Lack of awareness or arrogance.

Probably both.

I have come across this in my GP surgery, the pained expression on the receptionist face says it all. A lady had been in to see the Dr, then come out to the receptionist to ask her to fasten her coat up, then proceeded to regale all and sundry about what the Dr had said. It’s like people on their mobile phones, telling a bus load of people what their best friend has been up to. Totally self absorbed is what I call it, as if anyone else wants to listen to their woes.

A combination of both? Her need to monopolise people is more important than yours, in her mind. Or what she is saying is much more interesting and therefore it gives her the right to keep blethering.
Or she might be unaware, suffering from dementia or very lonely.
I would grit my teeth and be resigned to the wait.

Is it lack of awareness arrogance or selfishness or own importance or loneliness I wonder. My biggest annoyance is customers and staff at the tills constantly talking holding people up.
I had an annoying experience at the Drs yesterday not someone gossiping but unorganised chaos. I was sent a text message the form was on reception for my blood tests. I was Just expecting to be handed it I was kept waiting this was 11.40. The form wasn’t ready to go upstairs for bloods I had to explain I made an appointment online of which there was no record on her computer.
The phone rang and a patient came in know one else was there the place was empty! I was told the receptionist had to print my form out I got upstairs for bloods just in time at 12.00 for my tests. By then my blood pressure alone was on boiling point.

Both! The same applies to people standing right across the pavement whilst having a conversation, seeming oblivious to anyone walking on the pavement.

Sounds just like a friend of mine. I really wish she wasn't a friend but she has been since school.

I despair when she happily tells me she will make a GP appointment last half an hour. She gets up to leave, then sits down again. As she's leaving something else comes to mind.

I've told her that is hugely selfish but she just thinks I'm babbling on about nothing.

How lucky you are in being able to physically enter your surgery. The door to our village surgery is still locked, prescriptions to be posted through the letter box, telephone consultations only except under extreme circumstances and everything conducted via the receptionist. My previous doctor retired pre-covid, and I have yet to speak to her replacement despite several attempts; I wouldn't know her if I fell over her.
Because I live in a village many customers in the shops are known to the staff, and the lengthy conversations take place regularly; I am generally not in a hurry so it doesn't bother me unduly; when I was working it used to infuriate me.

I was very embarrassed when trying to sort out where a text had come from ( nhs website) but the receptionist didn’t have it on her system.
I just kept apologising to everyone behind me.

I wouldn't say arrogance is the right term.
More like a complete lack of awareness, combined with a sense of entitlement.
She sees herself as the centre of everything and everyone else revolves around her.
The lack of awareness is-
Because she has plenty of time, she fails to grasp that other people may be in a hurry, so doesn't care about holding them up.
Also,
(ties in with lack of awareness plus a bit of stupidity?)
She only has to remember ONE Recepionist, so talks to the receptionist as if she's a long lost friend, but fails to grasp the fact that the receptionist deals with HUNDREDS of patients so doesn't know her from Adam and doesn't want or need to know about her private life.
My late mother in law was like it.
She would get quite upset if a Doctors receptionist was 'frosty' and didn't remember any of her previous gossip.
Trying to explain to mil that she was one of many in the receptionist's eyes would fall on deaf ears!
Please God shoot me if I ever get like this

I have a certain type of little cough for situations like this - a kind of throat clearing cough!
I do try to be patient and not use it very often but I have found that people do know what it means!

I guess in today’s lingo it could be described as passive aggressive but I can recommend it for certain situations ?

Another thing that annoys me is a couple walking arm in arm on a narrow path totally oblivious to the fact that someone behind them is trying to pass. There is such a path leading from the shopping centre to the bus station in my local town. So, quite often, someone is rushing to catch a bus and can't get past. I did complain one day but it did not go down very well.

Oh yes. I see this a lot. There's no one else in the world except them.

Thoughtless, I think. A lot of people just don't seem aware that others exist and are waiting. If I'm having a bad back day it drives me mad!

Supermarket checkouts are another place where this happens. The customer in front retelling their life story to the checkout operative whilst you wait for your turn. Sometimes they know the operative, sometimes they don’t. I suppose they are, perhaps, lonely and doing the shopping might be one of only a very few outings. Nevertheless, when you are waiting and waiting and waiting, it does become tedious, to put it politely. Trouble is, they seem totally oblivious of the growing queue behind them.

I'm sorry if this upsets anyone but I would be inclined to say quite emphatically "Excuse me, there is a queue behind you"!

More like ignorance rather than arrogance I would say and yes I too would have said something.

I’m intrigued @Sago. You said you ‘went with the devil’. What did you say to her ?

My pet peeve is very elderly couples doing their supermarket shopping at what is clearly a busy time e.g. Saturday or lunchtime midweek

They shop together and leave the trolley across the aisles thus blocking it. They stand in front of shelves for ages pondering what to buy.

This is so frustrating if you are shopping in your lunch hour or at the weekend because you are at work all week.

Years ago a friend of my mother's had a corner shop. It was well used at lunch time by the factory workers nearby. The same housewife used to come in every lunch time for some small item and chat for ages. My mum's friend used to moan about her constantly as she was holding up the queue all the time.. She was home all day and lived across the road so why did she feel the need to go to the shop at the busiest time? The shop was a bit like the one in Open all Hours. In fact the housewife was very like some of the housewives that frequent Arkwrights

The same thing happens at supermarket checkouts, when you often get a complete review of the health and doings of family of the person whose card is poised over the machine ready to pay, together with additions comments from the person on the cash desk.

Pammie1 I said I was feeling ill and cold as I had been stood outside the surgery for ages, could I hand over my prescription to be processed.
She looked me up and down as though I was dirt on her shoe.
The assistant to be fair was aware and took my prescription through to the dispensary..

When I was working and trying to shop in my lunch hour I couldn’t understand why every doddery OAP in the vicinity chose to shop at lunchtime. Now the boot’s on the other foot (but not doddery) I avoid shopping at lunchtime like the plague.

I think you handled that well Sago. You weren't rude.

I had a similar experience in my GP's surgery a while back. A lady wanted to book herself a procedure at the local hospital. The receptionist was patiently trying to tell her that is not the way the system works but she was having none of it. The elderly gentleman in front of me was clearly having a problem with standing for so long so I said to him in a carrying voice that he could sit down as this lady was taking such an age and I would keep his place for him.

I agree with the opinions that this is selfish and arrogant behaviour and so frustrating for those who are waiting. I’ve seen this happen with my dear late father and also a good friend. Both lived alone and wouldn’t be speaking to many people on a typical day. Neither of them was arrogant or selfish. Just in need to talk and have human company. I tried to deal with this with my father but with little success.