Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You keep your agreement and finish second.
Allowing the other rider to win the race will fulfill your end of the bargain.
The racer has expended more energy in cutting through the wind and has allowed
you to keep your distance from the rest of the pack.
However, by fulfilling the agreement, you will miss out on the thrill of
winning the race and the $1,000 in extra prize money that goes along with
it.
This is the real-life decision made by professional racer Ron Hayman. Although
he has had other racers pass him after agreeing not to, Hayman stuck to his
agreement. By doing so, he maintained the trust and respect of other racers.
But more importantly, he maintained respect for himself.
Cyclist Clara Hughes won two bronze medals in the 1996 Atlanta
Olympics. She agrees with Hayman's decision to stick with his word.
"I would never be satisfied by winning under those circumstances. Ultimately,
it is a promise that you make. And if you decided to win, then you would have
broken that promise. I would feel horribly guilty."
To do otherwise would be very bad manners, agree both riders.
"It would be poor etiquette. Actually, in a sense, it would be cheating,"
says Hughes. She advises that cyclists shouldn't really get themselves
into this kind of situation in the first place.
"I would never make a deal like that," she says. "Every time I race, I
go for the gold. I put everything I have into a race and if that isn't
enough, then a deal isn't the right solution."