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

I once got stuck in a glass lift 4 inches off the floor in a gym reception area. It was like being a museum exhibit. Mortifying.

Yes twice. Once at work in a large glass lift for about 20 minutes which was fine, just a bit boring.

The second time was an overfull, tiny lift in a hot country. We were stuck for over an hour trying to call the engineer who spoke no English! That wasn’t fun.

If it eases your mind, the odds of being stuck in a lift are approximately 1 in every 100,000 journeys, so it’s relatively rare. In terms of plummeting to your death, it’s virtually impossible nowadays, short of an incident involving major sudden building damage which impacts the shaft: modern lifts have complex weighted braking systems and multiple cables to prevent it from happening. I’ve sometimes felt uneasy using cranky high-rise lifts in poorly maintained buildings in developing countries, but have never been stuck in a lift or experienced mechanical failure anywhere.

Im terrified as well of this. I always take the stairs if I can

Lifts in China are perhaps less well maintained than lifts in the UK you would assume. We have a lot of laws about safety standards. Even the lifts in Germany where I live feel dodgy compared with lifts in the UK - the one in our tower block had heavy push doors you had to manually open. I am lazy though so used it a fair bit.

Apparently they have a load of safety features including failsafe after failsafe to prevent them plummeting.

Very briefly this summer. The lift in the hotel we were staying in got stuck. We pressed the emergency buzzer and the hotel owner got the lift started within about 10 minutes. No big deal. The only annoyance was that we didn't really need to take the lift as it was only a couple of flights up, but I'd finally given in to DD's begging 🙄

Yes three times but not for long each time thankfully

Once, at work. I'd just been to buy coffee and a paper, and I was alone, so I wasn't too bothered.

I was stuck in a lift in a hotel in Vung Tao, Vietnam. I pressed the emergency button and was rescued a few minutes later. I had to jump down a few feet, but was helped by hotel staff.

My friends I was travelling with thought it was hilarious!

I got stuck in a goods lift at work once while on a night shift, one of those with manual concertina doors that you can open whenever. When I tell you how my heart dropped into my stomach when I opened the door to be met with a brick wall.

Was in there for 8 hours. Luckily this was when I was in my early 20's and still had the bladder of a camel, so I just dozed off in the corner until the engineer arrived.

My mum got stuck in the lift in our local Waitrose last year- she was in there about an hour while they called the engineer out. I went to pick her up once she’d gotten out- She was a bit shaken and despite them saying her full shop was on them, she just wanted to get home so sent me off to get her a loaf of bread and milk and that was that (wouldn’t let me add a few bottles of champers to her shopping list- she’s very honest!)

no, i havent
i have been stuck in a loo in the basement of a pub

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

No, but my friend met her husband stuck in a lift. She was leaving a party at a friend’s house, nearly took the stairs, but someone held the door as she was going past, so she decided to hop in. Lift got stuck for 2 hours and fire brigade had to come unstick them.

In those 2 hours, she ended up chatting to one of the guys in the lift. They really connected. Exchanged numbers when they got out. He asked if he could take her out for dinner. The rest is history.

They’ve been together 15 years or so now with two dc. When life gives you lemons and all… 🤷🏻‍♀️

They are supposed to be really safe, OP. Automatic shut-off stops it plummeting, etc. But I never get in one, I'm like you!

We lived in a tower block. Never used the lift because it was always breaking down, which it did the day we moved out and one of the removal men was stuck in there for about two hours, IIRC. When they got him out he was really sweating, and the funniest thing is that he had opened one of the boxes and found a bottle of some dodgy liqueur, which he'd drunk and from the look on his face had found disgusting!

I was stuck in one for several hours in Malta a few years ago.

I got stuck in the old gated lift at the Royal Horticultural Halls when I was a student and temping as a catering assistant - the lift stuck about 1ft from the bottom and I couldn’t open the double gates, but the chefs could all see me from the kitchens and were pissing themselves. One of them came to help as apparently it was a regular issue. It was funny and we all had a laugh about it. They were a good crew.

I used to walk up 10 floors to my lectures at University.. 😣

I was always nervous of lifts and did get stuck in one. Thankfully, there was an engineer on site so I wasn't stuck for long but I was petrified.

That was about 13 years ago and I have never used a lift since! I just can't get in one now.

I thought I was at work the other day then realised I hadn't pushed the button for the floor I wanted

Yes, with my kids - it wasn't my favourite few minutes. The alarm button wasn't working but luckily it was a glass lift so we were able to wave and shout for help!

Yes, for about 30 mins as a child. I've lived many decades since and used lifts thousands of times since and it's never happened again.

This is the Chinese lady article.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-35739046

Yes I have several times where I worked and each time was horrible. It left me with a fear of them and even now I won't use them if I don't have too. I always take stairs if possible.

Yes. Got stuck in once for six hours. With complete strangers. Was a bloody nightmare this is in a times before mobile phones were a thing too.