[spiritcat]

Well ya the prohibition is about creating fire, why wouldn't you step on the elevator if it's just going to be going up and down anyway?

[Itaxpica]

This is a common misconception, but the prohibition against using electronics on Shabbat has nothing to do with fire; it has to do with completing a circuit since "completing a construction" is one of the 39 specifically banned activities

[schoen]

It seems that both justifications have been used.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activities_prohibited_on_Shabb...

"Many poskim ground their prohibition of operating electrical appliances in this melakha."

[spiritcat]

ooh