I will admit to having done this though but only at the theatre when in line for concession. If there are a lot of line-ups and no one line seems to be moving faster my friend and I will get in the back of two adjacent lines. then hop over if one moves quicker.
We only buy one combo though (for the two of us), so we aren’t taking up more time for the people behind us and the other line loses one person. I don’t mind if others do this unless it’s one person who suddenly has half a dozen with him and all orders to pay seperately. In Wal-mart or the grocery store where this can mean added time to the people behind you, that just pisses me off since I was already taking into account what you had in your cart/baskets. I’ll just wait in my line and whoever gets through first can wait at the bottom of the till.
What I often do is get in line with our items at the end of the first, shortest line. My wife (unencumbered) will then continue looking for another, shorter line. If she finds one I’ll go to the end of that line. If not she’ll come back and wait with me. That is kosher with everyone, right?
You are always going to the end of the line, right? No problem. Why would it be? You can always get out of line whenever you want to. It’s getting back in at the front that is a problem form me.
What do you guys call this? When I was growing up, it was called “cutting in line.” Now, the kids call it “budging.” Contrapuntal called it “breaking in.” I wonder how many different names there are for this totally inconsiderate, rude behavior better suited for 12 year old bullies than full grown-ass people.
My local Best Buy started doing this the Christmas before last, to handle the long holiday queues. It worked so well they switched over to this method year-round; they have one handler at the head of the “feeder line” pointing shoppers to the next available checkout counter, even during slow periods when there’s nobody waiting. I have no idea if it’s an individual store policy or if the idea came from corporate but I agree entirely that it’s the best way of doing things.
Something I sometimes see in the “12 items or less” line. A couple comes with a cart of 20 or so items, and tries to tell the clerk that the sign means “12 items per person.” I’m happy to note that most of the time, the clerks divert them into a regular line, sometimes with the assistance of the managers.
I’ve read almost all of the posts, and I come up with this:
We have choices. If you shop at Wal-Mart, you know they’re all about the bottom line – they provide the lowest possible level of service, pull you in with loss leaders and charge as much as they dare for things they know you’re going to come back for over and over. They make you think you’re getting a great deal and/or saving your precious time by offering milk, underwear, tires and TV sets under one roof. You buy into that, and then bitch about the long lines and the inconsiderate nature of the other boobs who shop there.
Here’s an alternative: I buy groceries at a supermarket, and I never wait more than three minutes to be checked out. I buy clothing at a clothing store, and not only get into fitting rooms quickly, I also get honest advice on how the clothes fit. I buy tires at a tire store – they pick up my car, deliver it when it’s done and provide the best road warranty in the industry. I buy electronics at an electronics store – the staff is personable, attentive and knowledgable, and when it’s time to check out, they handle it for me while I watch the latest whiz-bang gadgetry and daydream.
I do not pay more for food, clothing, tires or electronics than I would pay at Wal-Mart. I do not have to deal with rude customers, stupid teen-agers or overworked store clerks. I get exactly what I want, not something sort of like what I had in mind. Overall, it’s a really good experience.
I live in a very small town out on the plains of Colorado, and I’ve done very well not setting foot in Wal-Mart since before Christmas. Try it. Just try living without Wal-Mart for 30 days. It will change your life.
One of those things where it’s “legal”, but you automatically assume anyone doing it is an asshole. I see it fairly often, usually a mother in one line, child in another. But the store I shop at has usually has TWO checkstands out of 12 open right after work at 5, so you kind of understand it.
I’m sorry, but that’s just not possible. It’s been a long time since I stepped foot in a Wal-Mart but I distinctly remember the signs over the registers – “At Wal-Mart you’re always next in line!” :dubious:
There are rules on the left baskets or carts, too - they can hold your place until the line moves, then the line moves without you, and if you come back and your basket is at the end, too damn bad.
I call it obnoxious. Iron rule of ethics: what if everyone did this? All queues would be twice as long (more if you hunt in packs of more than two) so everyone’s wait time stays the same, except there’s a whole lot more pushing and shoving as everyone changes lanes. Just pick a queue and stick with it. Mathematics dictates that some other queue will usually move faster - too bad.
In my many years of standing waiting in line, I have made it my rule to not switch lines unless there is an obvious, compelling reason (they just called for a manager for the same person for the fourth time, and no one is responding, and the line has obviously just stalled, etc.), because line jumping usually doesn’t get you anywhere. Besides, I’m working on my patience, and waiting in line is great practice.
