using the elevator to go only one floor.

 

I have to add that I'm grateful that I can use the stairs and will continue to do so unless it becomes a hardship for me.

Edited February 13, 2009 by Happy ks

[momofmeg]

Not to mention a few lbs.:)

 

You know what I find funny? People who make a big deal about going to the gym to work out-but who always take the elevator even for one deck-LOL!

[Leejnd4]

You know what I find funny? People who make a big deal about going to the gym to work out-but who always take the elevator even for one deck-LOL!

 

Okay, I just gotta do this.

 

My mom suffers from balance issues. She is very fit (especially for her age!) and is fine on long walks, and has no problem going UP stairs. But because of her balance issues (one leg is slightly shorter than the other due to long-ago back surgery), she has a very hard time going DOWN stairs.

 

She goes to the gym almost every day. One of the things she works on at the gym is improving her balance. But no matter how hard she works at it, she will never be able to comfortably go down stairs.

 

So when you see a very fit, clearly NOT disabled woman dressed in work-out attire taking the elevator down one flight of stairs to go to the gym, try not to be so harsh in your judgment. It could be my Mom - or someone like her!

[Sea Hag]

I'm one of those who mostly only notices this on cruises, since I'm not on elevators much - and we only take elevators down on cruises mostly to spare the knees. Take the stairs up to work off meals.

[momofmeg]

I'm one of those who mostly only notices this on cruises, since I'm not on elevators much - and we only take elevators down on cruises mostly to spare the knees. Take the stairs up to work off meals.

 

Going down is easy for me-going up is more trouble!

[vjmatty]

I will give you the epitome of rude elevator behavior...

 

While waiting for an elevator on the Poesia in December, one finally came and started to open. The ONE GUY in the elevator cab immediately pressed the "close door" button, making the doors close right away so we couldn't get on. I swear he was in there by himself with nothing but a plate of food.... boy was I pissed.

[Vilya]

I have to say, I didn't see ANY of this behavior on my 6-day cruise, and I was on the elevators a lot, since I was on Deck 1 and my group always hung out on Deck 9. The people getting on always waited for the people getting off. Maybe I just got lucky!

 

This was on Carnival Destiny, last month. :)

[scooterpopsnana]

My wheelchair takes up extra space but my wife takes the stairs.I would gladly take the stairs if I could.n There is never a line tyo get on the stairs. My wife tells me they are very nice. They have a lot of brass and hardwoods and nice carpet. She told me they are always clean and inviting. It is one stressor that you have control of. Try them you may like it.

 

I have used a wheelchair in the past....now have a scooter. I have wondered often why the ships do not have ramps beside the stairs. I was on one such ship several years ago. It was an older ship that has been retired, but it was nice to have those ramps.

[Sea42]

Funny you say that about your kids Karysa, I am a middle school physical education teacher and I hate to see kids get on the elevator and go up only one or two floors and then run away when they get off.......so they clearly do not have physical issues that would prevent them from taking the stairs. My DH gets mad at me because I actually say something to them about how rude that is.......what can I say even when I am on vacation I am still thinking about the obesity of our children!!

 

I'd have to agree with your husband! Our grandson who's 6 loves to ride on elevators and escalators. We have neither of these things in our small town so for him they're a special treat. I would hate to have his excitement ruined by a busybody.

[navybankerteacher]

I have used a wheelchair in the past....now have a scooter. I have wondered often why the ships do not have ramps beside the stairs. I was on one such ship several years ago. It was an older ship that has been retired, but it was nice to have those ramps.

 

A ramp makes sense if you are talking about three or four steps --typically requiring about 20 feet of ramp for three steps -- but you must be kidding about having ramps to get from deck to deck --- they would have to run much of the length of the ship to keep them at shallow enough grades.

[sail7seas]

Strangely enough, the ONLY place I have ever seen this kind of behavior has been on cruise ships (specifically, crowded mass-market cruise ships). I've been in many instances in buildings on land in which there were crowds, and lots of people wanting to use the elevators - but in every case, the people outside the elevator seemed to understand the basic concept that they must wait for those wanting to get off to actually exit, before they begin to cram themselves in.

 

I would love to find out what it is about cruise ships that seems to result in seemingly normal people not understanding the basic physics, not to mention etiquette, of elevator usage.

 

Any behavioroligists out there interested in doing a study? ;)

 

 

My underline........

 

 

That is one of my favorite quotes when ignorant people are determined to stand in the spot I am currently occupying or other similar stupid choices..........

 

 

 

"It's a basic rule of physics; Only one solid can occupy the same space at the same time".

Sadly, most who behave that way have no clue the point I am making. :rolleyes:

Edited September 13, 2011 by sail7seas

[luddite]

I saw the thread about buffet etiquette; what about elevator etiquteet? We were so annoyed on our recent Freedom of the Seas cruise by people who would force themselves into over-crowded elevators, without allowing passengers trying to get OUT of the elevator to exit first. Out before in - right??

