4 ms·
If you walk while on the escalator, you spend less time on it, and gain less of an advantage from using it.
by harryh 11y ago
If you walk while on the escalator, you spend less time on it, and gain less of an advantage from using it.
- sandworm101 11y agoIt depends. Sometimes the best time to speed is when something else is already accelerating you. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberth_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberth_effect
- OscarCunningham 11y agoI don't think this is one of those cases though. See Terry Tao's take on a similar problem about when to tie your shoelace: https://terrytao.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/an-airport-inspired-puzzle/ https://terrytao.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/an-airport-inspire...
- mjhoy 11y agoI believe that is specific to how rocket engines work. I once thought it applied to bicycles, but that must be some other phenomenon...
- mabbo 11y agoDepends what you're optimizing for- energy or time. Some people, the goal is to expend the least energy. For some, it's to accomplish more things faster. This is true in realms outside of escalators, and in fact in all of life.
- harryh 11y agoSure, but "I usually camp at the bottom, waiting for the crowd to disperse, then grab the powerup and use it efficiently." optimizes for neither.