Alright so your typical elevator ride, before I start this explanation assume you are on a solo mission, you don't know anyone on the elevator, you hit the up or down button respectively and quietly wait for the elevator to come to your floor. It's common practice that the first person who reaches the elevator pushes the button and other riders wait in close proximity to the doors. Once the elevator doors open the person standing closest to the door enters first and other riders follow. The next move can go one of two ways in the first scenario the first person to push a floor button then takes floor requests from the other riders. Or if the first rider is lost in their own universe then each rider pushes the floor they need as they get on. Either way is totally acceptable. Now the most important part, the ride. During the elevator route riders either remain silent or make small talk about the weather or the time of day or something similar. If you haven't noticed most people either watch the floors as they go up or down, they look at their feet or whatever they happen to have in their hands. As the elevator moves from floor to floor and the crowd thins out people adjust as more room becomes available, until everyone has reached their destination. Sometimes elevator rides end with "have a good day," or a casual exchange.
Not the experience I had this week.
I feel like I followed normal elevator etiquette and my world was rocked! I joined an elevator in route, getting on at the third floor. When the elevator door opened for me it had about seven people on it. I stepped on, took my spot in the front of the mob, pushed floor ten and faced forward. Then the elevator went one floor up to the fourth floor and another patron jumped on. This guy practiced European elevator etiquette or something. He got on the elevator didn't push a floor (assuming the floor he was heading to was already in route) then rather than turning and facing the door he kept his back to the door and faced me. We are nine deep in an elevator and this guy's face is about four inches away from mine.
Alright, next the elevator stops on the sixth floor and a few people get off. I proceed to move to the left allowing everyone more room but then the guy moved with me, odd. Now the elevator doors close and reopen at the ninth floor where everyone gets off except for me and the European rider. Just me and him in an elevator and he doesn't adjust to the new space! It's clear we are both going to the tenth floor. So the doors open on the next floor and he gets off the elevator like nothing happened. Keep in mind this entire ride was in total silence and he was staring at the back wall.
Who does that!
But, I'm still thinking about it, and now I'm laughing so hey I guess if you have the guts give it a try!
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