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Ever been stuck in an elevator?
- Thread starter Doctor Q
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I got stuck in a hotel elevator during a sci-fi convention with nine other people. And this was right after Speed came out, which as all true movie-buffs know starts out with a hostage situation in a skyscraper elevator. You can imagine all the Keanu Reeves/Dennis Hopper references. Meanwhile, my rather high-strung buddy is starting to freak, terrified that we're several stories about the ground and could drop like a lead zeppelin any second (turned out we hadn't even completely cleared the first floor yet...)
I got the other nine people to bust up when I wondered, appropos of nothing: "I wonder how other people spend their vacations?"
The convention made us buttons: FREE THE ELEVATOR TEN!
I got the other nine people to bust up when I wondered, appropos of nothing: "I wonder how other people spend their vacations?"
The convention made us buttons: FREE THE ELEVATOR TEN!
It's happened to me twice.
The first time was when I was six. We had moved away from Atlanta the previous year and were back visiting some family friends. They had an in-home elevator because the wife was disabled. I went in it with one of their kids and we got stuck. It was only a five minute ordeal, but it was enough to give me a fear of elevators that persists to this day. I still ride them (being in Chicago it's almost a requirement), but I tense up every time.
The second happened about five years ago when I was in Madison for a high school forensics competition. 12 of us tried to fit in the same elevator...I almost took the stairs, but made the (ultimately stupid) decision to squeeze in at the last second. We bottomed out a couple feet below ground level. All 12 of us had cell phones, but only one got reception. Most unfortunately, it kept going in and out, so it took about ten minutes to call one of our teammates who had taken the stairs, and he alerted hotel employees. Meanwhile, I had a panic attack and started hyperventilating, which freaked everyone out. Management was PISSED.
The first time was when I was six. We had moved away from Atlanta the previous year and were back visiting some family friends. They had an in-home elevator because the wife was disabled. I went in it with one of their kids and we got stuck. It was only a five minute ordeal, but it was enough to give me a fear of elevators that persists to this day. I still ride them (being in Chicago it's almost a requirement), but I tense up every time.
The second happened about five years ago when I was in Madison for a high school forensics competition. 12 of us tried to fit in the same elevator...I almost took the stairs, but made the (ultimately stupid) decision to squeeze in at the last second. We bottomed out a couple feet below ground level. All 12 of us had cell phones, but only one got reception. Most unfortunately, it kept going in and out, so it took about ten minutes to call one of our teammates who had taken the stairs, and he alerted hotel employees. Meanwhile, I had a panic attack and started hyperventilating, which freaked everyone out. Management was PISSED.
Haven't been stuck in one. But I know that one of my dad's friends got stuck in one, he pressed the button and got an elevator maintenance company. They said that their company was based 4 hours away and it would be at least that long to send someone.
Seriously if I was stuck in one I would try get out the top of it.
Seriously if I was stuck in one I would try get out the top of it.
The New Yorker article quoted earlier in this thread says that elevators can handle lots of weight. Are you blaming the weight for the elevator getting stuck? Did management blame it on the total weight of the 12 of you?
No but I did need to kick my way out of a car when the doors and windows wouldn't open after a crash. I don't think being stuck in an elevator would rate much higher on the fun scale either.
Most elevators have a posted maximum weight. For an elevator so small it can barely squeeze 12 people in, it might be as low as 800 or 1000 lbs, which a dozen high schoolers could very easily exceed.
Was stuck in one for a few minutes as a kid. Terrified me for several years.
Was in one recently, in a pretty nice hotel, that had the braking system engage while going from L5 to L1. Loudest effing noise ever, fortunately it make it to ground level and opened up. It was closed for about an hr that day and then they reopened it.
I'm suuuuurrreee they fixed it in that amount of time. I've seen elevators closed for longer than that to fix a dead lightbulb...
Was in one recently, in a pretty nice hotel, that had the braking system engage while going from L5 to L1. Loudest effing noise ever, fortunately it make it to ground level and opened up. It was closed for about an hr that day and then they reopened it.
I'm suuuuurrreee they fixed it in that amount of time. I've seen elevators closed for longer than that to fix a dead lightbulb...
Lol, it popped up as recent due to a spam post that is since removed. Didn't realize the date until just now
Lol, it popped up as recent due to a spam post that is since removed. Didn't realize the date until just now
Yes, I reported the spam post.
