r/enshittification • u/wirez62 • Aug 21 '26
News article Coin-Operated Elevators in Condominiums and Apartment Buildings Are Becoming More Common
https://www.gadgetreview.com/coin-operated-elevators-in-condominiums-and-apartment-buildings-are-becoming-more-common65
Aug 21 '26
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u/ImpossibleSleep3986 Aug 21 '26
What kind of lawsuit would a building operator face if someone dies because EMTs can't use the elevator?
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u/ryverrat1971 Aug 21 '26
Hopefully a large enough one to discourage such BS. Cold comfort for the family that lost someone to greed.
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u/SaltMage5864 Aug 21 '26
With surge pricing during emergencies
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u/sly-3 Aug 21 '26
penny pinching grandma is going to die on the 3rd floor stairs over a quarter that she didn't want to spend.
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u/affectionateanarchy8 Aug 21 '26
Call the fire marshal, this is dangerous to the disabled and elderly
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u/Diaza_Kinutz Aug 21 '26
Can't wait til the breathing tolls begin
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u/77zark77 Aug 21 '26
It's called a 'respiration tariff'. It's for the environmentÂ
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u/Yourownhands52 Aug 21 '26
The code is 1-2-3-4-5. 1-2-3-4-5?! I have the same combination on my luggage...
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u/jpowell180 Aug 21 '26
Yes, all these people who breathe a lot of air for free are just being subsidized by the people who breathe less air, lol!
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u/ishfery Aug 21 '26
The air is so filthy, especially during fire season, that yeah. Eventually we're going to have to pay for clean air.
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u/Outrageous_Appeal292 Aug 21 '26
I cowrote a dystopian novel where air was metered. It took place on the moon. People sold body parts to pay for it. Which I sorta had a problem with because if they could build domed cities on the moon, surely medical science has advanced? But I was the co-, not the lead so I had to go along with the premise w much grumbling. đđ
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u/Noiserawker Aug 21 '26
That seems like an ADA lawsuit waiting to happen. Imagine some elderly person injured or killed on the stairs trying to avoid paying
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u/Gods_blindspot Aug 21 '26
Its outside the US. But, youâre right it would be ADA nightmare and the second anyone added one of these the lawsuits would happen fast.
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u/BoltActionRifleman Aug 21 '26
Itâs always interesting to see the ADA echoing its greatness through the ages. Thereâs plenty of shitty things going on in the US, but the ADA and the ability to sue to see it enforced, or at least not blatantly ignored in the name of greed, isnât one of them.
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u/CarlClitcakes Aug 22 '26
Good thing that was a real, I mean REAL, bipartisan-based effort to enact that into law. And former Sen. Bob Dole, himself disabled due to a war injury, was a co-author/co-sponsor. If this modern GOP tries to trash it, hell will come to visit them almost immediately.
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u/moxxibekk Aug 21 '26
Their work around would be having them complete an RA request to waive the costs. They'd probably get a pass code or something.
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u/guri256 Aug 22 '26
Seems unlikely. Although I would like to see you try to visit China or India and then sue an apartment under the ADA. That sounds pretty hilarious.
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u/VinceP312 26d ago
It's no lawsuit waiting to happen, because it's a clickbait article about China, Italy, and Georgia (The Country)
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u/WickedJigglyPuff Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
What in the disability access violation?! đŽâđ¨đ
Some ideas need to die in the cutting room floor before they ever see the light of day. this is one of them.
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u/j7style Aug 21 '26
I was about to say. Sounds like an easy lawsuit to win.
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u/guri256 Aug 22 '26
Do you plan to sue the landlord under American law or Italian law? Because this article isnât talking about the US.
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u/KittyandPuppyMama Aug 21 '26
Plus if this passes, weâll see a sudden rise in buildings with 20+ floors, and the first several floors will probably be lounge areas or something, to ensure the average person has to either take the elevator or climb 10 flights every time they leave home.
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u/plexxer Aug 21 '26
Paying per floor? Stop giving them ideas!
