Experiments on People
On getting back this afternoon from a delicious Colombian brunch with emilyfaerie, I decided, since I have a year-long travelcard, to take the bus for the two stops down Holloway Road from the station to my front door. I was about to cross the side road to get to the bus stop, when a thought occurred to me. I had never, ever seen anyone wait at that crossing, even when the lights were red: everybody always walks across and takes their chances with the dribble of traffic that goes along it. But what if I stopped? What would the other people do?
I checked behind me that there were no buses coming that I might miss through my plan, and then put my plan into action by refusing to take action. The light was on the red man, and I stood at the crossing. A few cars idled in the lane, going nowhere. A couple walked up to the other side of the crossing, and were about to cross when they looked up and were surprised to see me standing there waiting patiently for the green man, and so faltered to a halt. We stood there, them looking uncertainly at me standing stock-still, while I gazed into the middle distance, imperturbable. A badly-dressed man came up to my side and also stopped with me. Two girls in burqas joined us, while the couple were joined by some young men. We all stood, waiting, at the crossing where no one had waited before. Finally the green man appeared, and we all walked calmly across the road.
I checked behind me that there were no buses coming that I might miss through my plan, and then put my plan into action by refusing to take action. The light was on the red man, and I stood at the crossing. A few cars idled in the lane, going nowhere. A couple walked up to the other side of the crossing, and were about to cross when they looked up and were surprised to see me standing there waiting patiently for the green man, and so faltered to a halt. We stood there, them looking uncertainly at me standing stock-still, while I gazed into the middle distance, imperturbable. A badly-dressed man came up to my side and also stopped with me. Two girls in burqas joined us, while the couple were joined by some young men. We all stood, waiting, at the crossing where no one had waited before. Finally the green man appeared, and we all walked calmly across the road.