 

Knock 'em down. People who don't understand that people need to exit to allow others to enter. If they're that stupid there is no real reason to be polite to them. They're stupid and politeness will be wasted on them.

[Mom2B&Z]

A ramp makes sense if you are talking about three or four steps --typically requiring about 20 feet of ramp for three steps -- but you must be kidding about having ramps to get from deck to deck --- they would have to run much of the length of the ship to keep them at shallow enough grades.

I don't know what the US regulations (or int'l for that matter) are but in Canada ramps must be minimum 1" rise for 12" run, preferably 1:16 and some are built 1:20. Thus a standard set of 7 steps requires 49 ft of ramp, plus a 5x5 landing for every 30 linear feet of ramp. (I think I have my metric to imperial conversions right, forgive me if I'm off by an inch or two!).

As for people waiting outside elevators, my children (who were 3 and 5 the last time we cruised) are acutely aware of this etiquette; however I was horrified by the number of adults who would cut in front of them. When the children would ask why people are "budding" in front of them, I would answer that they were rude or did not understand common courtesy. Rude, possibly, but honest.

Considering the steps were the same height as the 3yo's knees, we would often take the elevator if travelling multiple levels. Otherwise he toughed out the stairs!

[LHARTWICK]

I love this thread - I found it after watching the Battle of the Onboard Evildoers slideshow. My husband and I encounter bad elevator etiquette on EVERY cruise - we thought it was just our bad luck!!! How hard is it to understand to let people OUT before you get IN??? Apparently pretty difficult for a lot of folks. And if you're physically able to do so, why get on the elevator to go up/down ONE floor?? We use the stairs as much as we can to avoid the elevators and to get a little exercise.

 

It amazes me how stupid (and inconsiderate) people are. But it seems to be an epidemic in society in general these days. Stupid people shouldn't even be allowed: to be on cruise ships....the privilege of driving a car.....to board an airplane.....to vote.....I could go on and on.

 

You can't fix stupid.

 

Thanks for letting me vent.

[sparky-elpaso]

I love this thread - I found it after watching the Battle of the Onboard Evildoers slideshow. My husband and I encounter bad elevator etiquette on EVERY cruise - we thought it was just our bad luck!!! How hard is it to understand to let people OUT before you get IN??? Apparently pretty difficult for a lot of folks. And if you're physically able to do so, why get on the elevator to go up/down ONE floor?? We use the stairs as much as we can to avoid the elevators and to get a little exercise.

 

It amazes me how stupid (and inconsiderate) people are. But it seems to be an epidemic in society in general these days. Stupid people shouldn't even be allowed: to be on cruise ships....the privilege of driving a car.....to board an airplane.....to vote.....I could go on and on.

 

You can't fix stupid.

 

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

Well said. My son says he's going to write a "common sense" test - if you can't pass it you can't drive a car, get a job, vote (ride an elevator) and the 3 or 4 of us that pass it will rule the world. :)

[LHARTWICK]

Well said. My son says he's going to write a "common sense" test - if you can't pass it you can't drive a car, get a job, vote (ride an elevator) and the 3 or 4 of us that pass it will rule the world. :)

 

I LOVE it!!!

[RickinNYC]

Knock 'em down. People who don't understand that people need to exit to allow others to enter. If they're that stupid there is no real reason to be polite to them. They're stupid and politeness will be wasted on them.

 

I have to agree. If I'm trying to get off the elevator, I do politely say, "Excuse me, getting off", "Pardon me," to make it very clear my intent. I do my best to let folks know what I'm doing, where I'm going, and don't expect anyone to read my mind, hence I expect people to get out of my way like any sane, normal thinking adult.

 

If you opt to ignore me and push your way into the elevator as I try to exit, or if you simply don't budge when I'm behind you, I will honestly and truly walk right into you, using my body to get you out of my way. I'm 6'4" and 220. Guess who's gonna win that pushing contest?

 

For that matter, if I'm not getting off, or if I'm waiting to get on, and I see said morons pushing their way in, I do gruffly say loudly, "LET THEM OFF FIRST! DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO USE AN ELEVATOR?"

 

If that makes me rude, so be it.

[Birdie1410]

@Karysa-I think I love you!:D You're very wise to teach your children to be grateful for being ABLE to take the stairs! On our first-and last-cruise, hubby and I are both having to use canes and literally can barely make it up 1 step yet children would run up the stairs and into the elevator while we were still standing there waiting to get on it. Thanks for teaching the right thing to do.

 

@others who post they've never seen this behavior except on cruises, let me tell you, I have seen it at every resort we've been fortunate enough to visit. Maybe it's the "vacay" mentality, rather than locale because we have had more than 1 run-in with people who feel they have a right to board before you can get out of the back of the elevator. It's especially tough when you are on a scooter, as we had been forced to do and yet people will get on before you can get the thing out! I WILL run over toes if you don't move!:p

I guess basically, somewhere along the line, people are not being taught simple good manners as often as they should.