5 Things You Think Work, But Actually Don't

[TX50]

Why do elevators (lifts, in my country) have Otis written inside them? Because I don't hear any soul music when I'm travelling in one.

The Dutch word for "rescue" is "redding". The Otis lift in one of the offices I worked in had a notice about who to call for rescue in case of emergency: Otis Redding.

 

[Akhenaten]

Oh man, didn't anyone ever tell you? Never dip your bacon in your coffee, and especially not on Level 10. Nooooooooooooo!

This goes a long way towards explaining my lifelong problem with premature elevations.

 

[Almo]

At the university I went to for my bachelor's, there was a moment just before the elevator doors opened when pushing the close button would prevent them from opening, skipping that floor. It annoyed people to no end.

 

[rjh01]

At the university I went to for my bachelor's, there was a moment just before the elevator doors opened when pushing the close button would prevent them from opening, skipping that floor. It annoyed people to no end.

Have to try that one on an elevator that has a close button that works.

 

[NobbyNobbs]

When I was about 5 or 6 years old I figured out that pressing all the buttons just as you're exiting the elevator actually works to make all the people in the elevator really, really pissed-off.

My aunt and uncle live in Manhattan on the 42nd floor of a 50-some story high rise. We went to visit when I was young and I was delighted to discover the elevator buttons were heat sensitive. You didn't have to actually press one, you just had to hold your finger close. I suspect it was part novelty and part benefit to senior citizens who might have trouble pushing the button. (I really have no idea; that's just my best guess.)

Of course, every useful technology can be abused too. I soon discovered that when exiting the elevator I could lean in, wave my hand in front of the panel, and light up the whole damn thing.

 

[EHocking]

Originally Posted by Debaser
I particularly like the fact that the DoT wanted to get away from 'zoological names', but we've ended up with not only Zebras and Pelicans, but Puffins, Toucans and even Pegasuses (Pegasii?)

Is that the kind of crossing that a particular local community are campaigning their council to install, but which at present doesn't exist?

No.

Pegasus crossings are also known as "flyovers".

 

[EHocking]

At the university I went to for my bachelor's, there was a moment just before the elevator doors opened when pushing the close button would prevent them from opening, skipping that floor. It annoyed people to no end.

At ours, you could also use this manouevre with the added benefit of hitting the floor you want and reversing the direction of the lift, e.g., catch a lift, that was going up, on floor 3. Hit the emergency stop button and then the floor 1 button and it would cancel the "up" command.

 

[Almo]

Hehe good one.

 

[dogjones]

The HDTV entry is pure nonsense. HDTVs do exactly what they claim to do. The fact that some people can't tell the difference between a standard signal and an HD signal is an entirely different matter.

But that is exactly what the entry said...