Elevator Snubbing in Friendship Heights
Another rant...I work in a six-story office building in Friendship Heights. There happens to be a day spa in the building (which I frequent) along with a tapas restaurant and countless doctor's offices. So there are a lot of people entering the building every day.
It seems as though I encounter what I'll call 'Elevator Snubbing' at least 4 days out of the workweek. Elevator Snubbing is when I'm walking 10 feet behind you, you reach the elevator first, you enter the elevator, and then you allow the doors to close right as I reach the elevator. You don't hold the elevator for me. You act like you didn't hear the click-clacking of my heels directly behind you. You know you heard me. I wear 3-inch heels everyday, and their sound is unmistakable on the lobby's tile floors. PLUS there is a mirror next to the elevators, so you can see who is approaching the elevators behind you. Sweetie, you have no excuse for not being helpful and holding the door.
The funny thing is that this appears to be a unique phenomenon with women between the ages of, say, 25 and 60. Men always hold the elevator door for me, no matter what age they are. Women my mother's age always hold the door. Teenaged girls seem to hold the door. But career-aged women don't seem to help each other out. What's up, ladies?
Is this a Friendship Heights phenomenon? I don't think so. Is this a phenomenon of ladies who don't visit office buildings very often? Absolutely not, because I recognize a lot of the offenders as women who work in the building.
What up?!
Let it be known that if you are 10 yards away, I will hold the elevator for you. I will even call out "going up?" Because I'm a nice person. I'm considerate of others. And I don't mind waiting an additional 5 seconds for strangers.
5 seconds, people. That's all I ask.
It seems as though I encounter what I'll call 'Elevator Snubbing' at least 4 days out of the workweek. Elevator Snubbing is when I'm walking 10 feet behind you, you reach the elevator first, you enter the elevator, and then you allow the doors to close right as I reach the elevator. You don't hold the elevator for me. You act like you didn't hear the click-clacking of my heels directly behind you. You know you heard me. I wear 3-inch heels everyday, and their sound is unmistakable on the lobby's tile floors. PLUS there is a mirror next to the elevators, so you can see who is approaching the elevators behind you. Sweetie, you have no excuse for not being helpful and holding the door.
The funny thing is that this appears to be a unique phenomenon with women between the ages of, say, 25 and 60. Men always hold the elevator door for me, no matter what age they are. Women my mother's age always hold the door. Teenaged girls seem to hold the door. But career-aged women don't seem to help each other out. What's up, ladies?
Is this a Friendship Heights phenomenon? I don't think so. Is this a phenomenon of ladies who don't visit office buildings very often? Absolutely not, because I recognize a lot of the offenders as women who work in the building.
What up?!
Let it be known that if you are 10 yards away, I will hold the elevator for you. I will even call out "going up?" Because I'm a nice person. I'm considerate of others. And I don't mind waiting an additional 5 seconds for strangers.
5 seconds, people. That's all I ask.
posted by DC arts girl at 12:29 PM
7 Comments:
Ooooo, I hate that! I absolutely agree it always seems to be the women.
Yeah, it's always the women. The other day I jumped in before the door closed and thwarted a snubber. She had the nerve to give me the fake "Oh...I didn't see you", with a southern accent. Why are southerners so phoney? Why not just say "Oh...I was tryin' to be an asshole...sorry".
Maybe you should at least say, "please hold for me" and then walk a bit faster, instead of feeling entitled that people should always wait for you. If you lolly gag along, why should others be expected to wait for you? If the doors are closing before you can get your body there, then you are taking too long, plain and simple. If you can't move fast enough to get to the elevator before the doors close, then it's just not that important for you to make the elevator before it closes, so why bitch about it?
Ninja: Ooooo, I love the thwart attack. I don't get what's with Southerners either.
Anonymous: Me thinks you've never worked in a building with an elevator.
I think the other ladies are jealous of you. They hate you because you are hot, and they know every man holds the door for you even if you are two blocks away.
Anonymous #2: Why thank you for your compliment. Want to have drinks sometime? (just kidding)
But I don't think it has to do with someone's external appearance. I have guy friends who have noticed this phenomenon, and agree with the age/sex factor of the offenders (that they're career-aged women). Very interesting...yes, very interesting indeed...
I live in Friendship Heights, and have noticed this phenomenon sometimes, but have never analyzed whether this is a Friendship Heights thing or whether it's limited to a particular demographic. You don't mention whether you actually say anything when you're approaching the elevator. You rely on the people inside to see you in the mirror or to hear your heels clicking. Perhaps you rely too much. Why not simply say "can you please hold that" loudly and clearly when you are approaching, which will put the extra onus on the person inside, daring them to be rude? P.S. Anonymous #2 might be onto something ...
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