Elevator buttons suck
People make mistakes. To err is human, right? Most of the technology that we interact with was built with this concept in mind. Light switches go on and off, cars have accelerators and brake pedals, computers have the indispensible ‘undo’ command. So why is it that elevators require us to live with our first choice?
People make mistakes. To err is human, right? Most of the technology that we interact with was built with this concept in mind. Light switches go on and off, cars have accelerators and brake pedals, computers have the indispensable ‘undo’ command. So why is it that elevators require us to live with our first choice?
If – like me – you are a parent of small children, you have lived with this frustration more than a few times. Our children’s daycare can only be accessed by elevator, one of downtown living’s compromises. If you include the basement level, there are 5 floors in total. A round trip, starting at the top and stopping each floor and then coming back up can take 3-4 minutes. So when I’m already running late to pick up the kids and I rush into the elevator to see all the buttons lit up like Christmas tree, I tend to get a little crazy. Yes, I should probably just take a breath and count to ten or something, but like a lot of other daycares, ours charges late parents by the minute, which likely explains my state of mind.
I have, rarely, come across this problem in other buildings with a far greater number of floors. Apparently some people think it’s funny. The result is excruciating. If I’m the only one in the elevator the cursing goes unnoticed, but when others are aboard the combined seething is tangible.
Why is it that elevator buttons exist outside of the logic of nearly every other device? Once activated, a request to go to certain floor must be carried out. There is no second chance, no undo, no cancel feature. I figured there had to be a very good reason for this, especially considering the ubiquity of the, er, feature.
To find out, I pinged a friend who just happens to work for an elevator installation and maintenance company in Ottawa.
"I have never heard of this option when ordering a car operating panel. There is a call cancel button we have purchased for a client before. Works in a similar fashion but the button is separate and designated "call cancel". There are many manufacturing companies that might offer this option but from the suppliers we use, it is not an option. My guess as to why they don’t do it.. probably because if you can’t read a button, you shouldn’t be by yourself in an elevator or because if a child realizes the button will flash on and off every time he pushes it, it might be more of a toy for him/her? [I've had] lots of questions before…. this is a first. and NO, you cannot get out of the safety hatch inside the elevator to the roof!!!! Only in the movies!!"
Yes, he insinuated that I can’t read.
Thus I remain unsatisfied. Frustrated by the seemingly obvious lack of thought that went into designing the controls of an essential form of transportation. Moreover, I’m surprised that after decades of development, no elevator company has ever included this – or patented it – for surely it would be a differentiator in the market.
Ok, it’s your turn. Am I missing the one glaringly evident reason why you can’t just push an elevator button again to cancel your choice and turn the thing off?
Update:
August 2, 2007: I’m not the only one. Steve Jobs hates elevator buttons too.
Filed Under: Rants
While the chances of finding a "call cancel" button in most elevators is slim to none, there is SOME hope…most elevators will cancel all calls when they reach the ground floor. I know, I know – that doesn't help you with the late fees at the daycare!
(Report comment)
To err is human, to forgive devine. Go early to pick up your kids.
(Report comment)
OR…heaven forbid….you could take the stairs. At least in one direction.
(Report comment)
Sometimes people can not be early. And if you people had actually read the article the gentleman writing it said "Our children's daycare can only be accessed by elevator, one of downtown living's compromises." So he could not have taken the stairs. So read before you post. As well, the person that said just take the stairs, I am pretty sure you are either a) the person who lets their kids press all the buttons or b) the one who yells because all the buttons are pressed.
(Report comment)
The 2nd and 3rd comments are completely pointless. I have no answer for the blog post. Thank you.
(Report comment)
I have been on an elevator before that if you push the wrong button, you just push it again and it cancels it. But that was in Japan. So it is possible.
(Report comment)
Funny I read this article today, as I did make a mistake on my elevator this morning and wondered why you can't cancel them by pressing the button again… Obviously the 2 of the 3 people who sent replies before mine don't live in a highrise!! Byrd – What I don't think you realize is that it's not only errors that cause these buttons to be pushed, it's the children that love to see the pretty lights! Maybe people should learn to control their children; but that's a whole other article. Tarrah – I'd love to see you walk up 27 stories everyday after a full day's work in a dingy, un-airconditioned stairwell. Even down is quite a feat. If you're like the majority of the working community, you are required to dress up for work. The last thing I want to do in the morning before I get to the office is get dressed up and be covered in sweat by the time I arrive at the office – Not a great first impression in the boardroom.
(Report comment)
When I lived oversea, the button in the elevators at my office toggles When it's hit, the light goes on and the elevator stops on that floor, hit it again and the light is off and the elevator keeps going. This is what you are looking for. The problem is when it is busy in the morning, people don't look and just push the button regardless whether the light is on, so it is cancelled and you missed the floor. Or some one, by mistake hit your floor and cancel the stop. That is, anyone can cancel the stop unless you insist on standing next to the buttons and monitor the buttons, but you will miss your floor as you pay so much attention to the button rather to the floor.
