Ever been stuck in an elevator?

[HappyTogether]

Got stuck with five other people in a small European elevator last week for an hour. Extremely traumatic for me and two of the others who are very claustrophobic.

 

[barkley]

got dropped in one once. it only fell about half a floor but then the door wouldn't open for several minutes. this was about 20 years ago, and to this day I'm hesitant to ride in some (older) elevators.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Got caught between floors once. We pried the door open and climbed out. To heck with that!!!

 

[wdw4rfam]

Yup, was doing a maternity ward tour while pregnant at the hospital, with 15 other pregnant women. The wonderfully smart tour leader assured us that we would not max the weight limit. We did, the elevator fell to the basement (slowly, took 10minutes), then the doors wouldn't open. We were stuck 15 minutes, but felt like hours because we were packed shoulder to shoulder. I always take the stairs now. The day I actually went into labor I took the stairs up to the 5th floor stopping for contractions because there was no way I was getting in that elevator again.

 

[kimblebee]

No, and it's one of my greatest fears. I'm not claustrophobic but I wouldn't handle it well. These stories are creeping me out!

 

[Skywise]

Haven't gotten stuck in one but had a job interview in the city in a much MUCH older office building (I'm thinking circa 1930s or 1940s - the kind with a small lobby that had a bank of elevators on the left and a coffee shop on the right). The elevators were original and had mushroom like buttons (circular buttons on posts with the numbers on them). Nothing I hadn't seen before - my great grandmother's old nursing home had something like them and they were spring loaded so you pushed the button and, although nothing would light up, the elevator knew to stop on the floor.

So I went to push the button for my floor and the button pushed in and STAYED in. (OH @*#$@(! I BROKE IT!) Turned out these buttons were relay style and would stay in to indicate which floor was selected. Once the floor was reached the button "popped" out.

 

[christineann]

No, but I do have occasional nightmares that I am in a stuck or falling elevator. I have ridden Tower of Terror......once. I would rather walk several flights of steps than take an elevator, but it's unavoidable sometimes.

 

[Hrhpd]

No, and it's one of my greatest fears. I'm not claustrophobic but I wouldn't handle it well. These stories are creeping me out!

 

[Robinrs]

Many many many time

I lived in a high rise apartment building and worked in a high rise office for all of my life in NYC... you rode an elevator more than you rode in a car!

I could tell you nightmares...

 

[manning]

Note to self....don't drink water.

 

[barkley]

No, but I do have occasional nightmares that I am in a stuck or falling elevator. I have ridden Tower of Terror......once. I would rather walk several flights of steps than take an elevator, but it's unavoidable sometimes.

dh and my kids are floored that tower of terror doesn't bother me. I tell them it's b/c I know the fall is part of the mechanics of the ride whereas if you've ever fallen or been stuck in an elevator you know full well (1) it's not planned, and (2) there's no kiosk with a memento photo waiting for you when you exit!!!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I got stuck in a small one in Spain over Christmas--but only for about 10 minutes. DH was wondering why it was taking me so long to run down and get something out of the car

DH got stuck in one in Poland a while back (last summer I think). He was the only one it, thankfully, he is a big guy and it was one of those very small European ones. It was over 100 degrees, and the elevator was totally dark when it got stuck and his cell phone would not work from inside it.

 

[jerseygal]

Yes, about 27 years ago, got stuck at Macys Shopping with my then 2 month old in a stroller....

Only for 15 minutes, but very scared!

Now I am "paranoid"...I unfortunately avoid elevators at all costs when I can...

 

[HappyTogether]

I HATED it.

 

[Unas]

Nope, but I pee before I get on one just in case.

 

[Skywalker]

Yes!

I was in a building and got on the elevator at the 6th floor. I pressed the Lobby button...doors closed and the elevator starting rising instead! It slowly rose all the way up to between the 29th and the 30th floor and stopped. I was trying to keep myself calm but all I could envision was it suddenly free-falling to the bottom (like that scene in the Omen II). But it just sat there. I was pressing the alarm button, the lobby button, there was a contact security button but nothing was lighting up, no one was answering, etc. After about 20 minutes it took me back to the 6th floor where I got on. I ran off that thing and took the stairs from then on.

I have had had other incidents but much shorter duration and I was not stuck as high so they did not bother me as much!

I will still take the stairs whenever the option is there.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Yes - two years ago in my condo building. We were on the way to see Bruce Springsteen at Wrigley - when the elevator stopped between floors!

We had to pry it open and jump about 5 feet to the 4th floor and then just took stairs. Nothing was making me miss Bruce!

 

[2Eskiedogs]

Stuck in the elevator at work for about 25 minutes. When I was waiting to get on there was only 2 other people waiting with me. When the doors opened there was 4 people in there. A group of about 8 came around the corner and asked the person they knew who was in the elevator to hold the door for them. They get on, it was pretty full, with everyone wearing their winter jackets and bags and such.

It was one of those moments when we got stuck, that I was like, man, should have gone to the bathroom. Had to control the hysteria that was growing inside me. Don't take the elevator anymore when I go to that building.

 

[PigletsPal2]

DH and I were apartment-hunting in Istanbul when we were trapped between floors in a VERY small elevator for half an hour with two Turkish gentlemen whose standards of personal hygiene were far from Western standards! I'm only slightly claustrophobic, but this sent me 'round the bend! I won't get into small elevators anymore.

Queen Colleen

 

[Funfire240]

I did a few weeks ago in my office building. I was stuck between the 1st and 2nd floors. I was by myself and just happened to throw myself into a complete panic. I called my co-worker who went down to the front desk and also called the emergency phone and kept ringing the bell. It was only about 20 minutes but felt like a lot longer to me. the doors had to be pried open and I climbed out as the 2nd floor was about 3 feet up from where I stopped - I did then laugh that I felt like I was being rescued in a movie.