Elevators in China

[danielm2]

My fiance and I have an apartment in Guangzhou. This morning we put the blankets, towls, and other laundry on the roof of the building to air out and dry. Around dinner time, we noticed it was starting to rain, and made a mad dash up to the roof to grab everything. Whewww, or so we thought...........

 

So we got back into the elevator to go from the 33 floor back to our little home on the 10th floor. About half-way down, BOOM, there's a big bang, the elevator gets all herky jerky and comes to a very sudden stop, and the lights in the elevator keep going on and off. YIKES!

 

After a 20 minute ordeal of the lights continuing to blink on and off, discovering the elevator phone didn't work, no cell phone signal for any of the 3 of us (there was another lady in the elevator too), the elevator door sprung open on the 16th floor after a repair man did something to the elevator.

 

It was QUITE the experience. The other lady in the elevator kept repeating over and over, "ËÀÁË£¬ËÀÁË£¬ËÀÁ˵ȵÈ," we're gonna die we're gonna die, we're gonna die! I'm not sure if that was really helping things, haha

 

In the end, it all worked out. Moral of the story, choose your elevators carefully!!!

 

I can add a, haha, here and think I'll enjoy telling this story to friends and families, but that's only cause there wasn't a real problem, so whewww!!!

[DMikeS4321]

I can add a, haha, here and think I'll enjoy telling this story to friends and families, but that's only cause there wasn't a real problem, so whewww!!!

 

Wow, Daniel, it sounds like a real problem to me!!!

[bosco]

I got stuck in an elevator for 45 minutes once. But I was lucky. It was one of the glass ones on the outside of a building so at least I had a nice view while I waited for my rescue.

 

Speaking of elevators, why do elevators in parking garages have braile on the buttons????

[Urkidding]

 

It was QUITE the experience. The other lady in the elevator kept repeating over and over, "ËÀÁË£¬ËÀÁË£¬ËÀÁ˵ȵÈ," we're gonna die we're gonna die, we're gonna die! I'm not sure if that was really helping things, haha

 

In the end, it all worked out. Moral of the story, choose your elevators carefully!!!

 

 

It would be better if you could choose your passengers too!

[Randy W]

I got stuck in an elevator for 45 minutes once. But I was lucky. It was one of the glass ones on the outside of a building so at least I had a nice view while I waited for my rescue.

 

Speaking of elevators, why do elevators in parking garages have braile on the buttons????

I think it's an ADA requirement. The garage don't want to be sued by a blind driver who couldn't find their way in the elevator.

 

 

If he has a chain saw, I'm giving him my parking spot!

[SirLancelot]

 

So we got back into the elevator to go from the 33 floor back to our little home on the 10th floor. About half-way down, BOOM, there's a big bang, the elevator gets all herky jerky and comes to a very sudden stop, and the lights in the elevator keep going on and off. YIKES!

 

After a 20 minute ordeal of the lights continuing to blink on and off, discovering the elevator phone didn't work, no cell phone signal for any of the 3 of us (there was another lady in the elevator too), the elevator door sprung open on the 16th floor after a repair man did something to the elevator.

 

It was QUITE the experience. The other lady in the elevator kept repeating over and over, "ËÀÁË£¬ËÀÁË£¬ËÀÁ˵ȵÈ," we're gonna die we're gonna die, we're gonna die! I'm not sure if that was really helping things, haha

 

In the end, it all worked out. Moral of the story, choose your elevators carefully!!!

 

I can add a, haha, here and think I'll enjoy telling this story to friends and families, but that's only cause there wasn't a real problem, so whewww!!!

 

 

Glad you're alive and kicking to relay this entertaining anecdote to us.

 

Perhaps next time you'll be taking the stairs. It's better for your health anyway.

[Dennis143]

Freefalling elevators are a Hollywood myth. OTIS invented the safety brake that allowed elevators to flourish in high-rise NY buildings in the mid 19th century. OTIS Company is also the major supplier of elevators in China. Has anyone ever heard of one free falling anywhere?

http://www.otis.com/otis150/section/1,2344...S1_SEC1,00.html

 

Nevertheless, I'm claustrophopic and avoid elevators if I can. Just hearing of getting stuck in one gives me the big heeby jeebies.

