Comments on: Tragedy of the Commons in NYC Subways http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/08/14/tragedy-of-the-commons-in-nyc-subways/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 23 May 2012 01:03:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Steve http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/08/14/tragedy-of-the-commons-in-nyc-subways/#comment-8545 Steve Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:15:36 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=1117#comment-8545 People use them all the time for "justifiable reasons": exiting with a stroller or bike. The turnstiles at many subway stops do not accommodate these items and the lack of attendants at these exits leave you no other choice if exiting. That doesn't excuse people who do it for expediency, it's just that they often follow those with a genuine reason for using the exits. People use them all the time for “justifiable reasons”: exiting with a stroller or bike.

The turnstiles at many subway stops do not accommodate these items and the lack of attendants at these exits leave you no other choice if exiting.

That doesn’t excuse people who do it for expediency, it’s just that they often follow those with a genuine reason for using the exits.

]]> By: Josh R http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/08/14/tragedy-of-the-commons-in-nyc-subways/#comment-8516 Josh R Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:34:38 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=1117#comment-8516 Exactly right George. If you're willing to get soaked, then you must have really needed to exit quickly, but if your "emergency" is really "I'm too important to wait 30 seconds to get through a turnstile." you'll think twice. I'm not saying that it's seriously practical though, it's just a rather funny application of the idea that in order for a law or rule to be effective, there has to be some way of consistently penalizing the people who break the law, and the penalty has to negate any benefit they got from breaking the law. Exactly right George. If you’re willing to get soaked, then you must have really needed to exit quickly, but if your “emergency” is really “I’m too important to wait 30 seconds to get through a turnstile.” you’ll think twice.

I’m not saying that it’s seriously practical though, it’s just a rather funny application of the idea that in order for a law or rule to be effective, there has to be some way of consistently penalizing the people who break the law, and the penalty has to negate any benefit they got from breaking the law.

]]> By: George http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/08/14/tragedy-of-the-commons-in-nyc-subways/#comment-8513 George Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:32:17 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=1117#comment-8513 Josh, Just a cold shower. If it is a real emergency you would not mind getting soaked. Transit police could round up wet people and ask them "what is the emergency?". Josh,
Just a cold shower. If it is a real emergency you would not mind getting soaked. Transit police could round up wet people and ask them “what is the emergency?”.

]]> By: Josh R http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/08/14/tragedy-of-the-commons-in-nyc-subways/#comment-8504 Josh R Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:21:30 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=1117#comment-8504 I think that because the exits are there in case of fire or terrorist attack, there should be powerful sprayers above all of them that automatically douse anyone moving through the door with ice cold water at a rate of about 5 gallons a second. To you know, put out the fire... I think that because the exits are there in case of fire or terrorist attack, there should be powerful sprayers above all of them that automatically douse anyone moving through the door with ice cold water at a rate of about 5 gallons a second. To you know, put out the fire…

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