Good elevator etiquette is important for a comfortable ride. There are three components: boarding, using the elevator, and disembarking. Wait for others to exit before boarding, stand close to the wall, don’t eat or talk loudly, and make way for those exiting. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
An elevator can be an uncomfortable environment when passengers don’t respect the basic rules of common courtesy. Good elevator etiquette is mostly common sense, but being aware of it will make elevator rides more comfortable, especially if you encourage others in the building to remember to be aware of elevator etiquette. As always, the best rule of thumb when you’re not sure how to act is to treat others as you would like to be treated.
There are three separate components to elevator etiquette: boarding, using the elevator, and disembarking. Before getting on an elevator, you should also think about whether you should really be in an elevator or not. If you’re only traveling on one or two floors, taking the stairs is more polite, unless you’re disabled or carrying heavy packages.
Boarding etiquette dictates that you wait until everyone disembarking has left the elevator before entering. You should not attempt to lock the elevator doors to keep them open, as this is rude and potentially dangerous. If you’re rushing to greet the elevator, you can politely ask someone to press the “open door” button, but be aware that elevator occupants may refuse.
If you are carrying heavy packages or are traveling with a large group, you should wait for an empty elevator or ask if the people in the elevator are handling your packages or luggage. Similarly, if you’re sick, you may want to wait for an empty elevator and should bring a tissue or tissues to cover your mouth and nose in case you need to sneeze or cough.
Once on the elevator, elevator etiquette experts strongly recommend standing as close to a wall or corner as possible to make room for other passengers. You should move to the back of the elevator if you’re going a long way and stay at the front if you plan to get off early. If you decide to stand in front of the elevator buttons, be prepared to be asked to push buttons for other elevator passengers.
While in the elevator, you should not eat, smoke or talk on a cell phone. Many people prefer to take the elevator in silence, so if you have to strike up a conversation with someone, keep your subject matter neutral and your voice low. If the other people in the elevator seem irritated or upset by your conversation, you may want to change the subject or calm down. Step out of the way for people getting off the elevator and make sure you don’t block the door when the elevator stops.
If you’re trapped in the back of a crowded elevator and need to get off, call “my floor” to warn other passengers that you want to get off, and move slowly but steadily through the crowd. If you see someone having a hard time getting off an elevator, you may want to step out to make room and then re-enter.
The main focus of elevator etiquette is to keep everyone comfortable on an elevator, and usually, as long as you make a good-faith effort to stay out of the way, you won’t offend or upset anyone. If you’re not sure whether or not a behavior is appropriate in an elevator, ask yourself how comfortable you would feel if someone else in the elevator did it first.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
