The Democracy of Crossing The Road

Have you ever been in that situation where you're waiting to cross the road and it's taking a really long time? Perhaps the traffic lights are going slowly, or maybe they're broken altogether. As you're waiting that judgement presents itself. Do you patiently wait for the road to become completely clear of cars? Or do you perhaps make a run for it when you spot a smaller gap?

Of course, it's always sensible to wait until you know it's safe to cross. After all, you're just squishy flesh and blood, and they're hunking great machines. Though if you're really in a rush, or you're a particularly rash individual you may take the risk. Either way you're the one that has to avoid the cars. The onus is on you to keep out of their way. As they're an overwhelming force that you're powerless to stop.

When there's a few more people waiting to cross the road it's a slightly different situation. Again, the people are still just squishy flesh, and the cars remain dangerous obstacles. However, suddenly there's a tiny bit of strength in numbers.

The solid cars can still mow down the soft people, but the balance has shifted slightly.

It's difficult to say at what point the balance tips fully. It completely depends upon the situation I guess. You'll no doubt have experienced such a circumstance yourself though at some point;

There are perhaps now 10 or 20 people waiting at the traffic lights. All becoming increasingly impatient to cross the road. The impatience builds. A few eager feet edge ever-closer to the tarmac of the road. One guy, perhaps a slither more rash than the others, makes a move. Everyone else, like a flock of starlings, instinctively follows. The annoyed drivers having to slow down and stop with frustration as this herd of people then bustle across to the other side of the street.

A collective decision that happens almost telepathically. The subtle cues of body language. The building group impatience. The overall circumstances of the situation. That very minor rush of leadership. All rising to a crescendo of; "Yeah, we're all crossing this road now, damn it!"

Of course, it doesn't always work out like this. Sometimes a hothead may make a rush to step out and the others may think "I'm not following that idiot." Again, the circumstances are always unique to the moment. That potential tipping of the scales is clear enough to see though. An extreme example would perhaps be when thousands of football fans spill out of a stadium. As this throng of supporters floods army-like onto the street the cars are powerless in their wake. Having to wait like pedestrians until this force of nature passes. The sheer numbers, and the mood of those people making up the numbers, dictating the outcome.

Anyway, this 'crossing the road' phenomena always makes me think: democracy.

It reminds me that even in an absolute dictatorship there still remains this natural democracy. Ready to reach a tipping point when all these subtle cues and feelings coalesce to an apogee.

Many others before me have pointed out how 'democracy of the ballot' is essentially a sensible and more civilised substitute for this democracy of nature. A substitute for war, or other physical conflations. Where we can judge who has the greater numbers or force of passion on their side, without having to go through the storm of physical battle.

It also makes me wonder if great leadership comes in having the ability to read these great forces, or indeed in having the ability to conduct the feelings that lead to such tempests.

(This image I knocked up recently has little

to do with crossing the road, but it's vaguely 'roady',

and I guess it adds some colour. Mountain Stars.)