Aren't elevators supposed to be safe? The one I rode today wasn't.?

Question

As I was stepping into an elevator from the 10th floor it ascended about a foot then quickly leveled back to the floor. One foot was in the elevator the other was out of the elevator. It scared the c**p out of me.

Wasn't there a potential for a really bad accident? I thought elevators couldn't move when the doors were opened? I waited for another elevator (there was 4). The other elevator was fine.

Answer 1

No problem. You just assumed the elevator was unsafe.

Answer 2

Elevator doors are supposed to be able to be opened no matter where the elevator may be so that the car can be evacuated if it gets stuck, say one foot above or below where you may want it to.

As for the elevator's potential for an accident, it may be a warning sign for needed maintenance that the building owner may be made aware of.  Otherwise, elevators are usually very safe and would get stuck before they plummeted to the bottom in a fiery explosion (since that scenario is impossible).