A New Thing in the Land

I work in a very modernistic building.  Its fairly new and has a lot of modern features.  Like the elevators.

There is a central bank of elevators, right across from the main stairwell.  Many people take the stairs and skip the elevators.  Others of us use the elevators pretty much all the time.

These elevators have a unique feature, one I've never seen in any other public building I've ever been in.

The buttons are outside the elevator cars.  To indicate which floor you want to go to, you have to push the button before you get inside the elevator.  And on every floor except the ground floor, there is only one set of buttons. On the ground floor there is a set by each elevator car.  On every other floor there is only one, in the center.

As you get in the elevator there is a display that lets you know what button or buttons have already been pushed. 

It also tells you whether its going up or down.  If the floor you want to go to is not displayed, think twice about getting in; it will not not be stopping at that floor.  If you come up to the elevator as the doors are shutting and the floor you want is not displayed, don't get in unless someone inside notices you and holds the door open while you push your button before getting in.

Inside, the only buttons are to hold the doors open or to close them.   I have had the doors literally shut in my face as I have tried to push my button and still make it in the car.  I've known of people who forgot to push a button before getting in and had the elevator just sit there, without going anywhere; they eventually had to push the button to open the door, get out, and push the button for their floor.  If you can get back inside in time you're good, otherwise you have to wait until the next one comes.  It's such a habit to get in and then push the button.

Some people are good about watching for others trying to get in and holding the doors for them.  Other people are oblivious to what's happening outside the door - in that case you miss it and have to wait for the next one.  And there must be a timing thing you have to get right, too.  If the elevator has decided its ready to go and is on its way even though the doors may still be open, whether you get the button and get inside or not, it misses your floor.  I've had that happen, too. 

Maybe the elevators are partly behind why so many people take the stairs all the time; maybe they're part of the company's employee wellness program.  Who knows.  I  just know there have been times when taking the elevator can be very frustrating.  Yeah, its a "first world problem", for sure.  Nevertheless.  I think it must have been after 5:00 when whoever selected this design made the decision.