3 ms·

I often get annoyed by an obviously inefficient elevator, doors closing too slow, not reacting to buttons, etc. and imagine the awesome scheduling logic I would

I often get annoyed by an obviously inefficient elevator, doors closing too slow, not reacting to buttons, etc. and imagine the awesome scheduling logic I would write if I were in charge. Well, my dreams came true when I found this: https://play.elevatorsaga.com/ https://play.elevatorsaga.com/ !

reaperducer 6y ago
I stopped getting annoyed by elevators when I realized that there's nothing in my life so important that I have to elevate my blood pressure about waiting 30 seconds. If I'm not wearing a badge, a fireman's helmet, or a stethoscope, absolutely nothing will change by me taking a few extra seconds to get to my destination.
- ehnto 6y ago
  I have a love for being in transit for a similar realisation, be it elevators, cars, trains or planes. While in transit I am doing everything I possibly can, everything I am required to do to keep moving forward, in that moment of transit there are no further requirements, and there is peace.
Animats 6y ago
Closing doors on passenger elevators are limited to 17 ft/lb of kinetic energy for safety. Opening speed is not limited, and most high-use elevators open the doors much faster than they close them.
- closeparen 6y ago
  Interesting! I don't think the laggy feeling on most elevators is actually due to regulation, though - the elevators in my current apartment building are wicked fast, and it was built <10 years ago in SF so almost certainly code compliant. - They're thrown at speed to exactly the right position, no separate leveling stage. - Door opening is violently fast, as you mention. - If you're stopping at a destination entered in error, you can press the door close button while the doors are opening and they will turn right back around. (Presumably disabled if someone has also called the elevator from that floor). - If called to a floor and no one is there (no one crosses the threshold) the destination entered from that floor is canceled. - The doors close almost immediately after someone gets in or out. (This might be an ADA thing; you can request more patience from the system by pressing the wheelchair button on the destination dispatch keypad while entering your floor). Really the only thing I don't like is the poor accuracy on the touchscreen keypads in the elevator lobbies. Also there's no "enter" so if the second digit of your floor number doesn't register fast enough, you will also be stopping at the first digit. Ugh. Just give me real buttons. But overall it's a great system. I also discovered a novel "slow elevator" pathology in college - a trickle of people arriving at the lobby level and pressing the call button would hold the elevator there indefinitely. It is frustrating when you're 3 seconds from an elevator that closes its doors and departs, but this is actually necessary! If it waited for everyone it would never get off the ground.
  - Animats 6y ago
    I don't think the laggy feeling on most elevators is actually due to regulation, though - the elevators in my current apartment building are wicked fast, and it was built <10 years ago in SF so almost certainly code compliant. Lightweight elevator doors exist. "Lightweight panels generate lower kinetic energy for faster door cycling and less stress on door operating systems."[1] For the mass of the door, there's a top speed, and that's on the data plate for the door, so the installer can adjust the speed. Most elevator injuries involve doors, so this is taken seriously. Elevator door force and kinetic energy standards, and measurement tools, per ASME A17.1-2013/CSA B44-13: [2] Much real-world stuff works reliably because there are explicit, enforced standards. We need more of that in software for critical functions. [1] https://www.columbiaelevator.com/doors https://www.columbiaelevator.com/doors [2] https://www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW1115.pdf https://www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW1...
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
Jtsummers 6y ago
Sim Tower may also interest you if you enjoyed that sort of game.
- robertlagrant 6y ago
  Sim Tower was awesome!
aketchum 6y ago
I think about this so often when I am waiting for elevators in high rise buildings. Thanks for posting this! I will definitely put my money where my mouth is and see how hard it really is!

reaperducer 6y ago

I stopped getting annoyed by elevators when I realized that there's nothing in my life so important that I have to elevate my blood pressure about waiting 30 seconds. If I'm not wearing a badge, a fireman's helmet, or a stethoscope, absolutely nothing will change by me taking a few extra seconds to get to my destination.

ehnto 6y ago
I have a love for being in transit for a similar realisation, be it elevators, cars, trains or planes. While in transit I am doing everything I possibly can, everything I am required to do to keep moving forward, in that moment of transit there are no further requirements, and there is peace.

Animats 6y ago

Closing doors on passenger elevators are limited to 17 ft/lb of kinetic energy for safety. Opening speed is not limited, and most high-use elevators open the doors much faster than they close them.

closeparen 6y ago
Interesting! I don't think the laggy feeling on most elevators is actually due to regulation, though - the elevators in my current apartment building are wicked fast, and it was built <10 years ago in SF so almost certainly code compliant. - They're thrown at speed to exactly the right position, no separate leveling stage. - Door opening is violently fast, as you mention. - If you're stopping at a destination entered in error, you can press the door close button while the doors are opening and they will turn right back around. (Presumably disabled if someone has also called the elevator from that floor). - If called to a floor and no one is there (no one crosses the threshold) the destination entered from that floor is canceled. - The doors close almost immediately after someone gets in or out. (This might be an ADA thing; you can request more patience from the system by pressing the wheelchair button on the destination dispatch keypad while entering your floor). Really the only thing I don't like is the poor accuracy on the touchscreen keypads in the elevator lobbies. Also there's no "enter" so if the second digit of your floor number doesn't register fast enough, you will also be stopping at the first digit. Ugh. Just give me real buttons. But overall it's a great system. I also discovered a novel "slow elevator" pathology in college - a trickle of people arriving at the lobby level and pressing the call button would hold the elevator there indefinitely. It is frustrating when you're 3 seconds from an elevator that closes its doors and departs, but this is actually necessary! If it waited for everyone it would never get off the ground.
- Animats 6y ago
  I don't think the laggy feeling on most elevators is actually due to regulation, though - the elevators in my current apartment building are wicked fast, and it was built <10 years ago in SF so almost certainly code compliant. Lightweight elevator doors exist. "Lightweight panels generate lower kinetic energy for faster door cycling and less stress on door operating systems."[1] For the mass of the door, there's a top speed, and that's on the data plate for the door, so the installer can adjust the speed. Most elevator injuries involve doors, so this is taken seriously. Elevator door force and kinetic energy standards, and measurement tools, per ASME A17.1-2013/CSA B44-13: [2] Much real-world stuff works reliably because there are explicit, enforced standards. We need more of that in software for critical functions. [1] https://www.columbiaelevator.com/doors https://www.columbiaelevator.com/doors [2] https://www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW1115.pdf https://www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW1...
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]

Jtsummers 6y ago

Sim Tower may also interest you if you enjoyed that sort of game.

robertlagrant 6y ago
Sim Tower was awesome!

aketchum 6y ago

I think about this so often when I am waiting for elevators in high rise buildings. Thanks for posting this! I will definitely put my money where my mouth is and see how hard it really is!