Might a Small Delay Become a Problem Because Other People React to It?
Events matter. Reactions often matter more.
Sometimes. Reactions to a delay can create effects larger than the delay itself.
A train departs five minutes late. Passengers rush, change routes, crowd platforms, and create additional disruption.
The hidden mechanism is reaction amplification. Systems often respond not only to events but also to expectations about events.
A micro-scene illustrates this: one small delay triggers dozens of hurried decisions that would never have occurred otherwise.
The true impact of a disruption is often determined less by its size than by the behavior it provokes.
