Comments on: Canal walk promises exercise, moral hazard http://blog.georgetownvoice.com/2007/09/18/canal-walk-promises-exercise-moral-hazard/ The Georgetown Voice Blog Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:48:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: DCBlogs » DC Blogs Noted http://blog.georgetownvoice.com/2007/09/18/canal-walk-promises-exercise-moral-hazard/comment-page-1/#comment-29540 DCBlogs » DC Blogs Noted Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:02:18 +0000 http://blog.georgetownvoice.com/2007/09/18/canal-walk-promises-exercise-moral-hazard/#comment-29540 [...] Canal walk promises exercise, moral hazard. Vox Populi [...] [...] Canal walk promises exercise, moral hazard. Vox Populi [...]

]]> By: Sam Sweeney http://blog.georgetownvoice.com/2007/09/18/canal-walk-promises-exercise-moral-hazard/comment-page-1/#comment-29515 Sam Sweeney Tue, 18 Sep 2007 22:31:40 +0000 http://blog.georgetownvoice.com/2007/09/18/canal-walk-promises-exercise-moral-hazard/#comment-29515 What struck my eye from the contest's website was this little tidbit: "A variety of prizes will be awarded—most miles walked by a five-person team, highest average miles walked by a team (to make sure everyone is walking!), most miles walked by an individual, and so on." I don't want to be nitpicky, but I have to point out that awarding a prize to the team with the highest average miles walked doesn't make sure everyone is walking. For example, if Will and I are on a team together, and we each walk five miles, we'll have the same average as if, being the more athletic and muscular of us both, I walk ten miles and Will doesn't walk at all. Still, this doesn't amount to much if people take Will's suggestion and fudge their spreadsheet. Honor code, schmonor code. What struck my eye from the contest’s website was this little tidbit:
“A variety of prizes will be awarded—most miles walked by a five-person team, highest average miles walked by a team (to make sure everyone is walking!), most miles walked by an individual, and so on.”
I don’t want to be nitpicky, but I have to point out that awarding a prize to the team with the highest average miles walked doesn’t make sure everyone is walking.
For example, if Will and I are on a team together, and we each walk five miles, we’ll have the same average as if, being the more athletic and muscular of us both, I walk ten miles and Will doesn’t walk at all.
Still, this doesn’t amount to much if people take Will’s suggestion and fudge their spreadsheet. Honor code, schmonor code.

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