Poll: An intense moral dilema with elevators.

[Chaosian]

Hey folks, local lurker, here with a thread and a question that doesn't have anything to do with penises or masturbation, or sexism, or anything. I know, I'm weird, sorry.

So I've been confounded by an intense elevator-related moral quandary. My apartment building has one of it's two elevators out of order. This means there's pretty lengthy wait times for the elevator, because it's about a 14 story building. Now- I live near the top, so every time I use the elevator I feel guilty, and feel like I should send the elevator somewhere to make everyone else's lives easier.

So the poll question: What should you *ideally* do when you leave the elevator?

 

[DefunctTheory]

If its busy, the elevator will go where it needs to go without you doing anything. If it's not busy, it doesn't matter - Waiting a minute for it to come back down to floor level is no big deal.

 

[tippy2k2]

It has never crossed my mind. Let nature takes it's course.

Now that you've made me think about it, the problem with sending it somewhere else is that you might be accidentally sending it AWAY from the next person. Like...if someone on the 13th floor in your scenario hits Lobby level to be nice to the next person while you're sitting on 14 now waiting for the elevator to go all the way down and then all the way up.

If Jurassic Park has taught me anything, it's that man should not try to play God. Leave the elevator alone.

 

[Barbas]

Send the bastard on a return journey to the ground floor and anyone who's already at the doors between 14 and G will catch it on the way.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Comon guys , we all know there is only one right answer. Check of there is anyone around and PRESS ALL THE BUTTONS. It's funniest if you are on the top floor

 

[Zontar]

As AccursedTheory stated the elevator will go where it needs to, when it needs to. On top of that most elevators will by default return to the ground floor after a certain period of time without being used due to it being the most used location.

There's really no need to feel guilty about things, a minute isn't going to harm anyone if they need to wait. If they're so desperate to get to where they're going that it's a major issue, there's always the fast way down as an alternative.

 

[Queen Michael]

Send it to the ground floor. Half of the time, that will be where it's supposed to be.

 

[FalloutJack]

I wasn't aware you could have a moral quandary about elevators. I don't do anything with it.

 

[DrownedAmmet]

Take the stairs, no moral quandaries there

Unless you're stuck behind a slow old person, then it's totally okay to push past them rudely, I've got shit to do gramps

 

[prowll]

Anything you do is going to be a variant of 'push all the buttons'. You are trying to override the programming already in place to lessen the time waiting. Don't do anything. If you feel guilt about it, take the stairs.

 

[Scarim Coral]

If I remember correctly, I used to lived on the 19th floor on a 20th floor flat for student during my 1st year of uni (I thought it was random that I got near the top floor as my other mates got lower floors). I think I did used to send it to the grond floors at times.

 

[Auron225]

None of the above. Do this instead, at least once per week.

 

[PainInTheAssInternet]

Don't tpuch it. If no one uses it, it'll probably go back to the main floor. If you're sending it back to the main floor and someone on the 13th floor wants to use it, they have to wait until it goes all the way down and then back up again.

 

[OneCatch]

So the poll question: What should you *ideally* do when you leave the elevator?

I'd imagine that the people who design elevator control programmes already take into account the most efficient course of action, so doing nothing is probably the best course of action.

 

[Ugicywapih]

I imagine that, mass of the cabin being rather significant in most cases, having the elevator perform unnecessary empty runs is ecologically and economically irresponsible. If we were to take it as a purely theoretical thought exercise where power consumption is not an issue, I'd go with sending it to the ground floor. In reality, however, I believe that in this case a potential waste of power is more significant than a potential waste of time and so I will leave the elevator cabin on the floor I exit barring exceptional circumstances such as me being aware that somebody will be approaching the elevator at a given floor on short notice (IE if I'm leaving a party and I've seen some other guests getting ready to evacuate as I do so).

All in all, I just overthink simple things, but I guess that's the idea behind this discussion anyway, isn't it?

 

[Wary Wolf]

None of the above. Do this instead, at least once per week.

Spoiler

Holy shit. I'll choose [Other] please.

It's one reason to take the stairs.

The other being that taking the stairs will turn even the sassiest of men into sexual tyrannosauruses.

 

[LetalisK]

Take the stairs. It's the best way to get a bomb ass....ass.