Last Friday, I met my friends for lunch and shopping at the mall. We usually do this once a week, and we usually choose different malls for variety. Last week, we went to a mall that is our favorite, of course, pre-pregnancy. This mall is big, so you get to have a long stroll and perhaps good shopping. However, we end up frustrated most of the time we go there. One of my pet peeves is ignorance and being an a****le. I can be okay if someone is clueless when they show being nice about that. So, I ran into those two people last Friday.  Oh another pet peeve, healthy and physically capable people waiting for elevators. Exercise people!

Oh, yeah, last Friday. My friends and I were going towards the elevator – we were loaded with bags and no to mention, the strollers! So there were a young couple and a teenage boy. I told them “there are electric stairs right there (pointing at the three meters distance), they are way faster”. The young couple took it very nice and smiled back to us and said “oh, that’s great!, thank you!” and the young boy totally ignored me. This made me mad and I place my stroller in front of him cutting him off. I felt bad, I felt that I did not have to go down to his level of childish behavior, but if his parents do not educate him how would he get the message? And if I hadn’t done that I could have been waiting for a long time to get the next elevator. 

Youth are getting careless and fearless and less kind towards others. Not that I’m old, but when I was a teenager, I gave my seat to old people. I tried to help kids and tried to be nice to others. Anyway, I sent a letter to the mall. Why? Those elevators have signs supporting my right to be prioritized. However, the sign is a joke to some. And I feel that these people get the message. I know, I know, they can’t be educated by a mall, but perhaps just re-directed? It’s sad, but people need someone else  to tell them what they need to do. It is sad, because we have the power to use our brains, we just choose not to sometimes. Sad.

Here is the letter I sent to the “info” email address provided in their website.   

Hello there,

 

First let me tell you that I have been a long time consumer at your mall. Since I came to Vancouver, 10 years ago, it has been one of my favourite malls. We can basically find almost everything there. It is a one stop and we love it. However, last year I had a baby so I am coming to your mall a lot since then to stretch my legs and do some shopping. But, other than the baby coming with me, I come loaded in gear – heavy and bulky. This leads me to use elevators, there is no other option for me to move from floor to floor. Elevators were never in my radar before my pregnancy and now, they are my worst fear.

 

Why fear? Because either I have to bully or I get bullied just to claim a spot in it over a lazy person that can easily walk and take the electric stairs. The worst part is, they come in pairs so it might be 2 or 4 lazy asses in there. See, while I know it is not your job to “educate” these clueless minds that do not think of A) walk towards an electric stairs that literally do the same job than an elevator or B) be kind and give priority to strollers and the disable to get a spot; I feel that it is your job to make things easier for us to board them without to fight for that right. And I am not including those who arrive in a scooter because they have a physical disability, or those with a walker or a cane. I see those people frustrated too.

 

You can feel the bad energy by the elevator doors. All of us waiting that our butts are clenching, some jaws are so tight you can see the bones through their faces and just to rush into the elevator first. That is just not fun. Going to the mall should be fun and one less stress.

 

It also seems that we need to fool proof a lot against these kind of events and that is why I don’t know why the elevators weren’t in a more hidden area to begin with; perhaps where the electric stairs are located? That seems like a miss thought in the design. Which in your architects’ mind locating them where they are was of a more help to us since they were more visible and accessible, but it only attracts more to the lazy and the stupid – they are like zombies and meat.

 

As I said, I don’t expect you to educate those ones above, but I hope we could see more support because that little sad sign by the elevator door is not cutting it.

 

Cheers,

I don’t expect them to answer me back or even do something about it, but I needed to express my right about this issue. My other friends will do too, so I hope that helps.