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Interior of a hydraulic elevator shaft from an elevator surfer's point of view
Elevator surfing, also known as lift surfing, is an activity involving riding on top of elevators, rather than inside them.[1][2] More experienced surfers may attempt riskier maneuvers such as jumping between moving elevators, or riding the elevator's counterweight. Elevator surfing is typically considered a form of urban exploration, more aligned with investigative experiences like rooftopping and tunnel hacking rather than adrenaline-inducing urban sports like train surfing.[3] While elevator surfing was most prominent as a subculture in the United States and United Kingdom in the 1990s, it made a comeback in the late 2010s, with partakers often posting footage of their adventures on YouTube and similar platforms.[4]
Entry into the elevator shaft is often achieved using an elevator key—like those carried by first responders and building maintenance staff—to open the outer doors. Alternatively, participants may utilize lock picking techniques or use tools like coat hangers to force the elevator car's doors open between floors and unlatch the outer doors from the inside.[5] Elevator surfers usually cannot use the emergency hatch in the roof of the elevator to access the shaft, as these are designed for first responder use and cannot be opened from the inside.[6]
Elevator surfing typically occurs in skyscrapers or on college campuses, especially those with tall buildings. Participation is often illegal,[7] and if caught, surfers may face other charges like trespassing.[8]
^Kruszelnicki, Karl (19 July 2002). "Surfing Medical Madness". ABC. Retrieved 2006-08-27.
^Locke, Michelle (15 March 1990). "Student's Dies While Riding Atop Elevator". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
^Malone, Luke (30 July 2014). "Is Elevator Surfing Really a Thing?". vocativ.com. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
^Bostock, Bill. "Inside the resurgent, often deadly craze of 'lift surfing,' where thrill seekers sneak into skyscrapers to ride on top of speeding elevator cabs". Insider. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
^Greger, Gene (2003-10-05). "Urban Exploring Techniques: Elevator Surfing". Retrieved 2006-08-27.
^"Common Myths and Facts for Elevators". Mowrey Elevator. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
^Kohr, RM (March 1992). "Elevator surfing: a deadly new form of joyriding". Journal of Forensic Sciences. 37 (2): 640–5. doi:10.1520/JFS13273J. ISSN 0022-1198. PMID 1500904.
^Feehan, Katie (30 June 2019). "Reckless intruders filmed risking lives by 'lift surfing'". Echo News. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
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