Queuing Up
The concept of queuing, in our society, is taught early in elementary schools. If you walk into an elementary school during class changes you will see long lines of children all in rows. Teachers teach them to keep a line "tight" and the times a gap opens up the other children are quick to tell them to move forward. It is the same in the military, lines for everything: eating, classes, rifle range, swimming, fighting, etc.This queuing behavior is pervasive in our interactions with others.
The best examples of our adherence to queuing rules is while driving. Our roads are marked with lanes in which drivers attempt to stay. The concept of "folding" is well followed when two lines must become one, each car taking their turn during the melding into one line.
The worst examples are seen when a person attempts to jump a line, or when a person cuts a line. When this happens many people are outraged and stressed because the rules have been ignored. A special case of this behavior is during rush hour when all lanes are tight. If a person attempts to keep too great a distance from the preceding car another car will pull into that gap. A mature driver does not consider this reprehensible because there are times when they have done the same thing, lines should be kept tight.
QUEUING PATHOLOGIES
1. Upon entering a fast food restaraunt with people looking up at the wall menu, there is no apparent line to get into. Further, you do not know the order in which people arrived. In short, you do not know where you stand. The situation is in disorder. I have been known to announce, in a loud voice: "Who am I behind?"
2. Checkout lines in the supermarket are troublesome. How much space is given to the person in front of you, how much space do you need behind you. If your cart bumps the ankle of the person in front that has obviously been too close. If you get an ankle bump then the "sufficient gap" rule has obviously been violated, I remember how offended I felt when a male in front of me put his hand on my cart to ensure what he perceived as a proper space. How dare he! I felt a mild violation on my person.
3. The meat counter at a supermarket attempts to bring order by using a numbered tag system. This works well when only a few persons are there. When many are waiting some people wander away to shop instead of having dead space in shopping. Invariably, a person comes up that has missed their turn and here is where stress builds up. If that person gets waited on next there is the appearance of line jumping. The proper thing to do is get another ticket and wait some more.
4. Bathrooms do not appear to be a male problem but females are often queuing for the opportunity to relive themselves. I am skating on thin ice here so cut me some slack. If a person comes up and begs someone to let her in because of extreme distress, and a loving heart lets her in, it this true line jumping? Is empathy universal in the line? Does the situation cause grumbling in the line?
Perhaps we all need a class that will advise us on proper etiquette for these life situations.
The best examples of our adherence to queuing rules is while driving. Our roads are marked with lanes in which drivers attempt to stay. The concept of "folding" is well followed when two lines must become one, each car taking their turn during the melding into one line.
The worst examples are seen when a person attempts to jump a line, or when a person cuts a line. When this happens many people are outraged and stressed because the rules have been ignored. A special case of this behavior is during rush hour when all lanes are tight. If a person attempts to keep too great a distance from the preceding car another car will pull into that gap. A mature driver does not consider this reprehensible because there are times when they have done the same thing, lines should be kept tight.
QUEUING PATHOLOGIES
1. Upon entering a fast food restaraunt with people looking up at the wall menu, there is no apparent line to get into. Further, you do not know the order in which people arrived. In short, you do not know where you stand. The situation is in disorder. I have been known to announce, in a loud voice: "Who am I behind?"
2. Checkout lines in the supermarket are troublesome. How much space is given to the person in front of you, how much space do you need behind you. If your cart bumps the ankle of the person in front that has obviously been too close. If you get an ankle bump then the "sufficient gap" rule has obviously been violated, I remember how offended I felt when a male in front of me put his hand on my cart to ensure what he perceived as a proper space. How dare he! I felt a mild violation on my person.
3. The meat counter at a supermarket attempts to bring order by using a numbered tag system. This works well when only a few persons are there. When many are waiting some people wander away to shop instead of having dead space in shopping. Invariably, a person comes up that has missed their turn and here is where stress builds up. If that person gets waited on next there is the appearance of line jumping. The proper thing to do is get another ticket and wait some more.
4. Bathrooms do not appear to be a male problem but females are often queuing for the opportunity to relive themselves. I am skating on thin ice here so cut me some slack. If a person comes up and begs someone to let her in because of extreme distress, and a loving heart lets her in, it this true line jumping? Is empathy universal in the line? Does the situation cause grumbling in the line?
Perhaps we all need a class that will advise us on proper etiquette for these life situations.
posted by Marcel at
9:48 AM
4 Comments:
Pregnant women get an automatic front of the line pass in the ladies room.
By
Adrienne, at 12:15 PM
The line that bothers me is at the gas station. ALl the cars are queued up and someone pulls to the other side of the tanks and tries to "cut" in front.
By
Adrienne, at 12:16 PM
Before I retired I would get upset when someone would cut in front of me on the highway. After 8 years of retirement I have mellowed. They probably have jobs and are in a much bigger hurry than me. They are probably paying for my social security just as I did for 49 years for those older than me so now I cut them some slack.
By
John Beauregard, at 12:04 PM
Adrienne,
I had no idea about pregnant women getting preference in bathroom lines. I am imprresed with that magnanimity when bowel pressures insist on personal preference first.
By
Marcel, at 11:44 AM
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