It’s like a bad dream that keeps popping up in my head and it’s hard to be optimistic when reading some of today’s articles. Can someone tell me when it’s going to end? Connect the dots with a few of the stories on today’s show and you’ll see the apparent issues that our industry is facing. Safety devices being jumped out, shoddy elevator maintenance, elevators running with the doors open, a worker dies in an elevator shaft.  Keep in mind that these are just on ONE show.  These appear to be just the tip of the iceberg as I receive e-mails from concerned elevator advocates who share their stories which further terrify me.  I’m starting to loose hope that there are more elevator advocates out there who are doing a good job daily than the individuals who should stop working on conveyance devices and go get a job where ensuring the safety of the public is not a requirement.  Anyone have a good feel as to what percentage of our industry attempts to make it safer each day?  I truly hope it’s 80% with the remaining 20% in need of some much needed good safety training.

So as you read the stories and the letter from the State of CA letter in today’s show, think of how you can make a difference in turning things around. We are all in a position to make it better and safer. Get out of bed everyday thinking of ways that you can. Let’s get that 80% number up to 99% or 100%.

News/Article Links:
State of CA Issues with Elevators
Shoddy repairs blamed for elevator death
NY Seeks to Thwart Elevator, Boiler, Cyberattacks
New City Hall Contractor rectifies elevator malfunction
Councilman unhappy with change order for elevator
Hospital worker killed in elevator shaft
WMATA board to consider $2.3 billion budget for FY2013
Desk lamp inspired by elevators, science and apple
When not to sell on an elevator
WMATA Outage percentages compared to length
Queens worker trapped in elevator shaft, lucky man
Vintage Otis Elevator Video
Horror as boy falls from Monument Mall escalator
Elevatoritis….what will they think of next
EIGSC – Monthly Message – May 2012
Elevator Mechanic – Dirty Jobs
Escalator to solve crossing problem
City of Chicago DOB E-Plan Rollout
Great photo of the week
Moscow Metro Escalator Chief Sacked
Chicago Elevator Association Golf Outing
1906 – Elevator Birdcage & Enclosure Design
TKE Partners with aPriori
Small fire snuffed out in elevator shaft
Love these Youtube Videos!
Low Bid Contracts….beware
2012 – Elevator U Conference Program Released
VEE Conference Agenda Released

As Arnold would say “I’ll be back”, next week.

Bring you show #294 today the 2^nd of May it’s a rainy one today. As we approach show #300 I wonder if any of you have ideas on how to celebrate. Send your ideas to elevatorradioshow@gmail.com and I’ll take a look at them. It would be nice to celebrate it in a special way. Shorter show today, which again is a nice change of pace from some of the marathon shows I’ve put out. Have a news article you’d like me to cover or a company press release? Send it to me and I’d be happy to cover it on the program.

News/Article Links:
NAEC Regional Educational Seminar San Fran
Diamonds found in elevator
Check this bathroom out
Ribbon cutting ceremony for elevator
Officials agree to fix long-troubled elevator
A happy ending part 2
Elevator Ninjas
Spring woman sues after elevator incident
BART eager to fast rack trains bicyclists ridership
Escalator blues
MTA focuses on ups, downs
Symax Lift announces record sales and profitability
Shuttle up the Hudson
Can special elevators spare Manhattan-bound buses trips back to NJ
Fall down elevator shaft in church
Advertisements around every corner
Erant elevator drops, traps riders
Maxton Valve educates at SF NAEC Regional
Car elevators for the very wealthy
New Trier examines accessibility issues
Epic 1953 Monarch Elevator Video/CJA Fixtures
1906 Elevator Cage/Enclosure Design

It’s our prize pack giveaway today and included along with some great goodies is a $100 cash Visa Card. I am excited about the Elevator U Conference that’s coming up. A great slate of presenters and topics are all set for the 2012 event and as always we’re going to have a great time. Not a whole lot going on this week as we cover a weeks worth of news. There’s one article/video that I need your help in taking down. It shows the improper use of riding an escalator and depicts dangerous riding behavior. Please comment, post and do what you can to get to the Huffington Post to have it taken down.

Special thanks to the companies who have donated goodies to the prize pack giveaway!

