Elevator Blues: Why Can't People Wait?

Well kev, If I were to list down things that annoys me in regards to elevator usage, the list will just go endless. Of course what you've described is very annoying. What I find more annoying is if I am in level 5 for instance and I need to get to level 19. When the elevator door opens at level 5, a chap happily walks out and I'll enter only to discover that the whole buttons there are lighted. That means that the elevator will stop at each and every level until I reached my desired level 19! If I can get my hand on that chap, he'll be history in no time! Another thing that annoys me is that when people don't seem to know the simple elevator etiquette. Have you ever encounter when the elevator door opens and before you manage to get your butt out, people come gushing in like there is no tomorrow? I mean, hello... can't they just let us out first before storming in like a herd of elephants???

Hi, Kev! Yes, I have experienced it and it was quite irritating. In my previous workplace, all employees must use the staff entrance. There were two elevators, but only one was functioning. The other one was always out of order until forever I guess! We were not allowed to use the staircase only in case of emergency. Hence, you could imagine how long we have to wait just to get to the next floor. Sometimes, the elevator did not even go down even though the 'down' button was green. Most of the time, I think it did go down, but the ignorant and selfish people inside it just kept on pressing the 'up' button! That was why it did not stop.

Lol, this is quite an interesting discussion. Well I can't say that I often have to deal with this problem because I don't often use an elevator. But I do know what you mean, I suppose the reason that people do that is simply to get on to the elevator in the first place as it means they are not waiting around for it.

Kevchua, I know what you mean.. however sometimes, the lift just don't come down as usual.. and it's even faster for the people to go up and come down again.. Well, I do that too (so, do this annoyed you) but not from a very much high floor.. I mean, if I am going to the 3rd floor and I am at the GF, I will take the elevator that goes down to B1 or B2 and up again to the 3rd floor. This is my own experience.. and let me further explain why I do that... coz not all the lifts in my office head to the 3rd floor, and sometimes, the lift just don't stop at GF!! and this what make me got to take the lift down to Basement and up again. Sometimes the lift will stuck at 15F, and it take it ages to reach the GF! Therefore, I have no other alternatives to go down and up again. However, I don't do things like I am at the 3rd floor, heading to GF, but when the lift is here, it's heading towards 15F, I would rather walk the stairs in this case. No way I actually want to take the lift to 15F and down again to the GF.

yes, i have experienced this too. but a lot of times when the elevator stops each floor, people from inside the elevator tell those outside if they are going up or down, to save time and space. this is especially so in a busy setting as in a hospital. well, each person is unique and has his own ways to do things based on his own choice and comfort (not minding other people's sentiments) and most of all, his upbringing. that is the naked truth of life...

Human nature in general is not much patient. It depends on person to person. Few people hava a good patience to wait but some do not. In general the waiting time largely depends on the purpose people are waiting for.