Subway Game Theory

Have you ever been in an empty subway car? In a city where there’s seven million people sharing an area that’s roughly 1.5 miles wide by 11 miles long, having a completely empty subway car all to your self is a refreshing experience. You start to think things like “wow, if I split this car in thirds, I could charge 2 grand a month in rent and make a fucking killing. I can see the ads on the back of AM New York now – Prime Manhattan location, accessible to all areas of the city. Pets and homeless welcome.” I digress.

So there I was, on a Saturday evening all alone enjoying my empty C train when one other dude jumps on board, sits directly across from me…the doors shut and the train takes off. For a moment we glanced at each other before making the obligatory look away as if to say “oops, sorry, I didn’t mean to make eye contact with you.” Then it hit me, I’m trapped 50 feet underground in this subway car with a complete stranger that looks like he’s headed waaaaaaaaaay uptown and there’s essentially no way out. I look back at him again to size him up, just as he’s glancing at me as if he just had the same thought I did.

OK man, it might be ‘go time’, I think to myself. From what I can tell, I’m a little bit bigger than this guy and think that if push came to shove I could take him, but I’d be at a severe disadvantage if he were to make the first move. Should I make the first move and catch him off guard or should I take my changes that he won’t make a move on me? Shit. This is the classic Prisoner’s Dilemma situation…damn you John Nash!

Let me explain how my mind was working here.

My outcomes are on the top left of each box, the strangers outcome is on the bottom right. As you can see, if he moves first I get my ass kicked and he walks away at the next subway stop completely unscathed - no witnesses, no repercussions; if I move first, I kick his ass and get away safe and sound. On the other hand if we both move at the same time, we kick each other’s asses. However, each of our optimal outcomes is to not do anything…like Eazy-E said, “nobody moves, nobody gets hurt.”…and that’s exactly what I did...nothing. The trains stops at Spring, five other people get in the car and our dilemma is over. Safety in numbers. Good thing for him too because I would have beat his unsuspecting ass.

Cheer,

NYCDG