National Talk in an Elevator Day

Elevators are one of the most common forms of transportation moving billions of riders per day worldwide. According to safety statistics, elevators are also the safest way to get around, so it’s no surprise that this number continues to grow — and more people means more elevator pitches.

The 2021 TK Elevator Index report and ongoing data has shown that an array of building types ranging from office to hospitality are seeing a great swell in elevator traffic. Some building types, such as residential, are even generating more elevator traffic than they were in the pre-pandemic era. This influx of commuters returning to their typical schedules is just in time for National Talk in an Elevator Day this Friday, July 29th.

What Is National Talk in an Elevator Day?

National Talk in an Elevator Day is the last Friday in July each year. People from around the country (and the world) participate by striking up a conversation with a stranger or neighbor and sometimes even snapping a photo to put on social media.

While some of the best moments in life can come from an unexpected elevator chat, we have all struggled with how to strike up a conversation. While you could comment on the weather or brush up on your literal elevator pitch, here are just a few fun elevator facts that can get a conversation going.

Elevator Fact #1: Statistically speaking, elevators are the safest form of transportation.

Traveling in a plane or riding your bicycle through a neighborhood are very safe, but you may be surprised to learn that elevator travel is safer than these by a longshot. Per mile traveled, elevators are literally the safest form of transit ever developed, and that includes walking. The safety brake, or governor, was invented in the 1800s to ensure that the cab cannot free fall down the hoistway. Pairing this with numerous other modern safety features, you are absolutely secure while you take a selfie with your new friend in an elevator on Talk in an Elevator Day.

Elevator Fact #2: Before the 1900s, lower floors in buildings were considered very desirable.

Only reserved for the wealthiest tenants, rooms and office spaces on the first few floors of a building were very luxurious. What we would now consider a luxury room like a “penthouse suite” would have been considered far less valuable. Higher floors were just harder to reach due to the lack of vertical transportation, but as elevators grew in popularity and became commonplace, skyscrapers emerged and rooms with a view took off.

Elevator Fact #3: The earliest designs of an elevator can be dated back to 300 B.C.

The elevator was first conceptualized by the ancient Greeks who sketched and designed the idea of vertical transportation, but it was the Romans who brought them to life. Using a rope-and-pulley system, they would lift animals and gladiators from below the famous Colosseum and into the arena for spectators to watch.

Elevator Fact #4: Elevator music debuted in the 1920s to soothe nerves.

As its own independent genre, elevator music was recorded to help nervous passengers. Though it’s widely known today that elevators are incredibly safe, commuters in the 1920s had just begun to use elevators in their daily lives, and they were still a fairly foreign concept for most. The solution to frazzled nerves? Smooth, light music that would distract the rider. It was an absolute hit with tenants, and though we don’t need it to soothe riders anymore, it’s still popular to play a lively tune to make the ride more enjoyable.

Elevator Fact #5: The first elevator was installed at a department store in NYC.

When we imagine the New York City skyline, the iconic Empire State or Chrysler Buildings come to mind, but they weren’t constructed until the 1930s. The first elevator was unveiled at a department store in 1857, and tourists flocked from near and far to view the machine. It was seen as more of an admired attraction than a means of transportation. Nonetheless, it was still a marvel of engineering, and the five-story department store that housed it remained the talk of the town for years to come.

Happy National Talk in an Elevator Day

We hope that you’ll take these fun facts and strike up a conversation with the other passengers in your elevator. The average elevator ride moves five people, so we know you’ll have a great opportunity to get out there and make new connections.

For more information on elevator products, please explore our website to learn about the advanced solutions we offer, and check out our National Talk in an Elevator Day video!