A mathematical model of the formation of lanes in crowds of pedestrians moving in opposite directions (Q1723554)

Summary: In crowded environments, pedestrians moving in opposite directions segregate into lanes of individuals moving in the same direction. It is believed that this formation of lanes that facilitates the flow results from the individuals acting on their behalf, responding to local stimuli, without the intention of benefiting the crowd as a whole. We give evidence that this is true by developing and analyzing a simple mathematical model. Our results suggest that the simple behavior of moving out of the way to avoid imminent collisions leads to the formation of lanes of individuals moving in the same direction.