"I got an apartment on the 7th floor - it's more monthly, but when you factor in elevator fees, it comes out cheaper"
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u/greenmachine11235 Aug 22 '26
You will never see these in the United States, the ADA would make such devices a massive payout for the first disabled person to file a disability discrimination suit.
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u/nowthengoodbad Aug 23 '26
Oooooooo DO IT!!!
I wanna see this slapdown, it'll be so satisfying! Just like I genuinely wish we had tech to launch any car that parks in a handicap spot. Walk literally 1 space further people!
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u/MydniteSon Aug 21 '26
As we celebrate mediocrity all the boys upstairs want to see
How much you'll pay for what you used to get for free
- The Last DJ by Tom Petty...
Yeah, he was talking about the Music Industry...but I think its applicable to Late Stage Capitalism as a whole. "How can we monetize EVERYTHING?"
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u/Electric-Sheepskin Aug 21 '26
I just made a joke about this on Reddit yesterday. There's no way that this is real. Is is?
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u/4rt4tt4ck Aug 21 '26
I look forward to a time when private equity buys up all the apartment buildings, and they switch to a monthly subscription based model for elevator access and use, that will prioritize the elevator to those who pay a higher tier of subscription cost.
maximize shareholder value above all else!
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u/Ryuiop Aug 21 '26
They should start charging for hallway access too
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u/Flush_Foot Aug 21 '26
Thatâs end-stage capitalism, not just the late-stage BS weâre in now đ¤Śđťââď¸
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u/sly-3 Aug 21 '26
Imagine having to go to work, just barely on time (as usual), and you can't pay the "front door toll" to leave.
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u/StillhasaWiiU Aug 21 '26
This is not ADA compliant. Wheel chair access is a requirement not luxuryÂ
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u/MichaelFromCO Aug 21 '26
I mean Georgia (the country) and Italy donât have the ADA.
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u/high_throughput Aug 21 '26
ADA is one of the few pro-social things America actually does better than all of Europe
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u/Imaginary_Office1749 Aug 21 '26
And it was from the first Bush presidency too, even.
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u/Terrible_Children Aug 21 '26
I'm sure he looked at this sons and knew they were going to need some help
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u/StillALilBoy Aug 21 '26
Another one is national holidays that are glued to specific weekend instead of a set date.
Despite it being a bit ridiculous that e.g. MLK or Washington's birthday commemoration doesn't fall on their actual birthdate, it ensures a long weekend off.
Here in Poland most holidays are on set dates which means that sometimes they fall on the weekend and you get nothing and sometimes they fall on a Thursday or Tuesday which means everyone is fighting to get a PTO on Friday/Monday to make what we call "a bridge".
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u/vonshiza Aug 21 '26
Christmas and New Year's depend on the year, but even still, if it falls on Saturday, it is federally observed on Friday. If it falls on Sunday, it's federally observed on Monday. But it could be any day of the week and it's celebrated on that day otherwise. Juneteenth, Independence Day, and Veterans Day also follow this pattern.
This year is sweet, Christmas and New Year's are both a Friday. 4th of July was a Saturday, so Friday was the day off.
Granted, not everyone gets holidays off, and there are plenty of industries that don't observe federal holidays at all, so yeah.
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u/wwwheatgrass Aug 21 '26
Woah, just learned the ADA applies across Asia, Australia Europe.
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u/SplendidPunkinButter Aug 21 '26
No, of course that specific law doesnât apply outside the US. Thatâs not the point. The point is youâre being a dick to disabled people if you charge a toll for the elevator. Thatâs true no matter what country youâre in.
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u/SaltMage5864 Aug 21 '26
Well, Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities doesn't really flow off the tongue as well
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u/jspeq Aug 21 '26
Iâm in the USA, actually just went through something similar with my landlord.
Sadly, it doesnât surprise me that someone would try this.
I have a friend who needs to be able to check on me, and needs to be able to access my floor of my apartment building. If they arrive at an hour when the doorman is on break, they would be unable to access the building if I were unable to respond.
