Should You Copy Where Locals Stand on a Train Platform?
Positioning is often stored experience.
Platform positioning often looks random until you understand what people are optimizing.
The hidden mechanism is downstream efficiency. Experienced commuters frequently choose locations based on where they want to be after leaving the train, not where they are standing now.
Imagine a passenger standing far from the nearest staircase. That choice may place them beside the ideal exit at their destination station, saving several minutes later.
A second-order effect emerges when newcomers copy experienced commuters. Certain areas become increasingly popular because people interpret local behavior as a signal of hidden knowledge.
People often think commuters are choosing a place to stand. Many are actually choosing where they want to arrive ten minutes later.
