What follows is not for the faint hearted.
Today I went to Sainsbury’s for a copy of the Guardian.
There is not much room between the counter and the exit and so, although the queue was only a few people long, I was forced to stand on the outside of the shop.
Just behind these chaps.
Despite being outside the perimeter of the shop I felt comfortable with my queue positioning and thought nothing of the man who entered after me, picked up a copy of The Scotsman, and then stood slightly in front of me so as to not block the shop’s entrance.
However it became clear once the queue started to move forward that the man in the suit had jumped the queue, and he now took the position in front of me.
Later on in the Evening Gary Wood and I stopped at a Hole in the Wall to pay for our fish and chips.
Gary Wood stood at a respectable distance behind the young lady and, as it is not unusual for pedestrians to walk through this gap, we thought nothing of another young lady who rushed through with haste.
The young lady running had my attention and I watched her approach the next cashpoint, which was also being approached by a woman carrying a purple jumper. Although neither of the two ladies were directly in front of the cashpoint, the jumper carrying woman was close enough to be first in line.
You will, as I was, be shocked to see the outcome.
The jumper carrying woman was forced to take a step back and the young lady wearing the hat even said sorry for the predicament, and yet continued to use the cashpoint anyway.
Scotland is indeed a very different country to England.
November 2, 2006 at 9:56 pm
I enjoyed the lady’s stance in photo no.5
I think the legs akimbo were a result of the lower than average bank machine. Wheelchair accessible and child friendly, but difficult for the average length man (or woman).
November 3, 2006 at 8:48 am
I aslo like picture number 5. I think Garys nocholant profile in the foreground, perfectly sets off legs akimbo woman (who is surely standing like that to make up for her very high heels). It makes the rather short queue (no offence intended) look very dynamic.
November 3, 2006 at 9:07 am
It was rather provocative and is probably why Gary Wood was unable to face the right direction.
But I think we are being too easily distracted by a young lady in a short skirt (and great boots), the real matter that we should be facing here is that there were two queue jumpers on one day. And on this island we call Great Britain.
November 3, 2006 at 12:47 pm
William, what action do you recommend to identify and punish queue jumpers? How about the everyone-point-and-scream approach favoured by (I think) the Midwich Cuckoos to identify non-cuckoos?
November 3, 2006 at 6:59 pm
Well Sam Tana, in Sainsbury’s I raised an eyebrow at the man’s back. And at the cashpoints I offered a smile at the lady with the purple jumper to try and sympathise with her and the situation. She, however, pretended not to notice and turned away.
I think this was appropriate action.
Gary Wood adopted your point and scream approach in the queue last Friday at the Cabaret Voltaire. His breaking the social taboo of causing a fuss was equal to that of the taboo breaking queue jumpers. I was very uncomfortable indeed.
November 3, 2006 at 8:09 pm
I worked in a theme park…
I feel strongly about queues, and those confident enough to jump them.
Although, when sober, I choose to bitch about queue jumpers, as opposed to confront them head on (albeit, to the back of their heads)
November 4, 2006 at 9:02 am
Imagine a whole nation of queue-jumpers, where little children are encouraged by their Mothers to push ahead and to feel like suckers if they wait patiently in line…
Have you ever visited Israel, Mr Deeds?
November 4, 2006 at 12:57 pm
J Tomlinson, from your anecdotes alone, the country terrifies me.
Two queue jumpers in one day was enough to make me wonder what is wrong with the world we live in.
Do you have a new camera yet? If so, you must take a couple of pictures and send them in for Standinaqueue Day.
Really, I do worry for you J Tomlinson, sometimes we don’t hear from you in a while and and I wonder if you are not stuck for days in some supermarket queue.
November 7, 2006 at 11:14 pm
I prefer the tutting loudly but doing nothing approach to dealing with queue jumpers. You have my sympathy.
November 8, 2006 at 9:48 am
Thank you Rosey.
It was quite a day.