# Why is my elevator dispensing quarters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 19, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198 "2012-10-19T04:14:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/21 "2012-10-19T16:10:10Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Someone has installed a hidden video camera, and is paying you your commission for being the star on their live-cam website called [bentoverbutts.com](http://bentoverbutts.com) I vote for something along those lines. Or, the elevator is a spy drop, and the quarters are embedded with top secret info and the OP is totally screwing up our national security. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/22 "2012-10-19T17:00:16Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Why are you peering into a tiny grate next to the floor to find money in it? This. A petty ante robber, fleeing the gendarmes, hid in the elevator shaft and was killed. Everytime the car passes his body, some of the loot falls into the car and rolls to the grate. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/23 "2012-10-19T17:02:38Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Why are you peering into a tiny grate next to the floor to find money in it? Because duh, free money! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/24 "2012-10-19T17:06:43Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Because duh, free money! Well yes, but I’ve heard that folks urinate in elevators and there must be nasty stuff tromped in that finds it’s way to the grates. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/25 "2012-10-19T17:21:05Z")
Where did you hear that folks urinate in elevators? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that, and I take a lot of elevators. And in my apartment building, things are cleaned every day. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/26 "2012-10-19T17:25:58Z")
Boo Radley is doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/27 "2012-10-19T17:27:34Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Where did you hear that folks urinate in elevators? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that, and I take a lot of elevators. > > And in my apartment building, things are cleaned every day. At least at one light rail station in my area, the elevators used to get people from the train to the bus (or vice versa) always smell like they’ve been used for a restroom (in that part of town, they probably were). Then there’s [this gem](http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/2012/05/08/broken-elevators/) from Passive-Aggressive Notes. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/28 "2012-10-19T17:27:57Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Where did you hear that folks urinate in elevators? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that, and I take a lot of elevators. > > And in my apartment building, things are cleaned every day. Guys coming home from parties late at night. Winos who wander into the building. Folks annoyed with the landlord. Googling finds [this](http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/09/15/Man-charged-with-peeing-in-elevators/UPI-91041253045879/)and other links. Wash those quarters! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/29 "2012-10-19T17:30:58Z")
“Hi, **Eyebrows** , it’s me, Mitt. Do you know who makes these money-generating elevators, and if they do them in car sizes?” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/30 "2012-10-19T17:37:52Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Guys coming home from parties late at night. > Winos who wander into the building. > Folks annoyed with the landlord. That’s really not that common, though. In my building it’s pretty much unheard of. ---
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/31 "2012-10-19T17:39:56Z")
This reminds me very much of the children’s book “Willie the Squowse”. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/32 "2012-10-19T17:51:56Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > In my building it’s pretty much unheard of. I’m glad. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/33 "2012-10-19T21:20:26Z")
I’m loving all these responses! Let’s see if it happens again tonight! Oh, and my building and elevator are very clean, so I have no worries about people urinating (lol) in the elevator. It’s no different than just picking them off the floor. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/34 "2012-10-19T21:30:43Z")
Maybe a bag of change broke showering quarters everywhere and a few get worked loose every day. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/35 "2012-10-19T21:37:53Z")
I just hope these aren’t some kind of offering to a dark force and that you’re not going to unleash that force by taking away the only thing that appeases it - spare change. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/36 "2012-10-19T22:14:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I just hope these aren’t some kind of offering to a dark force and that you’re not going to unleash that force by taking away the only thing that appeases it - spare change. Good gad, Cheap Evile Demons are the very worst! ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/37 "2012-10-19T22:24:32Z")
It’s a giant vending machine; sometime soon, enough money will have been inserted, and the floor will open. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/38 "2012-10-19T22:27:29Z")
I’m guessing a child is doing it. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/39 "2012-10-19T22:27:47Z")
It’s the new form of economic stimulus ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198/40 "2012-10-19T22:57:04Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I’m guessing a child is doing it. That was my thought. I recently found a magnetic number (the kind kids like to play with on refrigerators) stuffed into a crevice on my dishwasher’s door (I assume this was from a prior tenant, since I don’t have kids). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-elevator-dispensing-quarters/638198.md?page=3)