Fujitec America, GAL, The National Association of Elevator Contractors, The National Association of Elevator Safety Authorities, The Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation, Peelle, C.J. Anderson, Truxes, EMS Group, Elevator Bob’s Elevator Pictures, Minnesota Elevator, ElevatorGear.com, ElevatorShack.com, ElevatorU.org, Elevator World Magazine, Elevator Cab Renovations, The Elevator Preservation Blog, ECS Corporation, Parts Specialists, Elevatormanstories.com, Elevator Riders Riding Club, Elevator History Museum, Code Data Plate.com and  Certified Conveyance Training Corp.

News/Article Links:
VEE Registration Open and Free
UTC 1Q Profit up minus business sales
Another Perspective
New York City portrayed online in 870,000 images
KONE raises outlook after strong Q1
ISEC Call for papers
Man robbed in elevator
Egyptian faces court from groping woman in elevator
Tour of the America’s Elevator
Elevator firm sued for similar accident
LACMA buys seven works one by Louis Sullivan
Elevator upgrades to be subsidized
Elevator company makes impact on sports
People in the elevator
Boy attempts to ride escalator handrail! Please respond
Lickable Wallpaper – Another photo
Black boxes for all Beijing’s escalators
Elevated Closet
Younger generation lacks civic consciousness
Door obstruction
Elevator maker worries that riders need more to do
Metro Escalator Woes
EW Unplugged: Photo of the Week
A little fun on an elevator
Maxton provides certified elevator training

I’m back from riding in what is considered the toughest one day bicycle race in America in upstate New York over the weekend. Had a great time and now it’s back to the work and what pays the bills. Two weeks of news to catch up on I pull the most relative articles to share with you on the program today. Driving across the country, 14 hours both to my destination and back home; 28 hours in all, gave me time to reflect on family, work, and my goals in life.  It was nice to have that time to myself.  I hope that each and every one of you has the opportunity to reflect on your own personal lives in today’s fast pace world and look to find meaning with each day you tackle. If you’re having trouble with this a great book that can assist with your direction can be found over on Amazon.com.  Thank you Bob for the recommendation! This book provides some great insight on succeeding when you’re supposed to fail and I highly recommend it. Good to be back in the swing of things again.

News/Article Links:
Licensing push after 2 deaths from elevators in NY
London’s Lickable elevator, yuk!
Boy falls off escalator onto woman
Protect kids and elderly on escalators from impatient people
Home built elevator? Can you say unsafe?
Building the Empire State Building: Anniversary
Urban development lifts elevator business
Israel, man dies in construction accident
Company settles ‘false imprisonment’ lawsuit
Shootout after elevator dispute
Escalator fire shuts down center station
Escalator catches fire at Toa Payoh MRT station
Elevator, escalator accidents increasing?
EIGSC’s Monthly Message – April 2012
Man ticketed while stuck in elevator
Blowing fuses
Pittsburgh First Stop for Football Hall of Fame Display
Ferry get’s outfitted with elevator
Quake tests for hospitals include operating rooms and elevators
Tell us how you really feel
Ten injured in Moscow escalator catastrophe
Escalator to Elevator Risk reduction
Elevator U Conference Registration Open
Otis see’s new opportunity for elevators
Dieselducy Finds Vintage CJA Elevator

If this is the kind of news week we get when I go on vacation, next time I just might reconsider.  Talk about a week full of SNAFU’s that have me once again questioning a bunch of things which I’ll comment during the show today. Two articles on I swear were April fools jokes, unfortunately only one was.

In light of the response from the elevator mechanic in NY regarding the tragedy in December I will be sharing my EMI/RFI Testing experience with you so that comprehending what is being stated is understood by everyone.  I sure hope that the news source covering the article would run down the leads mentioned in the article to confirm that was the case before actually printing it.  There was also another accident in NY, this time involving a cable and an elevator dropping. Pretty serious stuff as this kind of thing is not supposed to happen. It’s getting a bit redundant and the riding public is starting to take notice. Is it too late to change? That my friends is the question.

