People in places: behavior in various situations

Forums: People In Lines, City Or Town Planning, Behavioral Studies
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https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/shortcuts/2017/feb/19/there-is-no-rule-of-six-the-truth-about-the-science-of-queueing

There is no ‘rule of six’ – the truth about the science of queueing
You wait longer when other people are behind you, we should stand on both sides of an escalator, and we usually get away with pushing in. Psychology professor Adrian Furnham explains what studies show us about standing in line.

The article isn't very long, but I enjoyed it a lot.
The whole article reminded me of my time (4 years) studying landscape architecture - a number of the first classes had to with people's needs regarding space, comfort zones, which vary a lot. I remember one assignment, to stand too close to someone in line, and notice what the person did.. ick, I hated that one. I did a lot of reading back then about people in cities, and then watching. Jane Jacobs (The Death and Life of Great American Cities) and, dammit, a guy I can't remember the name of as I type. William Something, I think.

If this is confusing (what, no list of plants?) a lot of landarchs are involved in city planning as well as site planing, and, sure, knowing plants.

So, the article is a saver for me. Makes me want to read Jacobs again. Unfortunately, I gave my well worn book away, to an architect pal.

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When the Boston subways are packed full of riders, those who are left standing (in the cars) will push and push until you have to push back.

I've never seen that behavior in NYcity but on very crowded subways, those folks trying to gain entrance into the cars, will very often grap the folks standing inside the cars, but near the doors, and pull them out onto the subway platform. The "pullers" then rush into the cars.

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@Miller,

I've watched folks at a Metropolitana station in Rome at the busiest time in the early morning clinging on to the doorway to pull themselves in, but never saw them pulling people out, that's gross! Sometimes they had their pockets picked by Zingari (gypsies) as they were try to get in the train car.

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When shopping in Germany and you have basket full of groceries and somebody comes with just one or two items often that person is asked to jumped the queu. You get a very friendly "Thank you"
In Sweden if I ask the person behind me with just that one or two items "Would you like to go ahead" The answer is as a rule " Oh no thank you" - it is conciderd impolite to jump the queu. I do not see it as jumping ahead. I am the one asking.
In Sweden you as a rule has to pull a number everywhere. Even the Swedish dogs know how to behave.
The Germans are pushing and the Brits are very good in queuing.

http://www.hovberg.se/resmi/koebildning.jpg

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@saab,

Ahhhh, I remember seeing the dogs in line photo somewhere before..

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Meanwhile, I looked up urban planning books, and found the one I was trying to remember, and I did get the first name right: it's The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces by William H. Whyte. There are lots of interesting books about cities out there.

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@ossobucotemp,

On an old episode of QI Stephen Fry said one word made queue jumping more successful, and that word is because. It doesn't really matter how tenuous the excuse was, just using the word because made people more likely to acquiesce.

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@ossobucotemp,

Quote:

the science of queueing

I never saw any queueing when I lived in Chicago. Most of the time, the folks all just bundled up like a bunch of bees and pushed forward.

NYers, on the other hand, are very big on queueing.

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I must not be familiar with the right subway trains here in New York, as I have never seen a person pulled from a train so another can gain access. I have ridden trains during the height of rush hour, both in the a.m. and in the p.m., where trains were jammed full and platforms were too, never in over a half century have I seen people pulled out (for someone to gain a spot), nor have I seen an orderly lining up. Usually more of a push and shove as those wishing to gain access push against those who are exiting as they arrive at their station.

If passengers were yanked off so a both could get on, there'd be bloodshed quite often.

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