Why do they do it?

i find it stressful at checkouts, and have far too much and cannot cope with self scanners.
i also have to do 2 transactions as shopping for a bedbound neighbour.
i have to make a special trip for this shopping which adds to the stress, as trying to load up as much as possible.
last week was further stressed by an rude customer who was circling the area in a threatening manner and eventually threw something at a cashier.
anyway i asked for £50 cashback on one transaction.
wasn't until some hours later that i realised i had not been given it.
i went out with no cash and returned the same.
i'm sure it was an oversight as the cashier was also distracted by the aggressive woman.
but a bit annoying. and feel stupid.

I see people like this or get stuck behind them… I keep reminding myself… that could be me in a few years. Who knows? Sad, but we may be one whom others rant about.
Good to be alive, though.
USA Gundy

This kind of thing actually happens on the self scan conveyor belt tills in my local Morrisons. There are only two of these tills and the first thing it asks you to do is to, "please place your bags on the bagging scale and press done." Why then, does the person in front of me leave their bags in the trolley, scan every item and place it in the bagging area, pay for their goods and then load their stuff into their bags that are still in their trolley?

Our local Morrisons doesn't do hand held scanners yet. That's why I mostly use Sainsbury's smart shop app and scan on my phone. I get smart prices there too.

Is it in Holland or Belgium where some supermarkets have introduced a slow checkout aisle, where people who want/need to chat can take their time without angering those who just want to get out of the shop?

Another bugbear is people who are just not ready to move on when the traffic lights change from red to green. Come on, folks! I've got somewhere to go! The worst is when the lights change back to red before I get through because someone wasn't paying attention! 😠

What is the rush anyway? How does an extra five minutes waiting for the customer in front to pay and pack impinge on your precious time? If you're so efficient how come you've not allowed enough time to get through a busy shop?
Life can be hard enough for elderly and disabled people without impatient people making them feel worse about it.

Life is too short to be grumpy about this sort of thing.

The woman ahead of you in the queue probably lives alone and savours every minute of conversation she can get, irrespective of with whom.

The lad on the cash-desk had the manners to chat to her and help her scan her card and pay in cash for some of the shopping. Good for him.

This woman who annoys you so much has long since realised that flapping around in a hurry only makes one feel stressed, or she has rheumatism in her hands and can't pack things fast, or is slightly senile, or is lonely.

In a few years' time you and I may be in her place, and I do hope no-one with your unkind attitude will be behind us in the queue at the cash-desk, or anywhere else for that matter.

I agree, what is the rush. It could have been my mum, it’s someone’s mum, it might well be me a few years hence.
So be patient and kind. It costs little and means such a lot.

I get irritated too as I am always in a tearing hurry and really cannot afford to be standing around waiting while someone carefully puts their card away and neatly arranges their shopping in their trolley. I know this is unreasonable and more a me problem than a their problem though.
What happened to the express checkouts they used to have 🤔

Someone being impatient behind a person who is slow could very well stop that person going out in future because of their embarrassment.
It might be their only opportunity to speak to someone/anyone. Please those always busy people, think about what might be going on in that persons life. A few seconds longer, does that really matter? No, it doesn’t.

i tell people the more they haff and puff the longer i will take.
it's not a threat, just the truth.
i am not confident with numbers, and having to do 2 transactions, remember 2 pins, remember car reg and scan receipt before leaving, lift heavy bags, return trolley and leave car park before getting another £90 fine for being 8 minutes over...

Once in a supermarket queue the lady in front wanted to dance with me and give me a hug, we danced and we hugged.
Her daughter was embarrassed, there was no need. My mum had dementia too and I understood.

life does seem more complicated than the days of walking to the local sainsburys, with its marble slabs on each counter, beautiful mosaic floor, expert helpful assistants who served you, and then you took your bills to the cashier in the little booth at the far end to pay.
and knew you by name, and had the lost handbag, after carefully asking what was in it....
i. feel. old.

I think the idea of a slow lane and maybe an express check out is a good one. I dont want to get impatient with anyone (and I never say anything or sigh etc) but I do shopping for 2 households and often have small children in tow so am desperate to get out of the supermarket asap!

I always use self checkouts, if available. Not so much because of being impatient with slower people in front of me but because I want long enough not to fiddle but to pack my bag with the heaviest items on the bottom, scan my points card, scan my payment option without fear of disrupting others.

In regards to self-checkouts and those that feel stressed by people in line behind you because you’re not moving fast enough… do what I do - ignore them. Then when I’m all set to walk out the door, I turn and give everyone a big grin. Thank you!

If it's perfectly acceptable for people to be slow, then it's perfectly acceptable for me to be in a hurry.

lizzypopbottle

If it's perfectly acceptable for people to be slow, then it's perfectly acceptable for me to be in a hurry.

Agreed.

But what's not acceptable is being pushy because you're in a hurry. Your being in a hurry is your responsibility.

Being slow at a checkout might have (probably does have) a multitude of causes, most of which are not controllable by the slow person.

Reading this thread I'm beginning to hope that there exist people who are slow on purpose at checkouts just to annoy all the harried hares.

But, really, how likely is that?

I was buying a lot at Iceland this morning. The elderly lady behind me had just a pint of milk. I offered to let her go first. She refused but chatted to me while my stuff went through. It occurred to me that she didn't want to be rushed through. She may have needed the chat! Be kind.

I always want to ask the huffers, puffers and sighers in queues what awful thing would happen to them if they are a few minutes later leaving the shop because someone in the queue is slow.

I'm sure we have all stood behind that person in the supermarket queue.........I know I have.

But how many of us have offered to help them........I know I have.

It doesn't hurt to be kind to someone.........I know I have.

This thread has made me feel sad, so many posters without empathy for anyone slower than themselves.

A smile and a friendly word is far better than a huff and a puff…

One thing that always amuses me at checkouts is when the little old lady (always a little old lady) at the front packs her shopping, searches for her purse then insists on trying to count out the exact amount, searching through all her loose change down to the last penny. I feel like pointing out the checkout operator has a till full of change, they don't need the exact amount.

dolphindaisy

One thing that always amuses me at checkouts is when the little old lady (always a little old lady) at the front packs her shopping, searches for her purse then insists on trying to count out the exact amount, searching through all her loose change down to the last penny. I feel like pointing out the checkout operator has a till full of change, they don't need the exact amount.

Perhaps they have lots of coins in their purse and they want to lessen the weight, or maybe they just want to be helpful to the cashier…

Perhaps they have lots of coins in their purse and they want to lessen the weight

This is quite likely I think. I have a friend (not old and not particularly little) who does this.

When I was working full time and needed to get home to pick up kids from childminder, then I was impatient and would do anything to get through checkout quickly.
Now I am retired I am quite happy to wait while the customer in front of me faffs about. Often I use the opportunity to have a chat with the person behind me!!
Time means different things to different people.