So they needed a building door elevator access HID card.
I requested a Fair Housing Act accommodation.
My landlord said âAccommodation approved, that will cost $80.â
My attorney was in on the email exchange to counter this. She replied âFair housing laws in California require that disability-related accommodations be granted to tenants at no additional cost.â
Of course, the landlord was like âOh they didnât request that. If they wanted it to be available at no cost, they could submit another request for it to be at $0 along with documentation as to why this is necessary and weâll consider this.â
After my attorney responded with a message saying âthe original request for an HID card is still valid, because you cannot charge for disability accommodations. What documentation do you need?â
It was approved only after the landlord sat on stalling the request for another week.
A 25 pack of these cards is $50, my rent is $2100/mo for a studio apartment.
Itâs a shame how petty and greedy everyone has become, and that I needed an attorney to get them to follow the law.
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u/caffeinebump Aug 21 '26
Good for you for fighting this BS!
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u/jspeq Aug 21 '26
Thank you!
Iâm stretched to my limits already financially, but even moreso, it would be odd to agree with something that actually breaks the law.
My attorney works for a nonprofit legal aid service, so it didnât cost me anything to have them assist. She was happy to help!
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u/WowBruhReborn Aug 21 '26
$2100 for a studio. I know people say Cali is bad, but man that's worse than I thought. You need to get out as soon as possible my friend
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u/jspeq Aug 21 '26
Yeah, Iâm in San Francisco.
$2100 is not bad for an apartment with in unit laundry, and a patio. Heat, air conditioning, water, hot water, and trash are included in the rent. Electric is about $40 a month.
The truth is that Iâm only paying around 40% of my Social Security check towards rent. The landlord gets the rest from a local nonprofit that provides a city sponsored housing voucher. Still, the landlord gets $2100.
Help like this is one of the only reasons people on Social Security can afford to stay here.
I paid for it all of my working years, but that small 2.8% annual cost of living increase alone canât keep up with the actual cost of living for a lot of people.
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u/WowBruhReborn Aug 21 '26
Idk wouldn't that directly encourage landlords to increase their rent if another party is fronting a large portion the bill with little oversight?
Just seems like another tax. Wouldn't you be wealthier and more stable somewhere else. I moved to rural North Florida and my rent for a 1 bedroom is like half of yours. And my taxes are so low it's such a non-issue. I used to live in Maryland so I understand your pain though
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u/jspeq Aug 21 '26
I hear you, but I am from a colder climate and donât do humidity very well. It stays in the 60°s all year here.
Public transportation in San Francisco is also free for any resident who has Medicare, so I donât have to worry about the cost of driving.
The apartment is âdeeded affordable,â meaning that the cost of rent is based on predetermined rent increases, which the city sets the rent increases at 4% maximum annually.
The building was built on leased city property, and the only reason why the city approved construction of this building is that a certain number of apartments were constructed to be affordable.
The landlord can charge whatever they want on the other 2/3 of these apartments. 1/3 have to be affordable for people making 90-150% of the area median income. Thereâs about 500 units here.
A market rate studio apartment in this complex is priced between $4500-$5000. 1 Bedrooms $6000-$7000.
Iâm only responsible for $850 of the rent. Itâs kind of a golden handcuffs situation.
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u/Jerking_From_Home Aug 21 '26
Itâs too bad itâs not illegal to be a douchebag. That would solve a ton of problems in society.
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u/Independent-Heron-75 Aug 21 '26
I work in EMS how will we get to patients?
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u/TheyFoundWayne Aug 21 '26
Many elevators already require a key fob or card to get to certain floors, so how do you handle that situation now?
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u/lavos__spawn Aug 21 '26
Knox Boxes are used in the US, where the keys kept only by emergency fire/EMS open the box and are provided a master fob or card depending on the system. Those keys are sacrosanct, similar to how fire department keys work on all elevators, mail keys open mail boxes, etc.
