Just stay in the front

Casadena

Dear Prudence,

I’m under five feet tall and get rather claustrophobic when pushed to the back of a crowded elevator. What can I do to make people more considerate?

banana468

Stay put? 

That said, depending on what you're doing and where you're going you're also going to need to practice common sense practices.  It usually makes sense that the person with the longest distance to travel is in the back while those getting in and out on earlier floors stay to the front.

short+sassy

I am 5'0", so quite petite myself.

I hate to be dismissive of her problem, but I have never experienced what she is talking about.  Elevator people aren't inconsiderate to me and I have never been "pushed" to the back of an elevator.  At worst, someone or their bag might accidentally jostle me...which I assume occasionally happens to people of all heights...and if they realized what happened, they'll apologize.

Sometimes I end up at the back of the elevator because I'll move back as new people come in.  If it's really crowded and we are at/near my floor, I'll call out something like, "Coming through, this is my floor."  People make space for me and at least one person next to the door will put their arm out so it doesn't close.  This is what I've always seen played out for anyone coming from the back to the front.

When available, she should anchor herself against a side wall as close to the front as possible.  An especially choice spot is the front corners where the buttons are.  As long as she is willing to be the considerate person who pushes the appropriate floor buttons that people request.