Elevator Etiquette
After 2+ years of working in a 12-floor office building, working on the top floor, I have yet to figure out the proper technique for holding the door for other passengers.
There are times where I get to the elevator first and then hold the door for stragglers. When I do this, I hold my hand there, but feel like I am blocking the door, so I wait until the person(s) get close enough/just inside the elevator and then I move to the back corner to make room. On the way to the back, I press my floor. Pressing the floor button makes the doors start to shut, but they automatically open back up with someone there.
Should I half stand in the door to hold it until others get in the elevator (making them squeeze past me to get in)? Should I hold the door, then move to the back (but not press my floor since it shuts the door) and wait until everyone is in either squeeze my arm to the front to press the button or ask someone to? Should I just keep doing what I'm doing? Some lady gave me an evil eye today and I didn't know what else to do! I held the dang elevator for her- she should be glad enough about that. Especially since they went up ONE FLOOR.
I don't take the elevator that often (my building is 4 stories, I work on the 3rd, but drop my lunch off each morning on the 2nd). I also work at a university and get annoyed by the little 18 year old kids that take the elevator 1 floor. It'd be one thing if they couldn't find the stairs, but there is a giant staircase right outside of the elevators. Anyways, to answer your question, if I'm the first to get in I press my floor button and usually I'll just stand there by the panel. I'll press the floor button for whoever gets on after that as well. I figure whoever is on first has to press the buttons. As for holding the door, I'll sometimes use my hand or I'll press and hold the door open button since I'm standing there at the panel.