[padre]

Sounds scarey. My wife and I are in Guangzhou too. We have not had any difficulty with the elevator yet. I do worry on some of the noises I hear when it operates. We take the elevator all of the time because the stairs in the summer heat of Guangzhou are a killer plus my wife tells me taking the stairs in China is dangerous. Bad people will wait for someone on the stairs where not many Chinese people venture. The eighteenth floor is a long way up.

[Randy W]

Freefalling elevators are a Hollywood myth. OTIS invented the safety brake that allowed elevators to flourish in high-rise NY buildings in the mid 19th century. OTIS Company is also the major supplier of elevators in China. Has anyone ever heard of one free falling anywhere?

http://www.otis.com/otis150/section/1,2344...S1_SEC1,00.html

 

Nevertheless, I'm claustrophopic and avoid elevators if I can. Just hearing of getting stuck in one gives me the big heeby jeebies.

 

 

Yes - about 3 stories - and yes the safety brake works. They tell me you want to hit the floor lengthwise when it finally comes to a stop - it helps to spread the impact that way.

 

No it wasn't me - I worked on the first floor, and no it wasn't the Tower of Terror at Disneyworld. One lady was out for a few weeks.

[Dennis143]

Freefalling elevators are a Hollywood myth. OTIS invented the safety brake that allowed elevators to flourish in high-rise NY buildings in the mid 19th century. OTIS Company is also the major supplier of elevators in China. Has anyone ever heard of one free falling anywhere?

http://www.otis.com/otis150/section/1,2344...S1_SEC1,00.html

 

Nevertheless, I'm claustrophopic and avoid elevators if I can. Just hearing of getting stuck in one gives me the big heeby jeebies.

 

 

Yes - about 3 stories - and yes the safety brake works. They tell me you want to hit the floor lengthwise when it finally comes to a stop - it helps to spread the impact that way.

 

No it wasn't me - I worked on the first floor, and no it wasn't the Tower of Terror at Disneyworld. One lady was out for a few weeks.

That's IT!! I am never riding an elevator again.

[danielm2]

Yes, it was a problem indeed! I've been in China for almost 2 years, and this is the first time anything like this has ever happened.

 

Probably 2-3 times a week when it's raining and can't go outside, I run up and down the stairs at our apartment here for some exercise. I don't think my fiance is going to like it when I start discussing the elevator should be off limits and we'll be walking up and down

[tonado]

If there is a fire, avoid elevators anywhere (in US or China).

[yuan fen]

Yes, next time you buy an elevator choose it very carefully.

 

Most of the older buildings in the residential areas don't have elevators around China. I think there is a number of floors required to warrant an elevator. If a relative lives on the top floor it is best to pack lightly.

 

Now, JinMao in Shanghai, that's an elevator! Well the one to the observation deck anyway, it hauls butt. Litterally.

 

That's one elevator I wouldn't want to be stuck in, say like on the 80th floor. Gulp!

[rogerluli]

 

Most of the older buildings in the residential areas don't have elevators around China. I think there is a number of floors required to warrant an elevator. If a relative lives on the top floor it is best to pack lightly.

 

 

 

http://chinahousing.mit.edu/english/resour...ildingCode.html

 

New buildings in China having 8 floors or more must have an elevator. Buildings of 13 floors or more must have more than 2 elevators.

 

In practice I don't ever remember seeing a new building of more than 6 floors without elevators. On Hainan our development is all 6 story buildings without elevators. We bought on the third floor which is really only 2 flights of stairs since the ground floor is on the ground... The pricing depended on the floors. Floors 2, 3 and 4 were the most expensive, then 1, then 5 and lastly 6. They are having trouble selling the 6th floor apartments we have learned. It seems that Chinese are starting to get more lazy like Americans...

[robert]

When I would visit Limei in Guangzhou, She lived on the 8th floor. Sometimes "goofing around I would jump up and down in the elevator. She would always say "NO..Not safe". I would laugh and jump again..She would say "I"M SERIOUS". Now she has read Daniels post and experience and is telling me "See I told you". "WHEW"!!!!