This is probably the hardest and longest blog post I'll ever write, mostly because I was hoping I would never have to write it, since Dieselducy wrote it. Unfortunately that hope ran out.
Three years ago, when I first discovered elevator photography, I noticed that elevator enthusiasts, primarily Dieselducy, carried a ring of elevator keys that he used in order to improve his elevator experience. He (Dieselducy) regularly turned off annoying fans in elevators, among other things. Now, it's not possible to do that anymore in a world where being anonymous is near impossible. I have looked online for elevator keys and always noticed a warning that goes along the lines of (from elevatorkeys.com): "NOTE: This product is sold ONLY to elevator personnel, emergency personnel, and persons who, at our sole judgment, have a bonafide need to possess these keys (e.g. fire alarm contractors, real estate managers serving multiple buildings, certain security professionals, etc.). " Essentially, what this warning means is that for anyone else to use keys without proper authorization from the above people is illegal and dangerous, and Dieselducy has learned this, when his getting stuck in the market garage elevator was a fake (Sorry Dieselducy, had to mention this!). Technicians discovered the videos and gave him holy hell for using elevator keys unauthorized. Recognizing that this was not good behavior, he released a fury-fueled post on his Facebook page and in an elevator enthusiast group condemning his past behavior and warning others that such activity is illegal and dangerous, and that elevators keys are not to be used in any situation without supervision by authorized personnel. Fortunately for him, his warning caught on, and other elevator enthusiasts who used elevator keys previously quit doing so, and Dieselducy and those other elevator enthusiasts removed the videos in which they used elevator keys without proper authorization. Here's Dieselducy's blog post discouraging unauthorized use of elevator keys. SO WHERE DO I STAND? I decided to stay out of the whole fiasco because I didn't own any elevator keys, and thus I shouldn't have to worry about it. At the same time, nobody within 100 miles of me was doing likewise either. Unfortunately, my time to stay out of the fiasco has run out. Shihtzu Fan, an elevator enthusiast from Omaha, NE (I live in Lincoln), posted videos on youtube in which he used elevator keys and appeared to not be supervised or have permission to do so (after dieselducy started discouraging it). This could make me look bad, and I still don't own any elevator keys, but plan to film some of the elevators he has someday. I'm guessing that if technicians didn't like it, then most building owners wouldn't like it either. If someone went in and filmed an elevator that I wanted to film, and he used keys unauthorized, then if the building owner found out and I try to film the elevator, I could get a trespassing order I didn't rightfully deserve. So now it is my turn to say: I agree with Dieselducy. Absolutely no unauthorized use of elevator keys is acceptable. It is illegal (ASME A17.1), dangerous, and could really mess up an elevator if something is not done right. Accessing a restricted floor or turning off a fan to hear a hydraulic motor may sound cool, but breaking the law is NOT cool. Accessing a restricted floor is legally defined as BREAKING AND ENTERING! This is a form of attempted burglary, whether intentional or not. Your key can be considered a burglary tool. As elevator enthusiasts, facilities managers and elevator technicians don't seem to like us, and it is precisely for the behavior shown below. I want to be treated well by facilities managers and elevator technicians, be a class act, keep a clean criminal record, set a good example, and be invited into buildings. This can't happen if any one elevator enthusiast comes into buildings to play around with elevators in an illegal and dangerous manner. We are all stereotyped by the worst among us. I know it's unfair, and I don't disagree, but that's just the way things are. Generally, it is not a good idea to own elevator keys because it is very tempting to use them illegally. If you already own them, you can simply keep them in a collection, or use them in a panel you own. The only keys you should bring with you when you film elevators are your car and house keys. Also, there's nothing wrong with using a manual switch (actual on/off switch) to turn off a fan on an elevator. Just remember to leave it the way you found it out of common courtesy. Long story short, I also do NOT condone this behavior. My post in a facebook group Follow-up post As of right now, their scheduled replacement is going to be on East campus and replace two dorms down there that are equally outdated (Burr and Fedde Halls) and do not have elevators. Also, immediately across the street from Cather and Pound will be a new dining hall scheduled to open in the Fall of 2017, long after I graduate. Because of this, my guess is that Cather and Pound halls will likely not be considered for demolition until then. But then again, I could be wrong. I originally intended for there to be the two final standalone takes of these elevators I uploaded today, but their decommissioning may not happen anytime soon, and that might screw everything up for me. As of right now, Cather hall is functioning, but is 100% vacant and inaccessible to all but authorized personnel, of which I'm not. Pound hall has only floors 3-8 open as of December. But I have a video from a week ago in which I was able to get up to 10. In conclusion, I have no idea what will happen to the buildings in the immediate future. I'm more or less just playing this by ear right now. The most likely possibility is that Pound hall will be used for overflow housing again until their time has come. There is a slim chance Cather hall's elevators may see the light of day again, but for now, they are the only bank of elevators we lost in 2014. http://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/things-to-keep-in-mind-if-new-dining-hall-is/article_5c89f4e8-6ed3-11e4-b285-236de1a9e90f.html I posted this video a while ago with the impression that these buildings would be demolished at the end of the school year (2014-2015) considering they are over 50 years old and renovations are not cost-effective. That's not the case anymore.
This is what the entrance to Cather Hall looks like today. The red signs read "Cather hall is closed. You will no longer be able to access the building." |
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