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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask if you've ever been stuck in a lift?

80 replies

BlueJuniper94 · 03/12/2025 18:49

I'm terrified of lifts. I'm scared of getting stuck in one and at best being stuck, bored, needing the bathroom while awaiting rescue and inconvenienced. At worst, plummeting to my death or having to climb through a tiny gap and being chopped in half. I think this is probably crazy. BUT aibu to ask if you've ever had a lift incident? They're quite safe and nothing ever really happens right?

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Squirrel60 · 04/12/2025 11:54

Last year I got stuck in the outside lift at the Co-Op! I'm physically disabled and have painful difficulties in walking up the huge steps so I went in the lift with my 4-wheeled seated walker and the lift wouldn't move!

There's a glass window on both the doors so I wasn't blocked in in that way but it was the first time in my entire life I'd ever been lift stuck, and even though I could see out, I still panicked after calling for help!

OhamIreally · 04/12/2025 08:41

Yes there were regular issues with the lifts where I used to work. This one time it stopped about two feet off the ground floor. A handsome security guard prised open the doors and lifted me out. Nice memory.

trainedopossum · 04/12/2025 01:06

Many years ago a colleague was stuck in the staff lift at Harvey Nichols. It was about big enough for two or three people and they weren’t there for long but she was so shaken she had to go home.

I read an article about a man who was stuck for 41 hours and it made such an impression sometimes bits of it come back to me. His life was never the same.

Bikergran · 03/12/2025 23:52

I was once stuck in a very tiny lift that only goes up one level(from supermarket to rooftop car park). There were 6 of us in the lift, 3 couples, and I knew one of the other couples. Being British, we made light of it, and the lady I didn't know said "Well, if we get stressed, we could all sing!". I told her that as it was a very small lift, my friend was a professional jazz singer and I was operatically trained, that might be a bit overpowering.....🤣.....we were only stuck for about 10 minutes before they sorted it. I also worked at a large hospital where the huge lifts regularly got stuck, but it was rarely for more than 15 minutes, and they CANNOT plummet down the shaft. On the bright side, think how fit all those stairs are keeping you.

Justmadesourkraut · 03/12/2025 22:16

ThatJollyGreySquid · 03/12/2025 19:02

I went to University in Sheffield and regularly got stuck in the Paternoster!

I applied to Sheffield but withdrew after my interview partly because I couldn't cope with the paternoster!

ICouldHaveCheckedFirst · 03/12/2025 22:14

Yes, when I was a student in halls. My best friend was with me, and we thought it hilarious. We weren't stuck for long but did have to climb out in the end.

I also got locked in to my local library once, but that was my own fault, and another story altogether.

Watto1 · 03/12/2025 22:14

Once at uni. Fortunately the doors did open so it wasn’t too claustrophobic. However the 12 inch gap was above my head so no chance of climbing out. I was stuck with a guy I had fancied all year - every cloud!

Tarkan · 03/12/2025 22:08

Yep but not for long. We were at a museum which had huge warnings about only allowing one wheelchair or one adult with a child in a buggy at a time. I went into it with my youngest in the buggy while my then-partner went up the stairs with our older child and some absolute twat decided to shove into the lift too before it went and of course it jammed and staff had to fix it, all the while glaring at us saying we should have paid attention to the signs. I’d been going through a bad time with PPD so I couldn’t cope with saying anything and spent the rest of the time there trying not to cry at being blamed for it when it wasn’t my fault. It’s been 15 years since then and it still pisses me off (but nowadays I’d at least manage to say something).

ShesTheAlbatross · 03/12/2025 22:01

CalmShaker · 03/12/2025 21:48

Sorry text autocorrect, Subway (as in the sandwich takeaway) , M4 services Membury. Wasn't too bad as I just bought a 6" and did a scratch card (won a fiver)

Edited

That is such a disappointing correction. I was imagining a multi storey submarine!

TrickyD · 03/12/2025 22:01

We have just had a lift installed in our house. It is supposed to have plenty of safety features.
Nevertheless I now wish that I hadn’t read this thread.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 03/12/2025 21:54

Yes, at the hospital cancer centre earlier this year. There were three of us, two cancer patients (both of us quite weak and ill) and one relative. The lift started moving again about 10 minutes after we pressed the alarm button. Thankfully, as I felt awful and just wanted to get home!

