Comments on: Obstacles Speed Up Exiting Crowds http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/12/obstacles-speed-exiting-crowds/ The official Derren Brown Blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:29:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Ian Copton http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/12/obstacles-speed-exiting-crowds/#comment-47666 Ian Copton Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:24:00 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=8432#comment-47666 Same applies to divorce. The more obstacles you put in the way, the quicker and more determined they are to finish the marriage. Same applies to divorce. The more obstacles you put in the way, the quicker and more determined they are to finish the marriage.

]]> By: Raymond http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/12/obstacles-speed-exiting-crowds/#comment-47657 Raymond Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:36:39 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=8432#comment-47657 Basically the current of people behaves like air currents. Introduce an extra obstacle and the flow will increase. I think the social psychology in this is, that we actually follow other people around us (it being your friends or just people you were standing next). So when they move faster ahead you will be required to also move faster to stay with them. When this isn't the case people are trapped in a so called psychological traffic jam, the same you see after a traffic jam when most drivers still are so conditioned to the slow pace that they still hold up traffic for a bit before realizing that they can actually put the peddle to the metal. Basically the current of people behaves like air currents. Introduce an extra obstacle and the flow will increase.

I think the social psychology in this is, that we actually follow other people around us (it being your friends or just people you were standing next). So when they move faster ahead you will be required to also move faster to stay with them.

When this isn’t the case people are trapped in a so called psychological traffic jam, the same you see after a traffic jam when most drivers still are so conditioned to the slow pace that they still hold up traffic for a bit before realizing that they can actually put the peddle to the metal.

]]> By: Nopke http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/12/obstacles-speed-exiting-crowds/#comment-47632 Nopke Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:17:22 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=8432#comment-47632 So, the positive result is that no accidents happen in the exit or at least less, as it apparently wont save much time as the route to the exit takes more time than before. Hm ... people always stand a bit dumb behind the one in front of them ... whereas there's one a bit more to the front who just stands there without moving forward if he/she can ... or chatting people .. We normally wait till a lot of people have gone out ... way better .. not bad to relax a little after the show/concert/game, get a bit back to your other self. So, the positive result is that no accidents happen in the exit or at least less, as it apparently wont save much time as the route to the exit takes more time than before.

Hm … people always stand a bit dumb behind the one in front of them … whereas there’s one a bit more to the front who just stands there without moving forward if he/she can … or chatting people ..
We normally wait till a lot of people have gone out … way better .. not bad to relax a little after the show/concert/game, get a bit back to your other self.

]]> By: PhilW http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/12/obstacles-speed-exiting-crowds/#comment-47608 PhilW Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:06:40 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=8432#comment-47608 Scientists / building planners did this with rats in a model of stadium years ago, where scientists flooded the centre of the stadium and the water moves outwards. The rats fearing getting wet / drowning head for the exits. If the exit was larger than one rat there was congestion as too many rats tried to exit at the same time. I would guess that in addition to slow people down sufficiently, that the obstacles cause people to consider queuing in an orderly fashion in advance of reaching the exit. Scientists / building planners did this with rats in a model of stadium years ago, where scientists flooded the centre of the stadium and the water moves outwards. The rats fearing getting wet / drowning head for the exits. If the exit was larger than one rat there was congestion as too many rats tried to exit at the same time. I would guess that in addition to slow people down sufficiently, that the obstacles cause people to consider queuing in an orderly fashion in advance of reaching the exit.

]]> By: Tash http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/12/obstacles-speed-exiting-crowds/#comment-47604 Tash Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:43:33 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=8432#comment-47604 that photo is really claustrophobic! that photo is really claustrophobic!

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