Elevators. Just say no.

Here are some reasons:

• Walking stairs is good exercise. While you are at it, use the stairs to do some calf lifts every day. If it’s too many stairs to walk up, just walk down.

• Avoid that awkward time, too short to converse, long enough to be uncomfortable as you both stare at the floor number display.

• Save energy.

• Sooner or later, it’s going to get stuck and you won't be on it. Yay.

• It’s unlikely that the elevator will free fall, but it is even more unlikely that the stairs you are walking on will collapse.

• It can save your life. I had a co-worker who was in good shape. He had a large brood of children and a boyish aspect to him. He liked stairs. On 9/11 he was working in the World Trade Center, and he walked down 40 flights of stairs and out the door, safe and sound.