Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#1

Post by eat_veggies » Mon, Jul 13, 2026, 11:22 PM UTC

https://web.archive.org/web/20260714142831/https://blog.jse....

Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks
blog.jse.li

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#2

Post by Hussain04 » Mon, Jul 13, 2026, 11:55 PM UTC

Nah that last image caught me off guard

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#3

Post by AndrewKemendo » Tue, Jul 14, 2026, 1:13 AM UTC

This is a good description, and similar to my favorite game to play in public with my kids: “Find the normal distribution”

Of course the most frequent ones are on door handles or pushes. Then usually parking space oil stains around an entrance. Etc…

Desire paths are also generally very tight gaussians.

You can learn a lot about pattern of life just by looking at how humans wear down the world

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#4

Post by cogman10 » Fri, Jul 17, 2026, 8:18 PM UTC

I can't get to the blog for some reason. Web archive is also failing to archive it.

Anyone have a mirror?

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#5

Post by filoleg » Fri, Jul 17, 2026, 8:40 PM UTC

cogman10 wrote: post #4

I can't get to the blog for some reason. Web archive is also failing to archive it. Anyone have a mirror?

Failing to load for me as well.

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#6

Post by Cider9986 » Fri, Jul 17, 2026, 8:40 PM UTC

cogman10 wrote: post #4

I can't get to the blog for some reason. Web archive is also failing to archive it. Anyone have a mirror?

The archive is working for me: https://web.archive.org/web/20260714142831/https://blog.jse....

Here's an archive of the archive: https://megalodon.jp/2026-0718-0554-02/https://web.archive.o...

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#7

Post by chrisjj » Fri, Jul 17, 2026, 8:44 PM UTC

filoleg wrote: post #5

cogman10 wrote: post #4

I can't get to the blog for some reason. Web archive is also failing to archive it. Anyone have a mirror?

Failing to load for me as well.

And me (UK).

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#8

Post by cogman10 » Fri, Jul 17, 2026, 9:41 PM UTC

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #3

This is a good description, and similar to my favorite game to play in public with my kids: “Find the normal distribution” Of course the most frequent ones are on door handles or pushes. Then usually parking space oil stains around an entrance. Etc… Desire paths are also generally very tight gaussians. You can learn a lot about pattern of life just by looking at how humans wear down the world

Universities seem like a social testing ground for the desired path problem.

Some universities get it. They'll see the paths humans make cutting through the grass and adjust their sidewalks accordingly.

Others don't and instead being a futile effort to penalize and police the grass rather than just giving into the human nature to want a straight line path.

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#9

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Jul 17, 2026, 9:43 PM UTC

Cider9986 wrote: post #6

cogman10 wrote: post #4

I can't get to the blog for some reason. Web archive is also failing to archive it. Anyone have a mirror?

The archive is working for me: https://web.archive.org/web/20260714142831/https://blog.jse.... Here's an archive of the archive: https://megalodon.jp/2026-0718-0554-02/https://web.archive.o...

[deleted]

Re: Estimating the heights of New Yorkers from their scuff marks

#10

Post by what » Fri, Jul 17, 2026, 11:07 PM UTC

Why are scuff marks assumed to be from shoes? Why not bags/briefcases hitting the wall while leaning against it? Might explain the “implausibly tall”.