Culture & Entertainment

Are Canadians polite? My elevator experience indicates no

Canadian Living
Culture & Entertainment

Are Canadians polite? My elevator experience indicates no

Canadians can be rude when it comes to boarding elevators Personally, I've never understood the favorable reputation Canadians have somehow earned. In my experience at home and in the U.S., I've found we're not as polite and courteous as our neighbours south of the 49th parallel, despite popular opinion. See, I work in a highrise building. Granted, my office is on the second floor. And while the many employees who ride the elevator to offices higher up in the building may think I'm lazy, I'd much rather take the stairs. That way, I'd keep my sanity intact at least. But the stairs aren't accessible from the ground level outside of emergencies, so I'm still required to take the elevator daily. I've been doing so for almost six years now. Yet it never ceases to amaze me just how rude people are when it comes to reaching their destinations. I witnessed the worst etiquette of all time during the 2013 Ontario elevator workers strike. There were as few as one or two elevators in operation at any given time, but even during full service, people can't seem to find the patience and courtesy I would expect. It reminds me of when I used to ride the city bus to work and school. People would swarm the doors as they opened, almost as if every bus would be the very last in some sort of public transit apocalypse. Unless there's some sort of emergency, though, I don't see a reason to be so pushy, so individualistic, so rude. I think we would all find this world a better place if we just employed a few basic elevator etiquette practices.
  • If you weren't the first to arrive for the elevator, wait for others to board first.
  • Allow those with wheelchairs, canes or crutches to board the elevator first and hold the doors if necessary.
  • If the elevator isn't full, hold the doors for those trying to get on.
  • Offer to push the buttons for those whose hands are full or those who can't reach the floor control panel because of traffic.
  • If standing at the front of the elevator, don't block the doors when the elevator stops at a floor, and temporarily step off the lift, if necessary.
  (Photo courtesy Stockvault)

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Are Canadians polite? My elevator experience indicates no

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