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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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?

OP posts:
AgnesX · 03/12/2025 18:50

The thought makes me feel quite ill 😬

myusernamewastakenbyme · 03/12/2025 18:52

No ive never been stuck in a lift, but randomly on my Instagram last week, a story popped up of a lady in China who was trapped in a lift and her body was found over a month later.
It was really horrific and the story was in my head for days😥

bestcatlife · 03/12/2025 18:53

Thankfully not - my biggest fear! I don't use lifts as I'm terrified of them. I once watched a YouTube video of the security camera footage of a man stuck in a lift over the Christmas break .. he was stuck for 2 days! It made me sick 🤢 so scary!

DeQuin · 03/12/2025 18:54

I have been stuck in a lift many times, but not in the UK and over 40 years ago. It was always fine and never a big deal. They came and rescued us really quickly (in those days there were phones and/or alarms in the lifts). I have also had to climb out of a lift that was stuck between two floors. It was always fine; we were always rescued really quickly. I don't know if that helps, but given I have experienced a few of your worst case scenarios I can tell you that they were really short, really easily solved, and have never worried me.

bestcatlife · 03/12/2025 18:54

Omg that story of the Chinese lady haunts me. 😥

ComfortFoodCafe · 03/12/2025 18:54

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.

HelloDandy · 03/12/2025 18:55

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.

Burnnoticed · 03/12/2025 18:56

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.

AdventureAnonymous · 03/12/2025 18:56

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!

Blarn · 03/12/2025 18:57

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

PumpkinPie2016 · 03/12/2025 18:57

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.

bestcatlife · 03/12/2025 18:59

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

SabbatWheel · 03/12/2025 19:01

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.

ilovesooty · 03/12/2025 19:01

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

AgentPidge · 03/12/2025 19:01

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!

mindutopia · 03/12/2025 19:02

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… 🤷🏻‍♀️

ThatJollyGreySquid · 03/12/2025 19:02

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

EleanorReally · 03/12/2025 19:03

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

Om83 · 03/12/2025 19:04

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!)

JudgeBread · 03/12/2025 19:05

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.

BitOfAWeirdo · 03/12/2025 19:05

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!

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 03/12/2025 19:06

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

IAmNotSureAboutYouNow · 03/12/2025 19:06

Yes three times but not for long each time thankfully

Evolutionarygoals · 03/12/2025 19:06

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 🙄

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