Falling to Death

Today we discuss about a serious situation that you may find yourself in. Ever since the first time I was stuck in a lift, I have had dreams of a lift falling when I’m inside. So let’s deal with it and devise an escape plan before it’s too late.

The Best Way to Survive a Falling Lift?

A normal person may not find this question interesting. As a claustrophobic stuck in a lift once, this question has had me wake up from my nightmares in the middle of the nights.

I’ve asked this question to my friends. Many of them answer, “jump when it’s about to land”. They often assume that they can pull off Olympic precision jumps in a falling lift and save their lives. It ain’t that easy! Even if you jump at the split second when the lift is about to land, most likely, you will end up hitting your head on the top of the lift and then falling to a painful death or at least hospitalization. Watch this clip to see how jumping affects your chances of surviving.

Another famous idea is to “stand up straight and bend your knees”. After all, your knees are meant to be shock absorbers, right? The amount of force that your body will endure at the moment of impact is just a little less than ten times your body weight. That amount of sheer force will break your larger bones in the least.

We use a little bit of science here. When the lift lands on the floor, you want to minimize the impact it has on you. One can do so easily by increasing their surface area. Lie flat on the ground, spread your arms and legs, and hold your head to save it from falling debris. Note that this approach also has some setbacks,

• You will have to hold yourself on the ground to prevent flying away on a free falling lift
• You will most likely suffer small damages to your bones
• It won’t work 100% of the times!

Honestly, nothing works all the time. Still, the last option is scientifically the best bet at saving your life.

P.S. Lift = Elevator, ya that’s what we call it in India.