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4 Elevator Safety Tips
While elevators are a necessity in daily life, they are also one of the most vulnerable spaces that you can step into.
They are confined spaces making it easy for criminals to infringe on your personal space or commit a crime against you. Since they are small and enclosed, there is no where to escape to, and it will be difficult to arm and defend yourself in time.
Elevators are also in public spaces like malls, office buildings, and hotels which means anyone can access and enter them, and they can be unpredictable.
Avoiding elevators is not possible in this day and age, so it's best to follow these simple tips to stay safe when riding them.
1. Enter Last, Exit First
Most people rush to the front of the line, wait in front of the elevator doors, and enter first, but it's best to hang back and let everyone else enter first while you enter last. This relatively unknown tactic allows you to observe the people entering the elevator first including their behavior, demeanor, and clothing.
Entering last also means you can exit first and immediately if there's a dangerous situation or even if you feel a little bit uncomfortable. You won't have to ask people to move for you to leave or push past people that you may already feel uncomfortable around.
Entering first means you will be generally stuck at the back of the elevator and in a much more vulnerable position if there is a dangerous situation.
2. Stand Near The Control Panel
Standing near the control panel gives you direct access to the safety and emergency buttons in the elevator. With this position, you can do everything from alerting law enforcement to calling the phone operator to stopping the elevator at the next floor to get off, even if it isn't your floor.
3. Back Against The Wall
Keeping your back against the elevator wall is a smart technique you can use if you feel uncomfortable with someone else in the elevator. If your back is to the suspicious individual, they may feel more emboldened to scope you out for a crime or to even act on it. By facing them, your vision, alertness, and consciousness will be in their direction and can help act as a deterrent against criminal action.
4. Don't Enter If You're Unsure
It's important to be situationally aware when you're in public. This will help you evaluate strangers for potential threats and to act accordingly.
If you arrive at the elevator and an individual there is acting strange, or if you're waiting for the elevator and an individual approaches the elevator lobby and is acting strange, you can and should take a different elevator.
Strange actions might include constant glancing at you, fidgeting with their hands or with something in their pocket, tense and stiff body language, strange clothing or accessories.
There will always be another elevator coming soon and spending an extra couple of minutes waiting for one could be the difference between life and death.
Bonus Tip: Attach A Safety Keychain and Hold Your Keys
Attach a safety keychain like a kubaton or cat ears to your keys, and hold your keys in your hands while riding in the elevator if you feel unsafe.
If you're in a parking lot, office building, or apartment complex, it's completely normal to have your keys out in your hands since you would've just used them or are about to. Add an extra layer of protection by attaching a safety keychain to your keys so they are immediately accessible if you need them.
