Annoying elevator etiquette

I keep encountering one small act of elevator courtesy in Singapore: someone holds the door-open button long after everyone is safely inside. It is well meant, but in a crowded lift the choreography can become surprisingly awkward. 😖

It usually looks something like this:

Option one — you both entered the elevator, your “partner” rushes into the elevator, frantically waving their hands in front of the doors and furiously pressing the “<>” button on the elevator panel. As if they’ve ensured your safe passage into the elevator. Jeez! Only 0.2 seconds have passed! Are you kidding me?! Well okay, this isn’t that bad…

Option two — you all arrive at the floor together and it’s time to get out of the elevator. Do your companions simply exit the elevator? No, of course not! They stay in the elevator and furiously press the “<>” button on the elevator panel, so that you can get out and the cruel doors won’t cut you in half (which never happens). And then the problems begin. You need to carefully get around the “savior” and squeeze through the narrow passage between them and the doors, all while being grateful for the rescue. Everything becomes significantly more complicated if you have a stroller, bags, a bicycle, and so on…