Discussion » Questions » Outside the Mug » Which button do you press when you want the elevator to take you to the ground level to exit the building?

Which button do you press when you want the elevator to take you to the ground level to exit the building?

There lacks consistency in identifying which button to press when I want to use the elevator in a building.
Can be confusing for a doddering old...

Posted - August 11, 2021

Responses


  • 11112
    Well to be on the safe side you should press all of them. Cheers!
      August 11, 2021 10:44 PM MDT
    4

  • 13395
    I guess so because I thought ground floor should be below the 2 button (second floor) but that took me to underground parking so I just stayed in the elevator till the door finally opened to ground floor.
      August 11, 2021 11:33 PM MDT
    1

  • I press 0 when I'm in my home country.  If I'm in the United States, the floor numbers in their elevators confuse me.
      August 12, 2021 12:39 AM MDT
    2

  • 13395
    Same in Canada. I might send Otis Elevator people and others emails to complain.
      August 12, 2021 1:22 AM MDT
    2

  • 53509

     

      What about when you’re in other countries besides your own or the United States, is there ever any confusion?
    ~

      August 12, 2021 6:14 AM MDT
    2

  • European floor numbers 1 and above are the same as Argentinian floor numbers.  In Argentinian elevators, the ground floor is 0 and the basement is -1.  In European elevators, I can figure out that the first letter below 1 is the ground floor and the second letter below 1 is the basement.  I've seen both letters and numbers (0 and -1) for the ground floor and the basement in European elevators.
      August 18, 2021 10:47 PM MDT
    2

  • 19937
    It depends on the building.  In my apartment building, "1" is the first tenanted floor.  It is also the floor where you may enter and exit via stairs down to the sidewalk level.  If you press "B," that would go to the basement, where you would find the laundry room, the storage rooms, the electrical room and the exit to the sidewalk via a ramp (no stairs).  
      August 12, 2021 6:56 AM MDT
    2

  • 13395
    I would say that is the way it should be.
      August 12, 2021 8:53 AM MDT
    2

  • 19937
    Seems logical to me. :)
      August 12, 2021 9:12 AM MDT
    2

  • 258
    The ground floor is usually the first floor in the U.S.

    Ground floor:
    U.S. = 1.
    U.K. = G.

    https://speakspeak.com/about-english/ground-floors-and-first-floors-in-british-and-american-english

    This post was edited by Robert at August 12, 2021 8:53 AM MDT
      August 12, 2021 8:20 AM MDT
    1

  • 13395
    Last building I visited the ground floor was labeled 'L'.
      August 12, 2021 8:55 AM MDT
    1

  • 6023
    I'm guessing that meant Lobby.
      August 13, 2021 2:42 PM MDT
    2

  • 17601
    I know that button may have any one of about seven possible labels.  I just take a stab at it.  If wrong, I go back in and push another one.  I always have made my exit, one way or another.

    My preference is L for lobby.  My doctor back home was on the same floor as the lobby and exits, but that was the third floor of the building.   Floors one and two were for parking deck.
      August 12, 2021 1:08 PM MDT
    2

  • 13395
    Thanks, I hadn't ever tried to count the different possible labels.
      August 12, 2021 9:26 PM MDT
    1

  • 6023
    We have a building here that has 3 floors ... but there are 4 options in the elevator, because on street entrance is between floors 2 and 3.
    If you enter there, you have to go down/up a half floor.
      August 13, 2021 2:45 PM MDT
    2