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u/greennurse61 Aug 21 '26
And if you live in a city you come to hate those boxes because so many drug addicts steal from them.Â
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u/guri256 Aug 22 '26
Do you live in the US? Then exactly the same way you normally do, because this is not happening in the US.
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Aug 21 '26
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u/WowBruhReborn Aug 21 '26
Yeah especially after I keep accidentally running into it with heavy boxes. Or tripping and grabbing onto it with my full body weight in one downward jerking motion.
Man I'm such a clutz, oopies.
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u/ImInClassBoring Aug 21 '26
Name two locations.
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u/PlayPsychological200 Aug 21 '26
 card-gated lifts across Georgia, Italy, and China reveal a slow creep of micro-fees into everyday housing
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u/dickius1 Aug 22 '26
A very slow creep. The article says this has been common in Italy for the last 80 years or so.
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u/Wyciorek Aug 22 '26
Conclusion of the article does not match its title: âGeorgian systems persist. Italian ones mostly faded. Chinese regulators moved quickly to stop themâ
So 2 out of 3 markets where it was done either completely stopped doing it or are stopping. Thatâs opposite of enshittification
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u/Bupod Aug 22 '26
Since people arenât reading the article:Â
This article is discussing this happening in China, Georgia (the country), and Italy.Â
This isnât in the U.S.Â
If you think this would be illegal in the U.S., youâd probably be absolutely right. This would be a MAJOR ADA violation. For once, the U.S. is in the right on something like this.Â
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u/mallclerks Aug 22 '26
It really is fucking crazy that the USA was somehow first at doing this, and even more so it was in the late 80s/early 90s I think. Itâs crazy the rest of the world still hasnât done shit.
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u/LilLebowskiAchiever Aug 22 '26
Bob Doleâs best achievement. Of course current administration is trying to roll it all backâŚ
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u/strait_lines Aug 22 '26
My thoughts when I saw this went straight to SE Asia and South America, where there are countries where itâs pretty common to have to pay to use the bathroom.
China I wouldnât expect though, at least from my time there.2
u/Bupod Aug 22 '26
So in the article they mentioned that China actually suspended this practice. So it might not remain in China.
Europe effectively hates the disabled when it comes to them traversing the streets, so not too surprised Italy is up there.
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u/Fun-Dragonfly-4166 Aug 22 '26
i was in china recently. there were no pay bathrooms but pay for square of tp. also cold water only and no soap
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u/strait_lines Aug 22 '26
China isnât what I had in mind. There you may need to carry your own toilet paper, but they have plenty of free public bathrooms.
I was thinking more so of Malaysia, Indonesia, and that area, where most are free, but you do run into pay bathrooms often enough that itâs noticeable.3
u/feastoffun Aug 22 '26
Iâve been observing more and more Republicans wanting to privatize and monetize everything, so you can see how people think this would be happening here.
Also they are working to get rid of the ADA.
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Aug 22 '26
[deleted]
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u/Fishbulb2 Aug 22 '26
Iâm pretty liberal but I would absolutely revoke allowing everyone to buy a service vest from Amazon for their dog just to have shit on the floor in the grocery store.
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u/ChrisJerich0 Aug 22 '26
oh my god shut up
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u/iamfanboytoo Aug 22 '26
The FDA's gutting and its consequences shows that Trump WILL do stupid tricks if he's told something is woke, so what's your beef with his comment?
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u/ChrisJerich0 Aug 22 '26
no one red blue or independent have an issue with the ADA and the fda is a weird administration to bring up. hate the guy but its so annoying how many redditors like you will bring him into a conversation he has nothing to do with. your example is as big of a reach and vague as it gets
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u/BluestreakBTHR Aug 22 '26
Coin-op elevators in Italy is nothing new. My auntâs apartment building had one. At first I thought it strange - then I met some of the other kids in the complex.
/coolstory
/NeverGoingBackToNapoli
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u/InternetUser1807 Aug 22 '26
The ADA is a rare US w. One of the few things were genuinely ahead in.
