Elevator Etiquette

Oh this is thrilling subject matter for me. I'm a big fan of my physical personal space, and one thing that drives me nuts is someone invading my personal space. If your standing close enough to me that I can smell your breath, you're too close.

 

I work on the fourth floor of an office building, as discussed here and we have the slowest elevator ever invented. Seriously, it's faster to walk up the stairs - I'm too lazy for that.

The IIWW really have some champion idea's on what is "approved behaviour" on an elevator.

Listed below are some excellent guidelines that if implemented, will prevent you from looking like an elevator tool.

1. Hit the elevator button - Up or down people, UP or DOWN. The amount of times I've walked up to the elevator and people are standing their waiting because they have forgotten to hit the up or down button makes this worth mentioning.
2. Before you enter, let them exit - You should always let the people on the elevator exit, before you get on. You're a tool if you walk on the minute the doors open, without checking if people are getting off.
3. Hit your floor – When you enter the elevator, look to the numbers to be sure to hit the button for your floor. Nothing worse than riding the elevator for fun because you forgot to hit your floor number.
4. Find a space - Once you’ve entered the elevator and selected the correct floor, it’s important to do a quick survey of your surroundings. Look at how people are spaced, look for a gap and step into it. If you walk onto the elevator with 4 people, hit the corners, it's only right. Find a balance, spatial recognition, quadrant separation. IMPORTANT: Do not stand directly in front of someone when there is space enough for you to stand in a corner, side, front etc. it’s annoying, and I want to push you over.
5. If elevator is full - Back to Front - In an overcrowded elevator, standing face to face with someone is far too personal, so don't do. Once, someone stood in the elevator face to face with me, the elevator jerked and I almost got a nasty kiss. Gross.
6. Exiting the elevator – Make way for people who need to get off before arriving at your floor by a simple shuffle to the left or right. No need to crane your head and stare at them nosey parkers, keep it simple.

IMPORTANT DON'T TIPS TO PREVENT ELEVATOR TRAVEL DOUCHERY:

• Don't talk on your phone obnoxiously loud while travelling on an elevator. Do you know why can't hear the person on the other end of your line? The reception ALWAYS sucks in an elevator, so call them back.
• Don't try to engage in conversation with randoms. It's a 20 second ride, why waste the energy? Save it for when you get to your floor, I'm sure you'll need it for that morning smile.
• Better still, don't engage in conversations with random co-workers. In a special ride up the elevator one morning, an IIWW entered the elevator, said hello, something about it being early which was acknowledged with head shakes and agreement. Right before he exited the elevator his exact comments were " I can't stand Obama" the walked off. What.The.Hell.

I'm sure there are other things you could add to this to have complete Elevatory Etiquette Compliance, but these are tips for you, when you ride an elevator with my and my illogical logic.