Ever Wondered Why Lifts & Elevators Have Mirrors? Here’s The True Purpose

Elevators are among the most key inventions of all time because they make upward transportation simple. It can save time and effort and are both quick and safe. Most people nowadays choose to live in multistory apartments, therefore elevators have become essential in residential and office buildings, which sometimes have 15 to 20 floors.

But, if you think elevator manufacturers are simply concerned with the engineering aspect, you’re mistaken. Everything is thoroughly thought out, from the elevator music to the strategically placed mirrors.

Let me tell you the fascinating story of how mirrors became such an important feature of today’s elevators.

Many new buildings in the early industrial era are made which were taller than anything. Most of them had elevators. More people began to utilise elevators as buildings became taller, but because they were sluggish, people were always criticising this feature of the elevator.

Elevator firms were irritated by the issue.  So they set out to create elevators that were both faster and safer, but they were prohibitively expensive at the time.

Moreover, an engineer said that the issue is that people think elevators travel too slowly. In the problem statement, he included the phrase “people think.” As a result, the design team was able to tackle the challenge from an entirely different angle.

They focused on the passenger in the lift rather than bigger motors, slicker pulley designs, and other similar things. So, after much study, they started installing mirrors in elevators.

But have you ever wondered why there are mirrors in the elevator?

The answer may surprise you. The elevator mirror is actually placed in an elevator for several psychological reasons. Below are the reasons:

1. To give you a sense of security

How many times have you been inside an elevator without someone known and felt unsafe and scared? Yes, we’re all experienced this many times. Mirrors allow you to see what everyone else is up to. It also alerts you to any potential assaults or robberies.

It is a requirement for all elevators to be equipped with a mirror, according to the Japan Elevator Association. The purpose of this is to make it easier for wheelchair-bound persons to enter and exit the elevator.

2. To assist in the relief from anxiety and claustrophobia

In confined spaces, some of us may feel terrified or claustrophobic and an elevator is the same kind of place. A mirror in an elevator can aid you in these situations since it makes it look like there is more space and that it is less congested. It also helps to alleviate the fear of being confined.

3. To keep you distracted

In the above-mentioned story of elevator mirrors, engineers discovered that individuals had an inflated sense of time since they had nothing to do but gaze at the wall and consider the elevator’s safety while dangling in the air and consumed with the fear of tumbling.

Although the goal is useful, it is psychological rather than mechanical in nature. Many of us become bored when staring at the elevator, or, in the case of someone like me, we become concerned. Mirrors in elevators were installed to keep you diverted from such feelings.

More information may be found in this Quora thread. Here’s what the thread said:

So, the next time you’re on an elevator and find yourself adjusting your hair or snapping selfies, recall that you’ve succumbed to the elevator firms’ psychological tactic.

Also read: Ever Wondered Why Dogs Bark And Chase After Moving Vehicles? Here Is The Answer.