Thread

1. olex · 1785513747 · focus · HN ↗

   The biggest problem I always have with elevators is not the algorithm, it's the people seemingly being unable to grasp the concept of pressing either the up or the down request button, depending on where they want to go. Almost always I find someone will press both, because "then the elevator comes faster". Completely ignoring the fact that they end up going the wrong way first half the time, and adding an unnecessary halt for everyone already in there. How hard can it be to understand?..

   1. trivo · 1785514036 · focus · HN ↗

      And then when the elevator door opens, they ask the people inside: "Are you going up or down?" There's an arrow showing that, for Christ's sake.

      1. themaninthedark · 1785515180 · focus · HN ↗

         True but sometimes someone hits a button on the inside by mistake. Or someone was going to get off then decides not to.

         1. SoMomentary · 1785515904 · focus · HN ↗

            Sometimes I think "stupid" questions like these are just a way to break the ice, something that gets used to kindly acknowledge the momentary existence of others in our lives before we continue down our separate paths.
         2. deathanatos · 1785517636 · focus · HN ↗

            … and the elevator is still going the way it is going, and that way is still indicated by the illuminated arrow.
      2. wpm · 1785516084 · focus · HN ↗

         Yeah and you can flail your head around looking for the arrow or you can just ask. Especially on a busy elevator lobby there might be multiple cars opening at the same time so you cant even tell from the ding/ding-ding

         1. ImPostingOnHN · 1785558496 · focus · HN ↗

            or just point your eyes a few degrees away to look at the dedicated arrows next to each elevator, built for this exact use case, which indicate whether that specific elevator is going up or down?

            I have to assume this is a cultural difference and you just don't have those indicators where you live, rather than "slightly moving my eyes is too hard, better make my problem into somebody else's problem"

      3. gabrieledarrigo · 1785518075 · focus · HN ↗

         "Questions are never indiscreet. Answers sometimes are."

         1. GurnBlandston · 1785522456 · focus · HN ↗

            "Have you stopped urinating in public?"
         2. NetMageSCW · 1785798337 · focus · HN ↗

            When did you stop beating your wife?
      4. ButlerianJihad · 1785573939 · focus · HN ↗

         The direction is also indicated by the chime sound, which only blind people and YouTube viewers seem to know.

         As for button pressing: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Cargo_cult#As_a_metaphor" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Cargo_cult#As_a_metaphor

         1. shmeeed · 1785588829 · focus · HN ↗

            TIL! I need to keep an ear open for this.

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