News/Article Links:
Company introduces the world’s first pay per use elevator service
Elevator mechanic electrocuted in NY building
17 year old survives six story Elevator Plunge
Gothamist has a point!
NY City Council Speaker: Elevator repairmen don’t need a license?
Accused elevator mechanic says city consultant found many problems
Four year Olds hand torn after being pushed down escalator
Boy crushed by an automobile elevator
Don’t miss tomorrows Chicago Elevator Association meeting!
China Elevator Industry Report
Church may donate elevator
Mitt Romney campaign nixes his car elevator, for now
EW Unplugged: Elevator Blitz: The Game
Foggy Bottom blues: 3 escalators go down
Is the DC Metro Escalator Problem Getting Worse?
Like for Like Elevator Controller replacement
LIRR to review escalator safety after death
EW Unplugged: Photo of the week
Ringing the alarm of a 1930’s Otis
MD’s 10 (not so) recent elevator and escalator accidents
Verify if your controller company has any service bulletins
I am so out of touch with what video games are cool
Stair lift for fat pets….we’re adding to the problem
The elevator quiz
Elevator to the moon
LIRR looking into another escalator incident
Rail firms open legal proceedings in Belgian court
VTA continues elevator, escalator upgrades
KONE to supply Oklahoma City’s First Destination Dispatch System
Otis Elevators buyback deal
How Metro explains all broken, idle escalators
Bad traveling cable

No show today. On spring break with family and will be back next week for our regular program. Sunburned and having a great time. You know you’re enjoying yourself when you have no idea what day it is.

With the recent warmer temperatures in the Midwest I love it and finally have faith that spring is actually a season that can be experienced in Chicago. Fewer stories again this week which make it a nice compact show, however a couple that are worthy of sharing. Next week is Spring break for my kids and I’m headed for a short trip to Florida to see my parents. No show next week but I may have a post to share so check the website next week. It all depends on how much swimming and fun we’re having. Keep up the good work everyone each and every day and make sure you’re doing your part to make elevators and escalators safer.

News/Article Links:
Elevator had other problems before death
What are the chances you will die in a Philly Elevator?
NEII® Insider Edition
Elevator doors newest edition to museum
Escalator breakdown delays MRT users
Parking Garage modernization awarded
Woman, strangled to death by clothes in escalator
Accident on escalator MTA had hoped to replace
Gaylen Hinton passes away
Synergy Blue elevator cab
$1.4 Billion project on hold to save baby owls
EW Unplugged: Photo of the Week – LOL!
Modeling an elevator using object-oriented analysis
Elevator plan grounded, alternate considered temporary
Man loses toe in escalator accident
KONE launches energy-efficient direct drive for escalators
Cool elevator photo
Eco Build Starts Tomorrow
New York Elevator City Inspections – Take more time?
Costly, late elevator fixes pass council
Plan to install new elevator delayed
How It Works: World’s Fastest Elevator
Maxton Instructs at BYU
Attention Surfers Out There Support a great project!

As we head into another awesome week of warmer weather here in the Midwest one has to wonder if another snow storm is lurking out there on the horizon, I certainly hope not.  There are some good articles on the show that are worthy of saving and sharing. One of which an escalator owner actually sues the contractor who was in charge of maintaining their piece of equipment. I’ve never seen this before publicly covered before. Also Elevator World is looking for presenters/call for papers for their Virtual Elevator Exhibit in July. Have a topic you’d like to cover? Submit your idea and perhaps you’ll secure a spot. Get a little inspired today!

News/Article Links:

NY City Elevator inspections plummet
Escalator Modernization Continues at Metro Station
MESA February Update
Kitty Elevator, love the sound effects
Lift escalator to benefit Hidden River?
Scotttrade Sues escalator repair company
Beer Duty Escalator?
EIGSC Monthly Message
Why is this even published?
Chris Harris donates 10K for elevator lift
County changes elevator services provider
Premise liability lawsuit
Woman dies in escalator accident
MTA police probe LIRR station escalator death
Awesome Old Elevator in Milwaukee
Student claims sexual assault in elevator
Elevators program
The upside of going up and down
Elevator plan grounded, opts for upgrades
EW’s VEE Call for Papers
Commerical Premises? A waste of money?
Man awarded $3.9 million in elevator fall case
Michael Laine interviewed by Fast Company