So the option is there, but I still prefer the standard set up.
(Report comment)
The only comment i have about turning off/on elevator buttons is so that you "can not" turn off the 2nd floor button whenever it is pressed. (In the case where people are capable of taking the stairs and are not injured or handicaped). It drives me crazy when you are waiting for an elevator for at least 10 minutes, and the lobby is getting busier and when it finally arrives and you get on, someone presses the 2nd floor button. (Especially if this person waited the duration)
(Report comment)
My sympathies…
I don’t think it’s a fault of elevator makers and distributors. If it were considered a feature by those who order the equipment, we’d have the on-off capability everywhere for the on-off switch is not that complicated (consider: press once, it’s selected, press again, it’s deselected; and while moving no de-selections accepted for safety).
There are probably couple of hard reasons this is rarely, if ever installed:
1. small price increase – and I mean ridiculously small but enough for the “rich” spenders to draw the line.
2. potential for abuse and resulting arguments or fights amongst passengers – on a crowded elevator a selection of a floor made by someone who is pushed to the back could easily be deselected by some jerk in a hurry; just think where that could lead…
(Report comment)
To answer Bryan : Show me a building which does not have stairs. All building codes require stairs, in case of fire by example. If there is a blackout, nobody comes in and nobody comes out ???? If the elevator breaks down, explain to me how you get up or down the floors ??? Do you move out until the repairs are done ???? Not too bright Bryan !!!!
(Report comment)
Great point Marek re: squabbles over selecting and deselecting and having to watch that your floor remains selected.
(Report comment)
Elevators are a quick easy option. All quick easy options come with some compromise.
Its all but natural that different person needs to go to different floors. Cancel option on the elevator would be great, but another quick wasy option that will come with limitation.
So take the stairs whenever possible, helps you, helps other people on the elevator ( Since you did not press any button) and above all gets you some FREE excersise.
As for post by Brian, may be you never looked outside of an elevator, any building in any country on PLANET EARTH, MUST have a staircase. take a closer look Brian, you will find the stairs, good luck to you in finding the stairs.
As for post my Simon, please do not crib, show up a minute earlier or pay the price, its the story of life. Enjoy it, you will like it.
(Report comment)
I understand your frustrations with elevator buttons. One problem that I have noticed with office tower elevators happens a lot in the winter. Static electricity builds up on people as they walk across the carpets in their offices. Then they go to the elevator and try to press a button. While searching for the right button they wave their hand closely over the button pad. Their motives are quite pure as they are searching for only the button that they want to push. However, the static electricity charge from their hand often activates many of the buttons across the entire panel. This is not the work of little mischief makers, it is static electricity plain and simple. Its hard to believe unless you have seen static electricity work this way for yourself. Often the person who entered the elevator and inadvertently caused all of the buttons to be activated gets angry at themselves and gets off at the next floor (not at the floor that they wanted to go to) cursing the fact that their own inadvertent activations of the buttons can't be deselected by a second push.
P.S. I live in Korea. My apartment building elevator buttons CAN be deselected by a second push. However, the buttons in the elevator at the office tower where I work CAN'T be deselected.
(Report comment)
Concerning the comment about the stairs, they could be locked. In my building the stairs are locked from the ground floor and they are only accessible on the 2nd floor and up. It is because of security.
(Report comment)
I hate to break it to you but the technology exists for the cancel button. I know this because I live in South Korea and in the elevators if you press the wrong button, you can just press it again to cancel the the order. Now you know.
(Report comment)
In response to Biarrote: I would think that a childcare facility would be on a secure floor with limited access points. Secure floors in buildings generally do not allow you to access via the stairs without a key or key card. They do however allow you to leave via the stairs when you are on a secure floor as per building code.
(Report comment)
Move, or change daycares.
(Report comment)
i didnt not reall the comments posted by everyone…apologies for not the time to do that…that menas i may be saying something that someone else had already said…i used to live on the 22nd floor of a highrise building and used to spend, on a bad day, upto 15-20 min from the time i walk into the building in the evening after school or work till the time i reach my floor. it is really bad when you have only an hour of 'free time' or have to pee pretty bad. the only reaosn i can think of is that if you are in an elevator, and someone puts a knife in your throught, you want to get out as fast as you can. if tht person can undo the buttons as you press them, then you can be riding with this offender until the perosn finishes the job. the fact that the eleveaot will stop on all those floors will scare the offender into looking for safety rather than persisiting to kill you. in that regard, its good not to have undo uption in the elevator buttons.
(Report comment)
Sorry people… it is not always a prank problem. Sometimes it is just plain energy related. I happen to have a huge electrical energy that can light up the buttons on an elevator if I get within a foot of the panel. Believe me, it is difficult dealing with those who get on with me. And yes, I have tried grounding myself before entering the elevator. I would love to see a cancel button on elevators.
(Report comment)