This thread reminded me of my first real job in a building with two manually operated elevators similar to the one pictured below. The operators were much more than people movers they provided directions, knew who was in the building, who was in a bad mood, etc... It was great fun to operate the elevators when we worked nights and weekends and it was not as easy as it looks to always come in for a soft landing. They finally upgraded to self-service elevators and the operators were placed in other jobs at the company. Just to keep the thread on track I do remember a couple of times when the elevators were stuck between floors. The doors were opened manually and the passengers were helped to climb up or jump down to the closest floor.
"The world's first LICKABLE elevator, lined with 1,325 Jaffa Cakes, in London. A Jaffa Cakes spokesman said: 'The wallpaper consists of Jaffa Cake-flavoured stickers. Once a spot is licked the sticker is removed by a lift attendant who is in the lift the whole time. His job is to stop any licking crossover, and potential germ spreading.
Because of a bad experience as a child, I was always afraid of elevators, especially self-operated ones. I eventually got over the fear in my 20's. Once I was headed down to City Hall to appear before the City Council to renew my non-profit organization's City permit to conduct fund-raising activities. I was in my favorite pink suit (straight above the knee skirt), pantyhouse, high heels, all the accessories. The elevator stopped between the first and second floors. Dead. Eventually, the fire department came and managed to get the elevator doors open and there was about a 3-foot opening at the top of the doors. A chair has handed down and one-by-one we stepped on the chair and were pulled out onto the second floor on our stomachs. By the time I got out, I was drenched with "terror-sweat", my pretty pink suit looked like I had been wrestling in the grease pit of a Jiffy-Lube and my hose were laddered worse than a fire truck. I still appeared before the City Council, looking like the Wreck of the Hesperus and I think they either felt sorry for me or were afraid that I was going to sue them and never even asked for my financial reports. Approved immediately! I've ridden in one of those "Pater Noster" elevators in Europe back in the 1960's. Didn't like it, at all. A very interesting elevator concept are the ones in the pyramid section of the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. Called the "inclinator", it moves at an angle and even though you are standing straight up, you still feel like you are leaning during the ride. Very disorienting.
I have never been stuck in a lift -although I don't think I would be bothered if I was.I use them all the time but was alarmed the other day when the message'Do not worry.Help is on the way' came over the intercom. Looks like this is the section for my quirky questions.