Queue jumpers

We were once last to board, also from the US (because I'd misread the 24 hour timetable ). The five of us were all over the place, but mainly in the smoking section and next to some very objectionable toilets. At least they didn't suggest throwing us off!

perhaps the airline ought to weigh each passenger with their luggage, with a sliding scale according to weight.
would encourage people to try keep their weight down, and avoid aeroplane being over laden.
i think this used to be done.

This queue jumping thing may be a small irritation but I think it’s indicative of certain unattractive personality traits. Like those who abuse disabled bays.

I was back in there this evening and there was a shop assistant standing at the queue telling people when to move forward to the next available till.

I hope the self entitled brazen madam from yesterday wandered in to do a bit of shopping and realised she could no longer get away with pushing ing ahead of everyone else.

My nan (95years old) used to queue jump all the time. She used to say I haven't got long left to live so please excuse me cheeky devil. I actually dont mind queue jumpers now I'm retired. I just think hey ho they are in a hurry and I'm lucky to not be so go ahead, your shame not mine

Tizliz

nanna8

In that situation with planes the airport staff will often invite you to queue jump. Otherwise you will miss the plane. Often because the connecting flight was delayed which is not your fault. Most would understand that I think.

This was in USA, the staff didn’t care. To finish off the story, the plane was over loaded and as we were last on we were told we would have to get off. To husband’s embarrassment I stood up and said “no, we have been travelling for 18 hours and it wasn’t our fault we were last - a very long story - and we are staying put”, got away with it. Some students were happy to take $200 to take a flight the next day.

I wonder if they saved the $200 or went and had a good meal.

nanna8

My mum was an inveterate queue jumper. I used to pretend I wasn’t with her, I was so embarrassed. She was an absolute shocker. She was a Yorkshire woman from Leeds originally. She never understood that it was selfish and would shrug off all criticism.

Erm, I’m not sure being a Yorkshire woman from Leeds was the reason your mum was a queue jumper. We know how to queue here!

When we lived in France it was the custom on arrival at the doctors or any similar type waiting area to say “Qui est le dernier?” (Who’s last?). So then you knew when it was your turn and you could sit wherever you liked.
The same system operated in smaller shops.
Wouldn’t really work in a large busy supermarket though.

Those who don’t apologise know what they’re doing and those that do apologise have made a genuine mistake.

Ohhhhh the arguments that I have had with people that do just that!
I even got accused of queue jumping once when swapping from one till queue to another that was shorter than the one that I was in - by the man that had been behind me!
It's the ones that hover at the side, looking as if they have not finished their shopping and then barge in front when there is a gap that really annoy me.

BlueBelle

Why don’t they make two queues like they do in most supermarkets though I don’t understand that bit
But yes she shouldn’t have jumped the queue

There were - maybe still are- lots of ructions in our local co-op about this because regulars have started to do single queuing completely unofficially and people who dont shop there regularly dont know. Its also ridiculous because it completely blocks part of an aisle and no one wants to move to let you past or to get at the shelves. If those waiting were distributed between checkouts there would be no issue.

Twice I've been socially distancing in a queue in B&M and had someone jump in front of me. When it eventually came to my turn I mentioned it to the cashier & although they agreed with me about the queue jumpers, both times they just rolled their eyes & shrugged.

Always the one or two who think rules are not for them ??

My father-in-law used to do exactly the same - so embarrassing!

i have a dislike of queue jumpers, before covid i was in a large poundland and they opened another till just as i was about to checkout, an elderly lady ran from one queue to mine, i had already started to put my things on the belt, she pushed me out of the way, i just said, it's okay, you probably need to get your sweets more than i do, but just be careful running with that walking stick that you really don't need. during covid it has been bad, i have left my shopping and gone to queue jumpers and said sorry there is a queue but i will help put your things back in your trolly/basket for you so you can go to the end of the line, i have also left my trolly in the queue and gone to help an eldery person at the self check out tills and been shouted at for jumping the queue, my usual reply is...difficult to put my shopping through when my trolly is behind you. during covid everbody was uptight about going out and just wanted to get in and get out as quickly as possible bu that is no excuse for bad manners.

I must admit I say in a loud voice excuse meeee the queues here , I get cross with queue jumpers when everyone else waits patiently in line, I say it regardless of the dirty looks, and the mumblings back to me, I have been known to say Sorry what did you say? ?

