Elevator etiquette can be tricky at the best of times.
How many people is too many people in an elevator? Do you make eye contact or idle chit chat? How far away does someone have to be before you don’t bother holding the doors open for them? If someone passes gas, is it rude to move away from them?
Now, of course, all bets are off when it comes to traditional elevator rules, thanks to COVID-19.
You should not be sharing an elevator with someone you aren’t living with under any circumstances.
And yet some people are still acting like nothing has changed, despite repeated warnings by B.C. health officials about social distancing. Unless your apartment has a freight-elevator-sized lift, there’s no way you can maintain a proper physical distance in that tiny space. It also doesn’t matter if you are wearing a mask.
I’ve entered my Burnaby apartment building a few times and watched as people who clearly don’t know each have crammed into the same elevator – just begging to get sick.
They’ve even held the door open for me and asked if I was getting on. Um, no, I don’t feel like entering a possible virus incubator. Mama didn’t raise no dummy.
Things got worse the other day when I was heading out on my weekly grocery shopping trip. The elevator stopped and a woman who had been waiting tried to get on without asking if I was comfortable about this.
I stopped her as politely as I could, although I was feeling incredulous. Perhaps it was just a reflex for her to get on the elevator? It happens.
But no, she was furious that I wouldn’t let her on. I said “sorry” (even though I wasn’t sorry) as the doors closed, adding it was less risky this way.
“Jerk,” I heard her say as the door shut.
That seems uncalled for. We’re in the middle of a pandemic. Is it really weird to not want someone on the elevator with you? Just wait for the next car.
I had to block another person on a different day, a dude, and he looked annoyed, but didn’t say anything.
What I fear is that the politeness of many Canadians will mean they don’t have it in them to turn someone down from getting on an elevator.
Do us all a favour – just say no.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
