The Vegas Maneuver

Early last month while I was in Las Vegas for work, I got stuck with several of my co-workers on one of those interminable elevator rides that seems to happen quite frequently in large hotels -- you know, your room is on the 38th floor or something, and you have to stop at every second or third floor all the way down to the ground. By the high 20s, you've already got as many people as you want crowding an elevator with you. By the low 20s, you're jam-packed well past that point, but you're still going to stop another dozen times or so before you finally get to the ground floor.

Well, not on this particular elevator trip.

Somewhere about halfway through the trip, when we already had about 10 people on, a total stranger on the ride with us decided that enough was enough. "Everybody move forward!" he encouraged us. And we did. And then the biggest guy in the elevator turns around and puts his back right up against the doors.

Now at this point, in the back of the elevator, there's clearly room for maybe four or five more people. You know, if we weren't all sick of jamming more people in with us. But sure enough, the next stop, the doors come open, and a handful of faces looking to get on just turn white with shock. "Whoa!" they exclaim, peering at the back of this huge guy, and nine or so other faces crowded as far forward as we can get. "We'll wait for the next one."

No sooner do the doors close that we all bust out laughing, congratulating each other on this well-devised ruse. Sure, you could argue we were all being curmudgeonly and selfish... but it was also a strangely cool group experience, us and these strangers, figuring out how to squeeze a modicum of comfort (and a lot of enjoyment) out of this elevator ride.

Flash-forward to Gen Con in Indianapolis a few weeks later. Most of the same co-workers were again crowded with me in an elevator heading down from one of the top floors in the hotel. People kept crowding on. It was getting a little uncomfortable.

And then "my rich friend" says, "Vegas Maneuver?"

Instantly, I know what he's talking about. I'm with Shocho at the front of the elevator -- the tallest guys there. We both turn our backs to the door, all of us encouraging everyone to move as far forward as possible.

Next floor... doors pop open.... "Holy crap! We'll wait for the next one."

Doors close. The jaws of these strangers in the elevator with us seem to drop in amazement, like we've discovered fire or the wheel or something. Which got me to thinking, maybe this elevator technique, this "Vegas Maneuver" really is something to be shared.

And now I've done that with all of you.