Elevator Etiquette

Living in the Klang Valley, we always find ourselves using elevators to go up and down within buildings. If you use the lift just half as often as I do, you'll come to realize certain things about Malaysians and lifts. Here are some guidelines I'm sure you guys already know, but seldom practice for whatever the reason.

In no particular order:

- If you're the first or the only person into the lift, head straight for the controls and take charge. Hold the doors open for those entering/exiting. Don't be a selfish by hitting the button for your own floor and then running to the back of the lift. It's not nice to get sandwiched between the doors so take care of those who come in after you. If you can't reach the controls (and the arse blocking the controls isn't holding the "open" button for those coming in) use your hand to restrict the doors from automatically closing on people who are still entering/exiting.

- If you're manning the controls, offer to activate the buttons for those coming in, simply because it's easier for you to reach it than for them to stretch from the other end of the lift. A simple smile + "which floor?" will do. Not too hard right?

- If it's just one or two floors up or down, use the stairs. If it takes just 10 seconds for the lift to pick you up and continue on its journey up or down, and then another 10 seconds for to drop you off and continue its journey up or down, you'll be holding back each person in the lift for 20 seconds. If there are 10 people sharing the lift at the same time, that's 200 seconds of productivity gone. And what about the people on other floors who are also waiting for the lift? Walking that one floor ain't gonna kill you!

- Allow people in the lift to exit (if that's their floor) before you enter. There's always going to be more space in the lobby than in the lift. Why squeeze your way in there and block others from coming out?

- If there's one last person in the lift holding down the "open" button for the rest to get out first, show common courtesy by using your hand/leg to hold the doors open from the outside and let him/her out. Smile and thank the good chap for holding the doors for the rest of you. That's just being polite.

- Don't smoke in the lift. The odour stays for quite sometime.

- Don't fart in the lift... at least not when it's packed like a can of sardines.

- If there are other people in the lift, avoid talking on the phone. Speak softly if you have to. Loud noises in a small confined areas tend to be a lot louder and can be really annoying at times.

- Here's a gimme... don't hit buttons to floors your have no intention of stopping at.

- Don't hold the lift at any one floor for too long, even if you're waiting for someone who's taking his/her own sweet time. Be considerate to others who are also waiting for the lift on other floors.
- Stand to the side when people are entering or exiting. Don't assume that you're not in the way. Make way anyway. Some of us really aren't as thin as we think. And sometimes the people behind us trying to pass just don't have enough space to walk around us. If you have to, step out first to allow room for others to exit. Then only reenter the lift and position yourself more strategically.

Most of it is common sense. It doesn't take a lot of effort to be polite and courteous to the people around you... so why not?