# Is this the same as cutting in line? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2017, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193 "2017-04-25T07:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/101 "2017-04-27T15:58:07Z")
Another reason why I’m happy using the self-checkout, where there’s _never_ a line at my grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/102 "2017-04-27T16:00:40Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Another reason why I’m happy using the self-checkout, where there’s _never_ a line at my grocery store. Haven’t tried one in years. Too finicky for items I don’t want to/can’t bag (like a case of drinks). Hangs up because I didn’t bag (and sometimes when I did). Okay for use with small trips and only a few items (all baggable). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/103 "2017-04-27T16:02:43Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Resist using the plastic divider when placing your items on the belt; just leave a discernible gap between your groceries and the previous shopper. 🙂 You can try, but I always add the divider for the convenience of the person behind me - otherwise they have to do that awkward reaching thing if the next available one hasn’t been pushed all the way back. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/104 "2017-04-27T16:50:17Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > You can try, but I always add the divider for the convenience of the person behind me - otherwise they have to do that awkward reaching thing if the next available one hasn’t been pushed all the way back. If I ran the zoo – or rather grocery – I’d make sure there were plenty of those dividers at every checkout so no one had to reach. A small thing that improves the checkout experience. So often, IME, there’s one per lane. Are people stealing them? Do they get dirty and thrown out? _There’s got to be an explanation._ ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/105 "2017-04-27T16:55:28Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > Haven’t tried one in years. Too finicky for items I don’t want to/can’t bag (like a case of drinks). Hangs up because I didn’t bag (and sometimes when I did). Okay for use with small trips and only a few items (all baggable). Something I didn’t realize about self-checkout machines until I got told: their bagging area has a scale built in to make sure everything gets scanned. Hang-ups often happened when I’d do something the machine’s logic found suspicious. I may be alone in my ignorance of this fact, but maybe it’ll help someone if I share it. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/106 "2017-04-27T17:14:25Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Whether you call it cutting or “saving a place in line for someone”, you’re misleading those behind you about the amount of stuff you’re going to be checking out. And that’s not nice. I was in the “this is not cutting camp”, but this is a solid argument that brought me the other way. Congratulations for being the first person on the internet to change someone’s mind! ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/107 "2017-04-27T17:31:09Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > Something I didn’t realize about self-checkout machines until I got told: their bagging area has a scale built in to make sure everything gets scanned. Hang-ups often happened when I’d do something the machine’s logic found suspicious. > > I may be alone in my ignorance of this fact, but maybe it’ll help someone if I share it. I was actually aware of that. But it was still frustrating. Mind you, they may be much better now. I don’t think I’ve tried them in over a decade, so I probably ought to give the machines another chance. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/108 "2017-04-27T17:42:00Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > If I ran the zoo – or rather grocery – I’d make sure there were plenty of those dividers at every checkout so no one had to reach. A small thing that improves the checkout experience. > > So often, IME, there’s one per lane. Are people stealing them? Do they get dirty and thrown out? _There’s got to be an explanation._ it’s a cheap plastic product with an advertising strip built-in. This seems like a marketing opportunity completely going to waste. Whoever is providing these dividers is totally asleep behind the wheel. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/109 "2017-04-27T17:49:38Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > I was actually aware of that. But it was still frustrating. Mind you, they may be much better now. I don’t think I’ve tried them in over a decade, so I probably ought to give the machines another chance. They used to be the bane of my existence, but they do seem to have gotten better. That said, I still end up needing help about 10% of the time because the machine is yelling at me for some reason (or even gets completely locked up). “Unexpected item in the bagging area.” But I just put the fucking thing I scanned in the item area! What’s unexpected about that? And no, I didn’t remove any items. I know how it’s supposed to work. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/110 "2017-04-27T20:24:32Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > If I ran the zoo – or rather grocery – I’d make sure there were plenty of those dividers at every checkout so no one had to reach. A small thing that improves the checkout experience. > > So often, IME, there’s one per lane. Are people stealing them? Do they get dirty and thrown out? _There’s got to be an explanation._ Some friends once had a sort of scavenger hunt which included trying to buy one. At least one of them managed it, but I don’t know how much they got charged. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193/111 "2017-04-28T01:30:09Z")
> [@Tom\_Terrific](#): > > What about the person who has no partner to hold a place in line. Fuck them, sucks to be you? No need to be so harsh, but essentially yeah. You don’t see me arguing “Hey, why should my wife have to buy a ticket to this movie? What about people who have partners? Fuck them, sucks to be you, gotta buy two tickets?” One ticket per person. One person per line. Thems the rules. > [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Why should someone be able to get in line ahead of me just because he has a partner to stake out a spot? Asked and answered. Because he has a partner. > [@Jophiel](#): > > The “social standard” is that you get into line with your cart of groceries once you’ve completed your selections. If you’re waiving that standard, you don’t get to rely on another to justify it. I don’t think you get to beg the question like this. I submit that the social standard is that _someone_ has to stand in line, and this tactic is fine. > [@MandaJo](#): > > It may not be a explicit rule, but the vast majority of people understand that it’s not cool to do this–otherwise, you’d see it done. Again, I dispute this. The vast majority, I feel, agree with me and have seen it done. > [@kayaker](#): > > Is she wearing anything other than the sandwich board? Glad I’m not the only one who automatically thinks this when I hear “sandwich board.” > [@Jophiel](#): > > Not being in Northern VA, I’ll have to take your word on it. Never see it happen around here (probably rare exceptions). > > > [@RTFirefly](#): > > > > I’m across the river from **Bricker** , in southern Maryland. I think I’ve seen it happen once. I live across the street from **Bricker** and go to the same store as him (Um, “I win!”?). I’ve seen it done many times, but not just there - in other cities, even. > [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Here’s a thought experiment. Suppose I go shopping by myself, and when it’s time to check out I go to the head of the line and tell people, “This is where my wife would have been if she were with me.” > > Actually, I don’t have a wife, but that just adds another element to the hypothesis (“This is where my wife would be if I were married.”) No, that doesn’t fly. The difference is no actual person paid the time cost. When a wife holds a spot, she’s paying the socially agreed line-standing standard that one must burn up personal time accommodating strangers’ needs. She’s in the line to ante up her minutes for society. In your hypothesis, no one is doing that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-same-as-cutting-in-line/785193.md?page=5)