>>>>I remember when I was a kid being convinced that if i were in an elevator and the cable were cut and we went into free-fall the trick would be to jump just before it hit bottom.
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>>>That would take away a bit of your kinetic energy, just as the railroad men jump backwards when jumping off a car. Depending on how well oiled your elevator shaft is, it may mean you end as a pancake a millimeter thicker than you would otherwise, or may actually save you a few fractures. Don't elevators have brakes for specially this sort of thing, so if it starts falling it should just block and dig in where it is?
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>>I don't think it would save owt. Remember newton's 3rd law. You'd just kick the lift down a little faster.
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>And yourself that much slower - and I imagine the speed at which that would mean anything wouldn't be much. Third floor, perhaps (US fourth) at best. Besides, it's pretty much impossible to do, because you wouldn't know when exactly the splat moment is coming.

I've always though that too.