Lack of awareness or arrogance.

I often see this type of person in the post office. The assistant looks embarrassed as she is facing the queue. Meanwhile the customer drones on and on. I put it down to loneliness and try to be patient.

Oh my goodness what happened to live and let live , are we all so busy we cant wait a few minutes for someone to finish their conversation.

My guiding principle these days is to try very hard to be tolerant. In some instances people just are self absorbed, but others may be desperately lonely, bereaved or living with Dementia. As my late Father became frail, I would always think if I was behind someone taking their time in a queue etc, how would I want Dad to be treated? Don’t get me wrong, I am no saint, but I do think that you don’t know what crosses people have to bear and a little kindness costs nothing. Having said that gritting your teeth inwardly and counting to ten also helps.. ?

I just tell people now yo getbon with it. M&S foidhall is where I get most frustrated. Hardly any talks open, queue for ages, too kuchen chat with the cashier then a rummage in bag fir sparks card, payment card or finding the exact cash. Why,if you've been standing waiting, cant you get your payment ready. I just think to myself that I've already used up more of my life than I have left I font want to be stood here while you fanny around looking for your sparks card! Too long and I just say excuse me do you have faster tills that could be opened please!

There are plenty of ways to tell someone that times up without hurting their feelings, cashiers should be well versed in this if they can see someone waiting for service. Is there anything else I can help with, no, ok, well it’s nice to see you, have a nice afternoon, good bye…etc

I would give her the benefit of the doubt, she's probably totally unaware. And lonely perhaps. I tend to do everything at a fast pace and certainly get annoyed at the tills but I keep it to myself.

Annoying but could be she hasn't spoken to a living soul in a while, I would try to think that just to self help my blood pressure rise. Or, I would be plain speaking and butt in saying that I was in a rush, ie, Could I just do this and then you can continue your chin wag!

Actually, I feel the onus lies with the cashier/receptionist/checkout operator.

Agreed!

Probably loneliness (and self absorption because lives alone and lonely!!)

I used to work on a bank counter. You got to know many of the customers well, it was a small branch. Actually, I feel the onus lies with the cashier/receptionist/checkout operator.

Yes, it’s nice for a chat when there is no one else waiting, but extremely annoying if it’s busy with a queue of people. I hoped I got the balance right, with a smile and “Well, good to see you, take care, bye for now” and pointedly looking over their shoulder ready to serve the next customer.

As for OAP’s doodling around the supermarket at lunch time, or on a busy Saturday, no one was more scathing about this practice than my sister (when she was working). Now retired, her attitude has changed. “ Why shouldn’t I shop at lunchtime if I choose to?”

Short memory.

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.

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

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.

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..

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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!

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

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.

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 ?