Stuff I've learned in Hokkaido: Elevators
(As with all of these entries, they only apply to Hokkaido and not all of Japan. Heck, they only apply to the places I've personally visited while in Hokkaido. YMMV, yadda yadda)
A quick note about elevators here.
First of all, they're small. Most of them, anyway. At times I felt like I'd accidentally wedged myself into a dumbwaiter.
Secondly, they're all so incredibly polite. They tell you in a calm, pleasant voice what floor they're going to stop at next, to please be careful as the doors are about to open, and thank you for riding. I think I see where Douglas Adams got some of his inspiration.
And most strangely -- unlike American elevators, the door-control buttons not only work but need to be used. Want the door to shut? Press the 'shut door' button and it does. If you don't, it'll happily sit there for quite some time before it closes on its own. Press the 'door open' button and it'll stop at whatever floor its passing (even if it's not the floor you picked) and open up to let you out, since you asked and all.
Even when they're only 6 or 7 stories high, some have video screens to keep you entertained during your long upwards or downwards journey. And they all have handicap-accessible buttons at waist-height for those in chairs.
Neat side thing: there are often 3 button panels total (left, right, handicap) and each button panel seems to be independent with how it registers presses. Press your floor on any one panel and it only lights up on that panel. The elevator will still serve all requested floors but they don't display on all interfaces. UI-wise I find that rather cool.
Dunno why this stood out so much to me but it really has, this whole trip.
A quick note about elevators here.
First of all, they're small. Most of them, anyway. At times I felt like I'd accidentally wedged myself into a dumbwaiter.
Secondly, they're all so incredibly polite. They tell you in a calm, pleasant voice what floor they're going to stop at next, to please be careful as the doors are about to open, and thank you for riding. I think I see where Douglas Adams got some of his inspiration.
And most strangely -- unlike American elevators, the door-control buttons not only work but need to be used. Want the door to shut? Press the 'shut door' button and it does. If you don't, it'll happily sit there for quite some time before it closes on its own. Press the 'door open' button and it'll stop at whatever floor its passing (even if it's not the floor you picked) and open up to let you out, since you asked and all.
Even when they're only 6 or 7 stories high, some have video screens to keep you entertained during your long upwards or downwards journey. And they all have handicap-accessible buttons at waist-height for those in chairs.
Neat side thing: there are often 3 button panels total (left, right, handicap) and each button panel seems to be independent with how it registers presses. Press your floor on any one panel and it only lights up on that panel. The elevator will still serve all requested floors but they don't display on all interfaces. UI-wise I find that rather cool.
Dunno why this stood out so much to me but it really has, this whole trip.