h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Who says go? I have participated on these, and seem them on the tv, but not once have I seen the first person stand up.

Is it a sort of animal instinct type thing? A bunch of people get together, one stands up and the rest know a split second before he does, that they will follow?

It's the same sixth sence as a shoal of fish all swimming in the same direction.

This sixth sence works well, as long as alcohol is not introduced.
Hand/eye co-ordination can then sometimes suffer...

A similar question is "where is the end of the queue?" - suitable for boring coctail parties with bar, or if you are alone.

Are you alone??

If I wouldn't, I was not here.. (I hate grammar, especially conditionals).

what is a conditionals?

And if you do happen to see the first person stand up, it always results in an aborted wave i.e. a wave that dies out approximately 2-3 people away from the start.

All that is needed for an aborted wave is for a critical number of people in line to happen to be looking the other way just as the wave arrives. They will sense something occurring on the other side, turn round, and say "What's happening?". The next person will say "There was a wave, but you didn't do it". At which point, they'll make a half-hearted lifting of the hands, just to prove that they're not spoilsports.

And then the moment has passed....

...so these latecomers start a new wave to prove their commitment...

Where ??

Er...where they were sitting before. They stand up. It can be anywhere in the crowd. Or what do you mean?