MagnusCanis · 03/12/2025 21:53

I haven't ever actually been stuck in a lift, but John Parrott did threaten me with it once.

itsallabitofamystery · 03/12/2025 21:51

Yes, at Manchester airport. I must have been not much older than a toddler (I’m 40 now). I let go of my mums hand and went running towards a pilot. No idea why, mum thinks I wanted to say hello. He was in the lift, and just as my mum was chasing after me, the doors shut and off I went. It then got stuck. I obviously can’t remember any of this, just the story from my mum. But all went well, I don’t think i was stuck for long and i wouldn’t have missed the flight as it was the captain of our flight. I then had a picture with him and my brother once on board, as you could go in the cockpit back then. I have no recollection of it, but even my brother remembers my panicked mum and thinking we might miss the flight and he was only 19 months older than me.

CalmShaker · 03/12/2025 21:48

MagnusCanis · 03/12/2025 21:46

What kind of submarine has a lift installed in it?

Sorry text autocorrect, Subway (as in the sandwich takeaway) , M4 services Membury. Wasn't too bad as I just bought a 6" and did a scratch card (won a fiver)

DevaneyRob43 · 03/12/2025 21:47

I have on at least 4 separate occasions, three at work. It's not much fun. The one where there were 12 of us rather than the recommended 10 was particularly unpleasant

MagnusCanis · 03/12/2025 21:46

CalmShaker · 03/12/2025 21:39

Yes about 2 years ago in a submarine

What kind of submarine has a lift installed in it?

Bruisername · 03/12/2025 21:44

CalmShaker · 03/12/2025 21:39

Yes about 2 years ago in a submarine

2 fears unlocked

Fifthtimelucky · 03/12/2025 21:44

I was stuck in one at work once, between floors.

I was about 8 months pregnant and not in a state to do any squeezing through narrow gaps or climbing out through hatches. I was most worried about being stuck in it for hours and needing the loo.

There were about four of us in the lift and I remember one of my colleagues using the emergency phone and calling for help. Her words were something like “we’ve got a woman pregnant in here” which rather lightened the mood!

I think we were in there for about 40 minutes in total, so not too bad.

saraclara · 03/12/2025 21:43

My friend got stuck in the lift at his block of flats late one night. Helpfully the details of who to call in that event, were on the wall outside the lift.
Fortunately he had his phone and called me. I found the number for the 24 hour concierge for the group of blocks of flats, and called them. He was out in an hour or so after that.

I'd be reluctant to get in a lift without my phone. And I check that the emergency details are inside the lift.

CalmShaker · 03/12/2025 21:39

Yes about 2 years ago in a submarine

GameofPhones · 03/12/2025 21:37

Crikey these stories are scaring me to the point that I'll avoid lifts from now on. Despite the fact that I have been stuck in a lift once myself. This was at work, and the manager knew I was stuck. He was very unpopular (certainly with me) but on this occasion was an absolute rock for me, kept talking to me through the shaft until rescue came after about half an hour.

StinkerTroll · 03/12/2025 21:35

I've never been stuck in one and only once have been worried about getting stuck in one.... in labour (19 years ago) I was coming into the hospital with my best friend (husband was parking the car), I was due to be induced but had gone into slow labour before hand, worked out I had to go to the first floor, friend - 'come on! We'll get the lift!' Me - are you out if your (many, many, many VERY bad words) mind! Can you imagine getting stuck in the lift with me in labour!!??' This sent us over the edge so badly I ended up crawling up the stairs because I was contracting but laughing so hard, we arrived at the ward doors to be greeted by a nurse whose first words to is were (keeping in mind we were propping each other up and still howling) 'But you're in labour!' That finished us off completely!

Roseshavethorns · 03/12/2025 21:31

About 30 years ago I was in a lift at work that fell a couple of floors and then stopped half way between floors. I was ok until the other person in the lift started freaking out. I'll never forget the lift engineer's bloody hand trying to prize the door open.
The worst thing was that when I finally got back to the office (I had been on my lunch break) they took the time off my Flexi.
I have been really nervous in lifts ever since.

Bruisername · 03/12/2025 21:25

Yes. A hotel abroad. DH went ahead and I stepped into the lift dressed up for the wedding we were attending

lift stopped between floors and I was just thinking what to do when the doors opened and a very surprised lift engineer was there. He took my hand and helped me out while I said ‘thank you so much’ in my most Queen like voice and wandered off to reception.

I found out later that the lift had been out of service for 2 days and the engineer must have thought this strange English lady is remarkably chipper given her 2 day ordeal

LlynTegid · 03/12/2025 21:23

Once for maybe five minutes in a hotel in Amsterdam, it had hardly moved so I could be heard and speak to the staff.