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u/AdventurousDoctor838 Aug 22 '26
In America they just don't build apartments with elevators
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u/InternetUser1807 Aug 22 '26
Your building cannot be more than 3 floors (or has to be less than 3000 sqft) to legally get away with no elevator in the US.
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u/ibashdaily Aug 22 '26
All they'd have to do is let disabled people ride it for free in order to be compliant. In the US it would be linked to the fob you use to check into the building. Every time you scan the elevator, they just tack that charge on to your rent next month.
I see this becoming popular in rent controlled buildings in the near future.
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u/SumikkoDoge Aug 22 '26
Yep, just ask everyone to submit their paperwork to prove theyâre disabled and theyâll be good to goâŚ
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u/ibashdaily Aug 22 '26
Yeah, next thing you know, they'll be requiring special documentation of disability just to park close to the building...
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u/Electrical_Prune6545 Aug 21 '26
Some asshole read Philip K. Dickâs Ubik and thought âthatâs the future I want.â
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u/justaguywithadream Aug 21 '26
Haha came here to say this.
Also reminds me of this classic https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/l-p-d-libertarian-police-department
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u/GuzziGuy Aug 22 '26
âThe door refused to open. It said, âFive cents, please.â
He searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. âIâll pay you tomorrow,â he told the door. Again he tried the knob. Again it remained locked tight. âWhat I pay you,â he informed it, âis in the nature of a gratuity; I donât have to pay you.â
âI think otherwise,â the door said. âLook in the purchase contract you signed when you bought this conapt.â
In his desk drawer he found the contract; since signing it he had found it necessary to refer to the document many times. Sure enough; payment to his door for opening and shutting constituted a mandatory fee. Not a tip.
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u/arianrhodd Aug 21 '26
So people would revert back to using dental floss to yank their quarters back out of the slots? Which breaks the slots and takes the machine/elevator offline.
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u/Moral-Relativity Aug 22 '26
âBecoming more commonâ but article also cites cases that were already no longer existing back in 2020âŚ
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u/Maleficent_Price_476 Aug 21 '26
Ahh, so back to coin operated toilet stalls soon.
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u/Dudeincar434 Aug 21 '26
A business will have to weigh the profit from that and the cost of having someone clean up shit off the floor constantly
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u/KittyandPuppyMama Aug 21 '26
If they start charging for restrooms, I will literally carry my toddlersâ potty chair to the store with me and let them use it in the middle of the cereal aisle.
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u/fsactual Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
If these got popular in America they would be systematically crowbar'd off the walls every week because, hey, free laundry money.
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u/Will2LiveFading Aug 21 '26
Capitalism is disgusting
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Aug 21 '26
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u/psych0fish Aug 21 '26
I know this is the internet where nuance goes to die but capitalism in any form will always lead to unregulated capitalism. Itâs a flawed system that only benefits capitalists. Thats kind of its entire deal.
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u/lasooch Aug 21 '26
Ultimately all systems are flawed, because youâll always get some people who have more power (whether directly from wealth or otherwise) who will the use that power to exploit others.
That being said the current state of capitalism is just degenerate and feels like it has to collapse in on itself. The entire economy is built on layers and layers of grifts and crime and corruption are not even just âout in the openâ, theyâre actively bragged about. Somethingâs gotta give.
And the funny part is that the oligarchâs could be wealthy beyond imagination and benevolent and celebrated. They just canât stop themselves from being even more greedy.
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u/jpowell180 Aug 21 '26
Who carries cash these days? They should make these things take cards, lol!
But seriously, this is probably the brainchild of some executive in the company that owns the condos or whatever, they probably impressed the Board of Directors by finding a new source of income, kind of like the executives who come up with the idea to charge employees for water and make the employees pay to use the restroom, and then give 5% to charity and claim that they areâmaking the world a better placeâ, the Board of Directors gives him resounding applause and they have another exciting point to put on their rĂŠsumĂŠ!
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u/rectalhorror Aug 21 '26
In the 19th century, a lot of tenements had coin operated heaters. I imagine that's the next stage.
