Get to Know Your Elevator
An elevator is one of those aspects of multi-floor buildings and modern times that are taken for granted sometimes. They have evolved over the years, building on a basic structure that still exists today.
Many of us don't give much consideration to what makes an elevator work. By work,
I'm referring to the mechanics and the dynamics of the people who use them. Plus, there's still the odd man out who's terrified of vertical travel and will walk countless flights instead.
These fantastic modern machines, but can be scary for some. They're comprised of a few key parts. First, the obvious part: the cars, which are the "boxes" that transport people and things vertically. Second, there are cables attached to the car and counterweights on the other end of those cables. This balances the cars and allows the building to use less energy to move cars up and down. There are also various systems in place to protect passengers in the rare case of a broken cable or other failure. Last, most modern ones employ some type of electronic system that ensures people are transported in the most efficient manner. If you've ever been in an elevator and confused about why you're going to the third floor when you wanted to go up to the sixth, it's because of the algorithm in place that's determined it's best to pick up the lady on the sixth floor before bringing you both to the third. See?
How do they work? They are moved by steel rope, which in itself is developed to hold more than 3,000 pounds. The steel cables can hold 125% of the maximum weight, which means that -- yes -- you can probably fit one more person in there. In the extremely rare case that a cable snaps, there are multiple cables attached to the car. Also, there are a variety of safety systems in place to prevent a crash; any given elevator has at least a safety break, but usually has a mechanical or electromagnetic braking system in place, too.
As far as the people in the car itself, people are quite interesting in their in-car behavior. Most people naturally know how to situate themselves when there is more than one person in the car. Individuals space themselves out evenly. Two people will disperse to their respective back corners, while a five-person car will have a person in each corner and one in the middle.
The in-and-out can get confusing. Most of it boils down to manners and is rather common sense. When boarding, let passengers out before entering the car. Stand somewhere logical -- if you're going up three floors in a 30-floor building, stand near the front. If you're riding from the ground level to the very top, you may want to stand in the back. Try to avoid boarding cars that are full; however, if passengers make space when the door opens up, it's an invitation! Next, don't close the doors unless it's clear that no one is coming toward the car. Closing the door on someone who's five feet away is not only rude, but doesn't save you enough time to warrant the rudeness.
Don't you feel more in-touch with elevators now?
