Disadvantages of Elevators

Hopping on the elevator is a daily occurrence for many people who frequent buildings with multiple floors. As a matter of habit, people walk straight to the elevator and wait for the doors to open, then push the right button and take the ride. In some instances, this is the most logical way to get where you need to go; however, taking the elevator does have its share of disadvantages.

Stairs Are Faster

The elevator is very useful when it is necessary to travel the distance between several floors. But there are many times when people use the elevator to get from the first floor to the second or third. Because buildings with elevators also tend to have stairwells nearby; it is a good idea to take the stairs for these types of short trips unless you have a physical reason not to. According to research by students at the University of South Carolina, Aiken, it actually takes about twice as long on average to go from one floor to the next by elevator as it does to walk the stairs to the same spot. The wait was the main cause of the delay.

Promotes Laziness

A significant disadvantage of using an elevator is the laziness that it promotes. Climbing stairs is good physical exercise, and many people do not get enough exercise as it is. Even if the trip up the stairs is four or five stories, the person who climbs it will get more benefit physically than the lethargic person who stands on the elevator and waits to be effortlessly delivered to his destination.

Claustrophobia Concerns

Claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed spaces and crowds. This psychological condition is quite serious for those who have it, and the elevator is one of the most common triggers for panic by those affected by the phobia. Even if you have not been diagnosed as claustrophobic, being in a crowded elevator, and potentially getting stuck for a time in the small, enclosed space, can cause a certain amount of anxiety for an unsuspecting passenger.

Germs Haven

Many people may not consider it, but elevators are among the most germ-infested places around, according to Sixwise.com. Not only are passengers in an elevator locked in an enclosed space with potentially contagious people sneezing or coughing, but the buttons are a minefield of germs. Many fingers press the buttons inside the elevator between cleaning -- if they get cleaned at all. The first floor button is one that you’ll likely have to press to get out of the building. Everyone else who left the premises had to press it too. Using hand sanitizer or hand wipes with a sanitizing solution can decrease chances of picking up germs in the elevator.