March

Carlomagno gives up taking the elevator for the month of March. She describes lines that "snake outside the building" to get onto one of the functioning elevators in the building she works in. People wait in line longer to go up a flight or two than it would take them just to walk up. I have noticed this phenomenon with parking spots also. People will drive around and around waiting for a good spot to open up, in the time they could have parked a bit further and been inside their destination. The same thing happens at drive through windows. Whenever I notice a long line of cars at a drive through, I park and go in, and am back with my purchase before the last cars in line have placed their order.

The library I work in has four floors. I almost never use the elevator at work. I use the stairs for better health, and because I have seen the elevators here malfunction too many times. The only time I use the elevator is when I have a cart of books to take with me to another floor. I have some co-workers though who won't even do that. If they need to get a cart to another floor they put the cart on the elevator, and press the appropriate button and jump off. I can't say I blame them. Carlomagno describes getting stuck on the elevator herself. If you haven't seen the youtube video of the man stuck on an elevator for two days it will probably change your mind about using them ever again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_bMhNI_TY8