Both elevators in my office include this notice:
SHOULD THE ELEVATOR DOORS FAIL TO OPEN
DO NOT BECOME ALARMED.
THERE IS LITTLE DANGER OF RUNNING OUT OF AIR
OR OF THIS ELEVATOR DROPPING UNCONTROLLABLY.
PLEASE USE BUTTON MARKED “ALARM” OR
TELEPHONE (IF FURNISHED) TO SUMMON AID.
Here are a few of the issues I have with this sign:
- If I am not supposed to become alarmed, why label the button ALARM?
- The fact that it says, “THERE IS LITTLE DANGER,” seems to imply that there is, in fact, some danger involved. So maybe I will run out of air and / or drop uncontrollably? That’s mildly worrisome.
- Why the “(IF FURNISHED)”? When the sign was installed did the elevator not have a telephone? Or did the sign installer think that there was a possibility that the telephone might one day be removed?
- And, finally, using all uppercase letters is not exactly calming.
At least they’re better than the signs in the elevator at my last building.
And this gets “Funniest Post of the day, 2009”.
This sign is/was probably a Los Angeles city ordinance, as every known example of this sign that I’m aware of is in the city.
Los Angeles is the only city in California that does its own elevator inspections. All other elevators in California are inspected by the state. (This is because the city started inspections before the state did and someone in Sacramento was nice enough to grandfather Los Angeles.)
The “if furnished” part suggests that someone took the ordinance too literally instead of customizing the sign. (or the city elevator inspector decided to enforce it too literally?)