Ouch Factor Transcript

Raw commuter responses on on severity of evening commute pains

Following the toolkit naming conventions, this file is named exp-10.c-ouch-factor-detail-2025-03-20.qmd.

Overview

This file contains the raw responses from a small intercept survey of late-evening subway commuters in Queens.
It supports the demo: Pain Validation with Maya Patel.

  • Date: March 20, 2025
  • Location: Queens subway stations, after 9:00pm
  • Sample size: 10 respondents (n=10)
  • Format: Short intercept questions (5–7 minutes each)

Protocol

Questions asked (from the Pain Testing Guide):

  1. On a scale of 1–10, how severe is the stress of [Pain A/B/C]?
  2. What do you currently do to manage it? (workarounds, routines, substitutes)
  3. How much time or money did you spend last week/month because of it?

Respondent Summaries

R1 — Female, 26, grad student

  • Dark/unlit blocks: 9/10
  • Workaround: “I always take the long street with lights — adds 10 minutes.”
  • Costs: ~40 minutes/week.
  • Quote: “It feels dangerous, even if nothing actually happens.”

R2 — 46, office manager

  • Dark/unlit blocks: 7/10
  • Workaround: “Sometimes I call my wife while walking.”
  • Costs: None in money, ~15 min buffer time.
  • Quote: “Talking on the phone helps me stay calm.”

R3 — 29, office assistant

  • Dark/unlit blocks: 8/10
  • Workaround: “Take rideshare home when I get out after 11.”
  • Costs: $20–30/month.
  • Quote: “It’s not every night, but when I do it’s worth the money.”

R4 — 41, delivery driver

  • Dark/unlit blocks: 4/10
  • Workaround: None.
  • Costs: —
  • Quote: “I don’t think about it much. The station crowd is worse.”

(Continue through R5–R10 with similar format.)

Data Table (Compiled)

Respondent Segment Dark/Unlit Blocks (1–10) Workarounds Time Cost $/mo Quote (short)
R1 Grad student 9 Longer lit route 40 min/wk $0 “Feels dangerous even if nothing happens.”
R2 Restaurant worker 7 Phone call 15 min/wk $0 “Talking on the phone helps.”
R3 Office assistant 8 Rideshare — $25 “Worth it when late.”
R4 Delivery driver 4 None — $0 “Station crowd worse.”
… … … … … … …

Notes & Reflections

  • Severity scores: Average = 7.2/10 for dark/unlit blocks.
  • Behavioral anchors: Most respondents reported time costs (extra walking, buffer time) or monetary costs (rideshares).
  • Variation: A minority (2 of 10) reported low severity, suggesting segmentation matters (e.g., delivery workers less concerned than office workers).
  • Interpretation: Ouch scores alone aren’t sufficient — but paired with behaviors (time/money), they reinforce the pain’s urgency.

Traceability