# is it bad manners to correct a checkout girl **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 17, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798 "2012-01-17T15:12:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/41 "2012-01-17T18:25:35Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I am a copy editor by profession and have the \*hardest \*time turning that off. I silently _think_, “there is no such thing as an ATM machine!” and “there should not be an apostrophe there, you idiot!” Do you really see alot of people typing “ATM, machine”? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/42 "2012-01-17T18:26:18Z")
I work the registers plenty. I make sure not to add “number” after “PIN” because I’m sick of douchbags correcting me. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/43 "2012-01-17T18:34:28Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Which side of you wants to have your bread put in the bottom of the bag, with canned goods on top? I see you’re familiar with my local Safeway. I’ve given up on the PIN number, VIN number, ATM machine, etc. I’ll save my intense outrage for people doing things like parking in the fire lane and throwing cigarette butts on my lawn. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/44 "2012-01-17T18:34:34Z")
Nitpicking the difference between “PIN” and “PIN number” sounds like poor manners to me. The other day, I was waiting in line at a store and I noticed the woman in front of me was being charged twice for the same item. I pointed that out and I think all three of us were embarrassed by our behaviour: the cashier (because he made the mistake), the woman (because she wasn’t paying attention) and me (because I was sticking my nose into other folks’ business). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/45 "2012-01-17T18:34:57Z")
> [@murrmac](#): > > As the OP, I have to say that I am somewhat disturbed by the elitist attitude of the majority of respondents, who clearly feel that although **they** may be well aware of the minutiae of acronyms, checkout girls belong to a subclass who can and should be left to wallow in ignorance. Yes, that’s _exactly_ what everyone’s been saying. Let them stew in their redundancy, the little till tarts. Bwa ha ha haa. Real answer: yes, it’s rude - and ridiculous - to correct them. I corrected someone on a point of history in a social situation the other day and realised even while I was doing it that I came across as a trivial pedant, that it frankly didn’t matter - and have been kicking myself about it ever since. Correcting “PIN number”, however, tempting, is even worse. ---
**Author:** ![murrmac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@murrmac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/murrmac)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/46 "2012-01-17T18:35:32Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > I work the registers plenty. I make sure not to add “number” after “PIN” because I’m sick of douchbags correcting me. Attagirl !!! ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/47 "2012-01-17T18:37:15Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Sounds to me like he did not maximize his opportunity. Only 4 out of 6? The express lane doesn’t always work. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/48 "2012-01-17T18:39:13Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I am a copy editor by profession and have the \*hardest \*time turning that off. I silently _think_, “there is no such thing as an ATM machine!” and “there should not be an apostrophe there, you idiot!” and “it’s _a lot_, not _alot_, you dunderhead!” > > Ninety percent of the time I manage to keep my damn trap shut. Sometimes it is just too much for me . . . Its good you don;t tell people off, Their are lot’s of people who would. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/49 "2012-01-17T18:46:35Z")
It’s terrible manners. I cannot imagine an adult being so rude in public to a complete stranger. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/50 "2012-01-17T18:46:47Z")
Heheh, **Eve** , that reminds me of a story from my youth. I was around 11 or so, and out grocery shopping with my mom at a locally-owned supermarket. We were looking for milk, and I noticed the sign for skim milk said _Skin Milk_. I started laughing and pointed it out to her. Whatever, shit happens, I was old enough to start noticing misplaced apostrophes too. I figured we’d have a laugh and move on. Anyway, she unexpectedly affected an air of disgusted pedantry and went out of her way to tell every single employee we encountered after that about the mistake (as though it was their fault, none of them were managers and I’m sure they didn’t do the pricing) to correct their sign. It really, really embarrassed me. I felt like it was my fault she was being such a bitch to these people. OP, you do not want to be that pedant. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/51 "2012-01-17T18:48:47Z")
Definitely bad manners/dickish. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/52 "2012-01-17T18:48:48Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > Only four of the six girls working there got pregnant that year. Unexpected item in bagging area. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/53 "2012-01-17T18:49:29Z")
> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#): > > Its good you don;t tell people off, Their are lot’s of people who would. 🙂 Considering there are so many people getting pregnant, I think you misspelled “wood”. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/54 "2012-01-17T18:54:21Z")
> [@murrmac](#): > > As the OP, I have to say that I am somewhat disturbed by the elitist attitude of the majority of respondents, who clearly feel that although **they** may be well aware of the minutiae of acronyms, checkout girls belong to a subclass who can and should be left to wallow in ignorance. ISTM that you’re the one that’s assuming that they’re ignorant when they use a perfectly accepted if somewhat redundant phrase. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/55 "2012-01-17T18:55:18Z")
> [@sh1bu1](#): > > Considering there are so many people getting pregnant, I think you misspelled “wood”. A misspelling would certainly fit with the theme of the rest of the quoted post. [/trivial pedant] ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/56 "2012-01-17T19:02:22Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > SALT stood for Strategic Arms Limitation **Talks**. > > The word Talks was exchanged for Treaty only after the talks resulted in a treaty. > > For a while, it was called the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Treaty. > > Oh, those were heady days for cunning linguists! I am corrected. Nevertheless, I hold my virtual head high. Fie, on those who say ATM machines! Fie, I say. Fie! … Hey y’all, what the heck does ‘fie’ mean? I got it from _Camelot_. \ ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/57 "2012-01-17T19:02:26Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Heheh, **Eve** , that reminds me of a story from my youth. I was around 11 or so, and out grocery shopping with my mom at a locally-owned supermarket. We were looking for milk, and I noticed the sign for skim milk said _Skin Milk_. I started laughing and pointed it out to her. Whatever, shit happens, I was old enough to start noticing misplaced apostrophes too. I figured we’d have a laugh and move on. When I was in grade school we had a sink in the back of the room, and next to it was a liquid soap dispenser. One day it ran out. The teacher asked one boy to put a sign on it that “soap” so that the janitor would refill it. I pointed out to him that his sign actually said “soup.” I laughed about it. The teacher got all up in my grill about how everyone makes mistakes and I shouldn’t laugh at others. Come on, that shit’s funny to a nine year old. And he was laughing harder than I was! Great, now I’m hungry for soup. ---
**Author:** ![murrmac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@murrmac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/murrmac)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/58 "2012-01-17T19:04:24Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It’s terrible manners. I cannot imagine an adult being so rude in public to a complete stranger. dude, it’s not like I would be shouting at her, waving my arms, and causing a scene … at the very most, I would lean across the register, smile winsomely, and murmur the correction in a soft undertone .. and if she was _ **really** _ pretty, maybe ask her for her phone no. as well … ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/59 "2012-01-17T19:09:46Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Heheh, **Eve** , that reminds me of a story from my youth. I was around 11 or so, and out grocery shopping with my mom at a locally-owned supermarket. We were looking for milk, and I noticed the sign for skim milk said _Skin Milk_. I started laughing and pointed it out to her. Whatever, shit happens, I was old enough to start noticing misplaced apostrophes too. I figured we’d have a laugh and move on.\ {Trivial pedantry on}Shouldn’t that be _skimmed_ milk? > [@murrmac](#): > > dude, it’s not like I would be shouting at her, waving my arms, and causing a scene … > > at the very most, I would lean across the register, smile winsomely, and murmur the correction in a soft undertone .. > > and if she was _ **really** _ pretty, maybe ask her for her phone no. as well … Oh please, ask her for her phone number after you correct her for saying PIN number. Please, do it and report back here. I’m begging you. By the way, if you want to be a trivial pedant, shouldn’t you be capitalizing your sentences? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798/60 "2012-01-17T19:16:35Z")
> [@murrmac](#): > > dude, it’s not like I would be shouting at her, waving my arms, and causing a scene … > > at the very most, I would lean across the register, smile winsomely, and murmur the correction in a soft undertone .. > > and if she was _ **really** _ pretty, maybe ask her for her phone no. as well … Good plan. People love being hit on by people that point out their flaws. If her pants make her butt look big, you should probably tell her that as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-bad-manners-to-correct-a-checkout-girl/609798.md?page=4)