However, I had tripped over the thread, and read my way fully through it - while wondering how it had come about that it had been resurrected - until I came across the spam post.
It was curious that the India based topic necromancer was advertising for elevator repair / service. In a thread where the people responding and relaying their "trapped in elevators" -stories last replied almost nine years ago. Which would lead me to think that they either already got out of their respective elevators, or aren't really in need of service anymore.. For other reasons.
Anyhoo, I've personally gotten trapped in an elevator three times in the past five days. I'm beginning to think that the elevator at the company warehouse might be in need of service. Shame the necromancer's post was deleted, I sure could have used the deets! Sure, India is a ways away, but when looking for shoes, tattoos, mattresses and elevator servicemen you just don't cheap out.
Anyhoo, I've personally gotten trapped in an elevator three times in the past five days. I'm beginning to think that the elevator at the company warehouse might be in need of service. Shame the necromancer's post was deleted, I sure could have used the deets! Sure, India is a ways away, but when looking for shoes, tattoos, mattresses and elevator servicemen you just don't cheap out.
Why hasn't this issue been addressed by now if your elevator "always" traps people?
Ask a manager to suggest that this become a 'health and safety issue' at a senior management meeting, or suggest to the relevant authorities that it might yet become the subject of a lawsuit. I daresay that the necessary repairs and/or remedial action will be undertaken swiftly in such circumstances.
Ah! You're not wrong. But it's a residential building, a NYC prewar built in 1906 (initially sans elevator, I guess?). The landlord is the University I teach at. And they're busy as it is trying to fix the boiler right now, as the temperatures plummet and their teaching staff shivers inside, so I doubt they'd have the smarts to take on another job.
The elevator, an elderly tenant told me, used to be fine. Then a few years ago it was completely replaced, for no reason that they could tell. Since then it's been acting up. I've lived here 7 years and there have been at least 4 major trapping events -- like extending over several hours. I myself got stuck in it three times, but always for under 5 minutes only.
When it gets stuck, it's usually because the metal lids of the door catch and get bent in a way that then prevents the door opening. Every time the door opens it makes a pained squeal that it designed to remind you that it can, in fact it may, get stuck at any time. I would guess that the company that comes to fix it gets paid by the repair... so they'll make sure it's not too long between their visits.
Luckily it's only a six story building. I live on the sixth, but I am young and don't mind the climb.
My brother, sister and I have been stuck in an elevator several times on one vacation to Seville, Spain back in the 1970's. I can't recall if it was only the hotel that was having power outages or the whole area, but getting in the elevator rather than taking the stairs was a risk at the time. That said we kept using the elevator and sometimes got stuck.
Luckily the elevator did have emergency lighting and the outages were most often short, but I believe one was about an hour. We played cards and so on, not really realizing at the ages 12,11, 8 that if the power didn't come within a certain period we would be in complete darkness and might have to be rescued. So at the time, it was probably more "fun" than it should have been. Parents kept us calm, well maybe not so much my dad who was rarely calm. I haven't been stuck in an elevator in my adult life though.
However, I have been stuck in a stairwell, when I opted to take the stairs once and when I got to the bottom the door was locked as was the one at the top where I entered. Luckily that was in the era of cell phones and I was able to reach someone at the office of the building and they sent a maintenance man to open the door and let me out, but I still have a deep distrust of stairwells, even though I still use them.
Luckily the elevator did have emergency lighting and the outages were most often short, but I believe one was about an hour. We played cards and so on, not really realizing at the ages 12,11, 8 that if the power didn't come within a certain period we would be in complete darkness and might have to be rescued. So at the time, it was probably more "fun" than it should have been. Parents kept us calm, well maybe not so much my dad who was rarely calm. I haven't been stuck in an elevator in my adult life though.
However, I have been stuck in a stairwell, when I opted to take the stairs once and when I got to the bottom the door was locked as was the one at the top where I entered. Luckily that was in the era of cell phones and I was able to reach someone at the office of the building and they sent a maintenance man to open the door and let me out, but I still have a deep distrust of stairwells, even though I still use them.
No, can't say I have, but I did start dropping spare change into the door mechanisms of every elevator I ride, so fingers crossed!
If you are Scottish, apparently the voice-activated elevators are problematic as well
That was absolutely astonishing. I can't stop laughing!If you are Scottish, apparently the voice-activated elevators are problematic as well
Thanks!
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