Panic
"Panic occurs only when people feel they may be trapped, when there is a sensation of great helplessness, and a sense of great isolation.
As long as humans have at least one square yard of space each, they can control their own movements. With less than that, people lose the ability to counter the jostling of others; small lurches get amplified, and the crowd becomes unstable. In some cases all it takes is one or two people to panic...."
Cow re-reading bits of The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley, sticking out her elbows and preparing for her next trip to the discount gas station...
Moo!
As long as humans have at least one square yard of space each, they can control their own movements. With less than that, people lose the ability to counter the jostling of others; small lurches get amplified, and the crowd becomes unstable. In some cases all it takes is one or two people to panic...."
Cow re-reading bits of The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley, sticking out her elbows and preparing for her next trip to the discount gas station...
Moo!
posted by The Topiary Cow at
12:37 PM
7 Comments:
This was my day yesterday!
Dear Topiary, this is me in the tube every day. I do loathe breathing in other people's breath and BO, too. Love scones
Commuting by English public transport is the veriest bliss and everybody respects everybody else's personal space.
There's only so much sang froid one can muster when you're standing four to a lavatory in an overcrowded train carriage.
My dears, you should have been at Henley Regatta today! The great crush in the streets and on the riverbank was unbearable. Luckily, we were in the Enclosure, but I did look on the poor crowds with compassion.
You should read Vonnegut.
Dearie me. Cow is feeling sorry for Miss Mud, Scones, Kevin and Mrs. P.
Cow had no idea this idea of crowding, panic and a minimum square footage for comfort would touch a nerve...
(Cow sending smartly trimmed Topiary Taxis to all those crammed into sharing too small spaces with too smelly persons)
Moo!
I'd love to ride in a Topiary Taxi!
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