We’ve all been there: stepping into an elevator with just one or two other people and immediately feeling the awkward silence. But why should we stand in silence? Let’s start talking! Use your elevator time to meet new friends, network, and test your confidence. It may seem daunting at first but go ahead and strike up a conversation with a stranger – at the very least, you could brighten their day.
Here are some conversation points to try in relation to elevator chatter:
- Impress them with some facts about elevators: Elevator History points out that elevators are the safest way to travel – in fact, they’re 20 times safer than escalators and many more times safer than driving in a car. Did you know that while about 26 people die in elevators each year in this country alone, 26 people perish in auto crashes every five hours? And did you also know that elevators carry the equivalent of the Earth’s population every three days? More than 325 million rides on elevators every day compared with 245 million on escalators.
- Bring up famous elevator scenes in movies, such as the fantastical ending scene in Willy Wonka. Or what about the touching and romantic breakdown scene so iconic in You’ve Got Mail. After spending some confined time with his girlfriend and a few fellow residents, Tom Hank’s character realizes once and for all that his girlfriend is not the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with? The big shift is his life happens in an elevator – imagine that. Whether it is a fun movie from childhood or a mushy romantic comedy, it is a pretty good bet everyone will have some memories to share.
- Chat about elevator phobia: While there is no official name for this, elevators seem to bring on agoraphobia or claustrophobia in several people. The Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation concludes that more than 210 billion passengers utilize elevators in the U.S. and Canada annually. No, not all people have a crippling fear of getting on an elevator, but many do feel slightly nervous when they do. While speaking about this may seem strange and ill-timed, it may just help put other riders’ minds at ease and make for some nice soothing conversation.
- Impart your knowledge about famous elevators, the most famous in this country being the St. Louis’ Gateway Arch. The world’s busiest and first elevator is in Salvador, Brazil, called the Lacerda Elevator, transporting 900,000 passengers each month in quick trips between Uptown and Downtown lasting just 30 seconds. It first opened in 1873 as the Conceição Hydraulic Lift, later renamed after its engineer in 1896. The Louvre Elevator in France, the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, and Taipei 101 in China all also boast famous elevators for speed and architectural significance.
Your conversation on an elevator doesn’t have to be about elevators. You can chat about the weather, ask them what they’re doing today, ask if they’ve seen the latest blockbuster at the theater, or just give a compliment.
If you are the owner of an elevator (or want to be one) and require a repair, please call Mowrey Elevator today.