Have you even been stuck in an elevator? If so, for how long and did you keep calm?

I've twice been stuck in elevators. Both times in India. Both caused by power cuts.

The first occasion, in a modern well-equipped hotel, http://www.hotelsfo.in in a brand-new new lift was weird, rather than scary. I was on my own. The emergency lighting came on, then the emergency power and the lift returned to the 19th floor, according to the display. Unfortunately, I knew the hotel had only 4 floors! It then made its way to the basement, almost - it actually stopped about a foot too high. But I got out anyway, and used the stairs.  The lift obviously re-booted itself later, and was working fine an hour later.

The second occasion was at my office in BTM layout, Bangalore. http://www.novelteam.com/index.php/novel-office-space/locations/novel-business-center

On this occasion, no light, no power backup. The lift "failed safe" (i.e. We were stuck and not moving). There were about half a dozen of us in there, in 90 degree heat. We kept a certain amount of light in the place using mobile 'phones. No-one panicked, not even me (and I hate confined spaces). About 20 minutes later, the power returned, and we were able to complete our 50ft journey.

I still like India :)

I was stuck in an elevator during a brief power outage.  Even though it was only about 15 mins., we didn't know how long it would be and were pretty worried. 

Two years ago was my 8th time stuck in an elevator. Over time and after much research I learned that modern elevators come equipped with several redundant safety systems. The run away falling elevator is an almost impossibility. Secondly for safety, comfort and calming  effect everyone in a stuck elevator should sit down on the floor.  Not many people can take being stuck in a box for an extended period of time.  Conversation among a group in such a situation can lower the panic level and get folks to relax some. The last time I was stuck in an elevator for 4 hours and 20 minutes. The recuse folks though I had died in the elevator. After my first conversation with the emergency respondents on the elevator phone when I called them they did not or could not contact me due to a faulty phone. Me I rolled up my jacket and went to sleep on the floor. Till I felt a hand on my throat.

In the 1980s I was working on the 27th floor of Sydney's Amex Building. Amex had most of the floors and we usually had a few of them in any elevator (we call 'em lifts) we took. The big thing about Amex is that their staff dress very nicely, groom themselves well, and speak quietly and sedately. Quite obviously the focus is on image and they never forget that image.

What never? Well, hardly ever.

It was lunch time and the elevator was packed and somewhere toward the top of the building something went wrong and we dropped like a stone for at least six floors. Then we were stuck. Since I was standing next to the telephone I rang the building supervisor and told him what had happened then did what I always do when something goes wrong -- started telling jokes.

So far, so good, and we were freed fairly quickly with no damage done but the comical bit happened about three days later.

I was in the lift alone when two Amex women got in. One of them said, "You were in the lift when it fell the other day, weren't you?"

I said, "Yep."

She said, "Did I yell out?"

And again I said, "Yep?"

She was aghast and asked, "What did I say?"

"Shit!"

"Oh, thank God," she said. "I thought I yelled..."

And I can't tell you what she thought but it was just as uninhibited and unrestrained as you probably imagine it was. She didn't mind me hearing her use that kind of language but she'd have been mortified if her classy Amex friends had heard it.

No, I never have and am sure glad !

Nope. However It would definitely be a good expereance.

I wasn't stuck but I was in a building elevator in an office downtown. The elevator got pretty full with people jammed in while the door closed. So, I get pushed against the panel where the buttons are, trying to be as small as possible - gosh, we must have had twenty people crammed in that tight space - when we hear a voice.

Is everyone okay in there?

The elevator was moving smoothly between floors, so we all looked at each other and then I say "Yes, everything is fine."

Again, we hear - is everyone okay in there?

The elevator stopped, people dispersed and I realized that my purse was pressing the call button because we were so tightly smushed in. Yikes! All's well that ends well!

Only for five or ten minutes.  I was calm .... But not happy!

I never got stuck in an elevator. I would be very nervous. Hopefully I hope that I would be with someone and not myself.

I stuck once alone like twenty-thirty minutes.

It was running well, middle of the way, suddenly stopped, the power was one so it meant it should've been technical problems, didn't panic but started to worry, since emergency button and nothing worked out! The power was on but nothing worked! Also because no one seem to be in the building as i also called out for help, no one seemed to notice, i was middle of my wonders, how can i open the door or find a way up to the roof or anything like that! Suddenly everything started working! Got lucky as hell!

Sure I was and I was stuck there for like an hour or two. I remained calm the whole time.