Interesting comments here! This happened to me on Friday. I was waiting as first in a very long bus queue. This particular bus is popular and often late. The bus which was on time pulled in but did not open up. The bus which was late pulled into the next bay and opened for passengers and the queue simply reversed as always so that I who was first was last. This has happened many times previously as there is no single queue system. I have IBS and badly needed the loo, those in the bus station having closed years ago due to vandalism. So I simply walked around and installed myself at the head of the queue much to many tuttings. When I pointed out the ridiculous system it fell on deaf ears. I complained to the driver who couldn’t have cared less. Actually I don’t either as I have complained to the office numerous times over the years but there is no response and no change. If more people complained maybe something would be done! But until then I will continue to ‘chance’ if that’s what it is-I’m too old to care. About time people stopped moaning and started working together and doing, then change might actually happen!

Or maybe she is autistic or had other learning difficulties and can't quite get her head around one queue for 2 tills? On the face of it YANBU but it may not be so straight forward.

Our local supermarket has the customer services tills at the front - serves tobacco, newspapers, lottery etc. Two tills, two assistants serving and one queue. Before Covid there was never a problem - you waited in turn and got served. Since social distancing I’ve seen an astonishing number of people ‘hovering’ at the side or hiding behind the newspaper carousel and then nipping in, in between the gaps in the queue, hoping not to be noticed. To be fair, the assistants are usually on the ball and politely ask them to observe social distancing and go to the back of the queue.

I was in there last week at the front of a very long queue. A young girl with a full trolley and a toddler in the baby seat was headed from the checkouts just as the two customers in front of me had walked away. I was about to come forward along with the man behind me, when she barged in front at the till next to me and shouted her order. The assistant took one look at her, calmly pointed to the queue and told her she would have to get in line and observe social distancing. There followed a stream of vile language and she was escorted out of the store by a supervisor who, luckily, was nearby and avoided what could have been a very nasty incident. Absolutely astounds me how entitled, foul mouthed and rude some people are these days - disturbing to watch how easily some people go into meltdown.

Interesting to see how some stores have coped and adapted to avoid queues. Our local Morrisons used to have the flower and plant stand at the front and most people who just wanted these items would pay for them at customer services. For the last few months, they’ve set up a dedicated area for plants and flowers, with an assistant making up bouquets and a dedicated till.

Absolutely makes steam come out of my ears!! I will always pull up offenders because it's just so rude and selfish. Only this morning I was queuing outside a well known charity shop when I saw a very traditionally built chap (as Alexander McCall Smith would say) hovering near the front ready to make his move. I was just about to tell him what was what when the bloke behind me shouted "Oi, there's a queue you fat f**k". Not genteel, not PC, not recommended but very effective!

Shelflife
I am sure this person knew what they were doing.
Thick skinned comes to mind and, unfortunately, this type usually get away with it.

My sister in law does this. She hovers in between two queues on her disability scooter and then just pushes in. I’ve been spoken to about this by people exasperated by her rudeness. I’ve told them to admonish her and push past her.

I am one of those who gets angry at queue jumpers. Probably just creating more stress for myself. Years ago I did confront one man at the bank where there was a single queue for two tills. It was a very fair system as some transactions can take a very long time in a bank and one till can stick while the other till is moving rapidly. Queuing at bus stops broke down in London long ago and it was every person for themselves. Terrifying. The pensioners were very determined to get on. I suppose they had to be. In shops Brits still queued but visitors or residents from other countries, not so much. I once confronted a woman who was actually slowly physically pushing a man out of the queue with her trolly. He did thank me and pointed out he had only a couple of things while she had a big trolly full. It was near Marble Arch in central London. She didn’t seem to speak English and I thought it might have been a case of a difference in custom. I once had a train to catch in Edinburgh and asked if I could go in front of two people in a queue in the PO but the man very aggressively said no. I said “I was only asking”. He said “Well am telling ye” After he left the elderly lady who was also ahead of me invited me to go ahead of her. I think she was scared while he was there.

No you're not being unreasonable when you see a queue you know your place in it. Queue jumpers are a pet hate of mine.

Maybe as it’s a convenience store it’s small inside and no room for two queues , the same happens in our local shop and post office is one queue and three or four servers .