The Commons also needs to have identified users. For example, on the 'commons' of a road or multilane highway, it is a well understood and researcehd [1] that lane changing on a motorway causes traffic congestion through the oscillation effect. In fact is the major cause of non-incident congestion. The same research shows that best mechanism for the road-users as a 'society' is for everyone to stay in lane and congestion will ease. However, the best outcome for an individual driver is to constantly change lanes to the currently fastest moving one. In this case, there is no exchange of trust or reciprocity, and no possible sanction, as everyone is anonymous and there is no communciation. Most of the Ground Rules apply but no sanction is possible.
[1] 'A review of vehicle lane change research' Changxi Ma, Dong Li - published in Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications
Thank you very much for this interesting comment. You are, of course, right and Elinor Ostrom has noted it as her first rule. I hadn't thought at all of motorways and you are right it is particularly difficult to monitor but (and I'm sure nobody will want to do this!!!) with number plate recognition as in average speed zones the anonymity is gone so it would be possible to monitor. Having said that it would also require legislation to limit lane changing to some determined reasonable average so that's never going to happen! The other approach would be education so if this piece of news about congestion was wide spread and well known then motorway users might decide that overall it would be best to 'stay in their lane'. Very interesting, thanks, Seán.
I agree and I love the way her work shows that when co-operative ventures fall apart it's not because co-operation is a bad idea it's simply because we haven't operated the system properly. Nothing sentimental about it. Saying co-operation doesn't work is sort of like putting diesel into a petrol car and then blaming the car when it won't drive!!! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
The Commons also needs to have identified users. For example, on the 'commons' of a road or multilane highway, it is a well understood and researcehd [1] that lane changing on a motorway causes traffic congestion through the oscillation effect. In fact is the major cause of non-incident congestion. The same research shows that best mechanism for the road-users as a 'society' is for everyone to stay in lane and congestion will ease. However, the best outcome for an individual driver is to constantly change lanes to the currently fastest moving one. In this case, there is no exchange of trust or reciprocity, and no possible sanction, as everyone is anonymous and there is no communciation. Most of the Ground Rules apply but no sanction is possible.
[1] 'A review of vehicle lane change research' Changxi Ma, Dong Li - published in Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications
Thank you very much for this interesting comment. You are, of course, right and Elinor Ostrom has noted it as her first rule. I hadn't thought at all of motorways and you are right it is particularly difficult to monitor but (and I'm sure nobody will want to do this!!!) with number plate recognition as in average speed zones the anonymity is gone so it would be possible to monitor. Having said that it would also require legislation to limit lane changing to some determined reasonable average so that's never going to happen! The other approach would be education so if this piece of news about congestion was wide spread and well known then motorway users might decide that overall it would be best to 'stay in their lane'. Very interesting, thanks, Seán.
Giving proof to our ability of selfless interest and service to the world, great article!
I agree and I love the way her work shows that when co-operative ventures fall apart it's not because co-operation is a bad idea it's simply because we haven't operated the system properly. Nothing sentimental about it. Saying co-operation doesn't work is sort of like putting diesel into a petrol car and then blaming the car when it won't drive!!! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
Hardin was also an ardent white nationalist.
I didn't know that!