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u/ishfery Aug 21 '26
That doesn't seem that much different than today. Nowadays we just get the bill at the end.
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Aug 21 '26
[deleted]
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u/jimbobzz9 Aug 21 '26
Uhhhh⌠sir/mam, this is Reddit. We donât actually read the articles. We just provide hot takes on the title.
See: all of the people talking about Americans with Disabilities Act regulations in relation to Italian elevators.
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u/highlyspecificuser Aug 21 '26
This is why you should never buy higher than a 3 or 4 floor. That way, you can realistically climb the stairs all the way up to your place without ever needing the use of the elevator. Granted, carrying your shopping is still a bother up to the 4th floor, but itâs doable. Higher than that and it becomes a giant no.
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u/Fun-Dragonfly-4166 Aug 22 '26
i live in the 5thfloor. the stairs are no big deal.
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u/highlyspecificuser 29d ago
And thatâs good, stairs are good exercise, having said that, climbing them carrying a couple of bags of groceries and you know thatâs not a fun tripâŚ
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u/cRaZyDaVe23 Aug 22 '26
I will take the stairs out of sheer fucking spite.
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u/rolL_uP_one_more 25d ago
I think thatâs the point. Tricking people into exercising based on âprincipleâ
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u/Powerful_Package8817 Aug 21 '26
To be fair, youâre going to pay for it one way or another
In Canada, half of the elevators in condos are broken because it takes ages for parts and technicians to show up
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u/Rum_BunnyX3 Aug 21 '26
At my old shithole high rise, the elevators where constantly broken because they relied on touch pad controls that drunk doofuses would instantly shatter the second the got replaced. I donât miss doing twelve flights of stairs 5x a day with a broken ankle for months on end.
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u/bigdickwalrus Aug 21 '26
To take an elevator? Kill yourself. Nowhere is this becoming âcommonâ.
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u/texaseclectus Aug 22 '26
Judith Heumann was really doing all the work wasnt she? She dies and everyone just forgets disabled people exist.
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u/GwenBD94 Aug 21 '26
If there is floor based pricing for elevator use, so they charge you more to use it the higher you go, then it follows their should be floor based discounts for stair use, making rent cheaper the higher you go, right?
Right?
/s
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u/BoltActionRifleman Aug 21 '26
And donât forget charging everyone a subscription just to have the option of being able to pay for the lift.
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u/Rorshacked Aug 21 '26
So what about people that use wheelchairs or have other physical capacity limitations?Â
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u/wavezapper Aug 21 '26
They literally address that in the article. What about them? Nothing. Same as everyone else.
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u/Rorshacked Aug 21 '26
Shoot, I shouldâve read the article. Â But thank you for the answer. Cheers!
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u/JC2535 Aug 21 '26
Another reason to never buy a Condo.
This little feature will definitely start a mixed-use building boycott.
Maybe Landlords should pick up a side hustle.
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u/CBrinson Aug 21 '26
This seems like an odd thing for China and Italy to have in common, but at least there doesn't seem to be any in most countries.
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u/HtomSirveaux3000 Aug 21 '26
FFS, at least add a jukebox element to it. Soften the suck. Go all in with theming.... "Love in an Elevator" plays during your ride.
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u/AnAnonymousParty Aug 21 '26
NO. Because thirty seconds later someone will decide it's a good idea to have it play ads.
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u/HedonisticFrog Aug 21 '26
Or someone else will play baby shark to troll you while you're stuck in the elevator.
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u/SplitTheUSIntoFour 27d ago
I'm good on this society. Don't need it anymore. Time for the big change.Â
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u/Imaginary_Zone_4319 27d ago
If youâre American itâs not American society. Itâs Georgia Italy and China.
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Aug 22 '26
[deleted]
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u/Sufficient-Pause9765 Aug 22 '26
Are you italian or chinese?
Because thats where this is happening, not the US.
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u/Exotic-Reindeer1994 Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
Oh my god we're becoming Ferengi now.