The crowded four way intersection complete with four flashing red traffic signals. We’ve all seen it.
Pulling up to the crowded intersection, nearly everyone is high sensory engaged. Whose turn is it to drive through the intersection next? Did I get here to a complete stop before they did? Should I go? Go! The rush of psychological stimulation entails bits of mind reading, anxiety, passivity, frustration, aggression, risk, excitement, and and the pleasure of making it through the intersection safely! What’s not to enjoy about this moment?!
The crowded four way intersection with flashing red traffic signals is an experiment in human behavior and systems.
- The system has rules that govern (See Manual on Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, p. 4D-3, Section D.2) and;
- in theory, all participants are aware of the rules (if they passed their driver’s ed and motor vehicle operator exams, perhaps);
- yet all participants remain autonomous in how they choose to behave.
It’s beautiful to watch when all participants are in sync, all drivers proceeding through the intersection at the correct time. It’s also insightful to see how bad actor(s) disrupt a fluid system, drivers proceeding out of turn or sequence with the rest of the drivers at the intersection.
My favorite thing to observe in this scenario is to watch the disrupted system come back into sync once the bad actor(s) have left the model, only to be undermined once again by more bad actors. I appreciate this because it’s a real life behavior model that so simply describes so many other situations in life. In one sense, we are all dependent on one another to keep things fluid and in sync or in rhythm. That’s what makes great teams! The reality is that there will always be disruptions, whether those disruptions be bad actors or other factors.
My take away from these observations is that many things are out of our control as humans, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, employees, employers. Often times, remaining flexible and adjusting to the disruptions in life is to our collective benefit. Do the best you can do today, make adjustments, and come back ready to go tomorrow.
Cheers! 🇺🇸