Otis Elevator Co. estimates 15 percent of its elevators around the world omit the 13th-floor button

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-superstitionmar15,0,7457798.story

<snip>Otis Elevator Co. estimates 15 percent of its elevators around the world omit the 13th-floor button, according to Elizabeth Young, its manager of communications.

There are a number of explanations for the belief that Friday the 13th is unlucky. The most common has a Christian root, according to Phillips Stevens, professor of anthropology and an expert on magic, sorcery and witchcraft at the University of New York at Buffalo.

"Thirteen is the number of people at the Last Supper and the crucifixion took place on a Friday. So, when you have both coming together, that's a double whammy," Stevens said. He noted that it, like many superstitions, offers an example of "magical thinking" involving "establishing these connections through which power can flow."

Playing it safe

[Ptah]

1. I wonder if the real estimate is 13%

:shrug:

[UrbScotty]

2. That's what I was wondering (nt)

[struggle4progress]

3. Well, that's stupid. How does anybody get to the thirteenth floor?

Take the elevator to the fourteenth and walk down a flight of stairs?

[NNN0LHI]

4. Ain't no thirteenth floor in a lot of buildings I have noticed

Goes from 12 to 14 with no stops in between.

Don

[petronius]

6. Just because the elevator doesn't stop there doesn't mean there isn't a thirteenth floor

It's just hidden, and that's where the illuminati keep the mind-control generators. You know how your weight seems to fluctuate when you ride an elevator? That's because the mind-control flux-density varies with elevation...

(This post is 100% serious, but I'll get away with speaking truth because it's the Lounge and they won't expect it.)

[struggle4progress]

8. Exactly!

[NNN0LHI]

11. You guys joshing with me?

[struggle4progress]

12. I don't think there's anybody named Josh here but I'll ask around

<edit:> Nope, not here. In fact, I can't find anybody here at all right now

<re-edit:> Maybe they're all on the thirteenth floor

[MrSlayer]

5. Many older buildings do not have a 13th floor.

They just skipped it, going from 12 to 14. Most of the new construction I've worked on now eliminates the ridiculous superstition.

[struggle4progress]

10. It's a scam! Th'baker gives ya an extry donut but th'construction company stiffs ya a whole floor

Well, sure it's a twenty story building! Starts there on th'first floor and goes right on up to top floor number twenty. No, of course, there's no thirteenth floor. We can't sell buildings that have em: nobody wants em. You shoulda oughta knowed that

Frankly, I aint never saw anybody run shrieking out of a bakery cuz the baker gaved em thirteen donut

[Wapsie B]

7. Nothing to do with 13 but they renumbered room # 666 here.

[siligut]

9. I am pretty sure it is Masonic.

When there is conspiracy you can speculate but never specify.

[krispos42]

13. IIRC the planes I fly on...

usually Sun Country (a good airline :thumbsup: ), all have a Row 13.

I guess I'm doomed, but heck, they're usually on time and the price is good!

[last_texas_dem]

14. Funny

Although wouldn't this practice just mean all the bad shit is gonna go down on the fourteenth floor? I wouldn't want to spend too much time there myself...

I do like the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, though, at least based on the couple of songs that I have heard by them!

[Lasher]

15. Hmm, I wonder how much of that 15% are in buildings no higher than 12 stories.

[meegbear]

16. The Prudential building in Boston has a 13th floor ...

I used to work on that floor. Because of the design of the building, there was a 13th floor, but no 12th floor. Go figure.

[NewJeffCT]

21. I was always told

Not sure if it's true or not, but that a lot of taller buildings (more than 13 stories) use the 13th floor for ductwork, ventilation, electrical, etc...

[trof]

17. Anchorage Hilton has no 13th floor.

So of course I avoided the falsely designated 14th floor like the plague.
:rofl:

[riverdale]

18. I just stayed at the 14th floor of MGM in Vegas

Of course there was no 13th floor. The elevator buttons were lined up so that 12 was at the far right of one row and 13 the far left of the row above it.

[intaglio]

19. There are a lot of housing developments that leave off house number 13

and some people have the postal address ammended to 12a

[NewJeffCT]

20. Next time I'm in China, I'll have to see if they do it as well...

I know 8 is the lucky number there, as opposed to 7 in the US...