living nightmare
On Thursday at work I got stuck in the elevator for 20 minutes or so while the lights went on and off, the elevator slipped every few minutes, and the elevator shook and shuddered at random.
No one in the building seemed very concerned or offered any words of encouragement to shout down/up to me.
When I pressed the call button, which I found after ripping a panel off the wall, the ornery receptionist on the other end informed me an elevator repair man would be sent and that he could be expected to arrive in about 40 minutes or so from when the elevator first came to a sudden halt. When I started sobbing at this info, she hung up on me.
I was terrified. I thought I was going to die. I was alone and there was seemingly no one trying to help me. Someone yelled down and asked if I was stuck. I asked what floor I was near. 13th. That was the last I heard from anyone.
And no one cared because the attitude towards emergencies in this town have become quite blase. If an elevator falls down a shaft, its not as bad as the building catching on fire, or the broken water mains shutting down 8 blocks of the city, or rampant violent crime. So a busted elevator with a terrified person within is not really a cause for concern. That or I just work with a bunch of assholes.
“Oh, that weeping sound of despair? Thats just some chick trapped in the elevator. No big whoop”.
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Oh, I am so sorry to hear of your ordeal.
My downtown building is also a hazzard, and we’ve had to evacuate a couple of times for one reason or another. Each time, I found out about it “word-of-mouth”. One time, someone called me on my cell phone as they were evacuating the building down the 22 flights of stairs to see if I had gotten the word.
I know how you felt because it happened to me once Pre-K. Thankfully, there was someone else in there with me and it only took 20 minutes to get us out. The door opened between floors and the other occupant had to boost me up to get out. Cell phones didn’t work and we used the call button and they never answered us back.
I was freaked out, but a lawyer friend told me that she had represented an elevator company once and she learned that there are so many safety cables connected to elevators that it’s nearly impossible for them to go crashing down to the basement like they do in adventure movies. You should always stay back from the door, though, because they do stop between floors. Never step out without looking down.
I know how you feel! It’s very scary being stuck in an elevator alone, I was stuck recently for 1 1/2 very long hours. Here’s my story on my blog:
http://4travelingmermaid.blogspot.com/2006/04/dingdingdingtaptaptap.html
crybaby
If I were stuck in an elevator under those circumstances; given that no one seemed too concerned. I like to think that when someone did finally come save me the entire elevator would be soaked in urine and I’d have sprayed the whole place down with a shit-mist. I’d be naked with my belt tied around my head a little too tight and a tube sock tied around my erect junk.
That way I’m sure to get the rest of the day off and it sort of sends a message to everyone that this really is important.
But that’s me.
don’t change. we like you the way you are.
Where are you?? Did you finish the mural? Are you home boxing-up? Turn you cell phone on woman!!
1. NOYDB! :D
2. have not finished.
3. No. Wednesday. gonna help?
4. It’s on now.
While it’s scary to be trapped in an elevator, it’s not necessarily a life or death situation. elevators have several safeties on them so it’s nearly impossible for an elevator to plunge to the earth. Sure it may slip down a little bit but you’re not going to be falling down several floors.
Check the Myth-Busters episode where they test the myth of jumping at the last second before impact. They had to disable several safety devices and completely remove the emergency brake to get the elevator to fall.
Drama queen
I’m glad you are alive!
At least you got someone on the other end of the line and they gave you an estimate. And you heard other people in the building. I got stuck in an elevator after hours and nobody came until the next morning. The call box in the elevator was out of service, thanks to vandals. And at no time did I start crying or think that I was going to die.
Drama queen indeed.
next time, take the damn stairs.
Congratulations for being a big boy/girl, Anon & Anon2!