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AIBU?

AIBU to say it doesn't change anything?

31 replies

Urubu · 21/09/2017 13:42

Either I am missing something or a LOT of people are.
I was waiting for an elevator, I had pushed the call button and this was obvious as it was therefore lit. A man arrives, pushes the button again (ok, maybe he didn't notice the light, fine), after 10sec he went to push it again.
I am seing variations of this daily, either pedestrians pushing the button to cross the street, people calling elevators or people choosing a floor in an elevator.

If the call button is lit, please someone tell me, why do so many people push it again??

Oh and does it make the green light / elevator come faster if you push the button 3-4 times in a row quickly? A lot of people seem to be doing this as well?

OP posts:
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Scribblegirl · 21/09/2017 13:46

I saw something about this on Twitter the other day. Their explanation was that it was misogynistic - though they were talking about men doing it when women have pressed the button.

Despite being a pretty hardcore feminist I don't massively see this. For me it's either impulse (hard to break habits!) or, as it usually is for me, I've been striding purposefully towards the button and would feel like a bit of a twat to realise I didn't have to press it, so I do it anyway. Sort of like when you style out a wave in the street by stroking your hair - an 'I meant to do it anyway' thing. I do suffer from social anxiety though, so it may just be me!

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Scribblegirl · 21/09/2017 13:47

Oh and on pressing it multiple times - those people are just twats who want to demonstrate that they are sooooo busy and important Grin

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Horriblehistories · 21/09/2017 13:50

I tend to press the lift button again. I'm a woman. I'm not sure why, just in case I guess.

I don't press the crossing button again.

I can't say I've noticed many people doing this, or that's it's bothered me if they do. They're probably just making sure.

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WingsofNylon · 21/09/2017 13:54

It just makes people feel like they are progressing things. It doesn't bother me. It is the same as if you say something is broken or not opening, the very first thing the next person does is to try it themselves. No big deal really.

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LetMeChangeYourSocks · 21/09/2017 14:04

Dunno why people do this either.

Peoples lift etiquette pisses me off anyway. Like when people wait right outside the doors, as if they don't realise people might want to get out first before they get in? Especially people with pushchairs...like how do you expect to get in here with your pushchair if you don't let me out with mine first?? And I can't get out if you're in the bloody way, just move the fuck out the way man Angry

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LetMeChangeYourSocks · 21/09/2017 14:05

Sorry bit of a rant there Blush

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BitOutOfPractice · 21/09/2017 14:06

I do it Blush In my fevered imagination, it makes the lift come quicker. I had no idea it was annoying. Sorry!

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PollyFlint · 21/09/2017 14:06

We all do stupid things like this without thinking about them, either out of habit or just for something to do. For example, most people will wiggle their mouse or around or tap their keyboard harder when their computer freezes, even though it will have absolutely no effect. It's just a harmless outlet for mild impatience that we all feel now and again.

It doesn't bother me when other people do it as it affects me in no way whatsoever. People who press the call button when I've already done it aren't doing it because they somehow think I didn't do it properly, they're just doing it for something to do. It's something and nothing, really.

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Bambamber · 21/09/2017 14:08

I think people are just impatient and think if you push it enough the lift will prioritise them. I see it every day, makes me chuckle every time, especially when they've already pushed it but the lift hasn't come quick enough so they press it again 30 seconds later

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StickThatInYourPipe · 21/09/2017 14:09

I saw something about this on Twitter the other day. Their explanation was that it was misogynistic - though they were talking about men doing it when women have pressed the button

Oh ffs really? I press it multiple times because I am an impatient fucker and like to feel like I'm doing something to hurry it up. Same reason I press an icon a million times to open something on a computer. It's all about my misplaced logic, nothing to do with who has pressed it first.

Literallly EVERYTHING has to be sexist now, it's belitteling the things that actually are!

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Ttbb · 21/09/2017 14:09

It makes sone people feel better. Makes no difference though.

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angelnix · 21/09/2017 14:11

To be fair, I was waiting for a lift the other day (joining the queue of people waiting) Waited for a bit and looked to spot that no one had pushed the lift call button!!

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BewareOfDragons · 21/09/2017 14:44

I get why children do it ... Grin

But grown ups? Weirdos. Trying to look important.

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BitOutOfPractice · 21/09/2017 14:46

Thanks Beware Grin

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KarateKitten · 21/09/2017 14:51

Sometimes a button is permanently lit in some way so you push it again and discover it goes red or blue when pushed meaning that being lit before didn't mean anything. Sometimes when I've been somewhere I'm familiar with and there's someone waiting oatientially at a button that is lit but not calling anything I then have to lean past and apologetically push the button to call the lift.

So people push buttons to see if the status of it changes and just not be sure. It's not a mystery. And someone standing waiting is honestly no guarantee it's been properly called.

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Mittens1969 · 21/09/2017 14:51

It does make me laugh, so pointless. I mean, obviously children will do it, it's fun, but would an adult really think it makes a lift come any more quickly???

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EssentialHummus · 21/09/2017 14:53

Oh and on pressing it multiple times - those people are just twats who want to demonstrate that they are sooooo busy and important grin

**

Seconded! Grin

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Lilymoose · 21/09/2017 14:59

I work in a big hospital with many lifts and see this all the time! It's as if people think we are just waiting by a lift for the fun of it.

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Silverthorn · 21/09/2017 15:03

Better than the situation I had where I rock up to a pedestrian crossing with 3-4ppl (obviously seperate) waiting. Wait for several minutes for no green man to appear. Turns out no one had pressed the button. Confused

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BertieBotts · 21/09/2017 15:06

It took me embarrassingly long to learn that the directions on the lift call buttons are to mean "I want to go up" or "I want to go down" not "I want the lift to come up/down to me". I spent years wondering how you were supposed to know if the lift was above or below you, and frequently pressed both, just in case. Blush

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OldEnglishSheepDog · 21/09/2017 15:08

I don't trust other people to have done it properly. Grin

No really. I really really don't.

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Goldfishshoals · 21/09/2017 15:12

Sometimes I'll push a button twice to make sure I did it properly. Because lots of lifts have different lights you really can't tell if it's pushed or not from them unless you are familiar with that particular one.

There's no harm pushing it more than once, but if it isn't pushed you're in for a long wait, so why not?

It's just a harmless outlet for mild impatience that we all feel now and again.

Spot on. I drum my fingers on my desk when waiting for a phone call sometimes. Not because I think I'm important, or I magically think the drumming will make them call. Just gives me something to do.

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xMeowx · 21/09/2017 15:14

I do this, thinking I'm going to speed up the lift somehow.

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AngelsSins · 21/09/2017 15:22

I've done it, it's more automatic and I don't realise the light is lit before my finger is inches from the button and then feel a dick for pressing it! I don't then press it again 10 seconds later though!

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MipMipMip · 21/09/2017 20:10

I just tend to be on auto.

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