Cash machine etiquette is an evolving process, but I was stood in the queue the other day waiting to use the machine when I was reminded of an incident that happened five or so years ago.
My sons and I were queued waiting to use a machine on fairly a narrow pavement. We were stood behind the man using the machine rather to either side of him as that always feels like you're trying to see the users pin number as they key it in.
As it was a narrow pavement people were trying to walk along it as well which prompted us to move closer to the machine, my eldest son in particular.
When the man in front finished using it, he turned around and indicated that my son particular was too close to him and to be aware of that in the future. Being the indignant father I reminded the man that as my son was only 12, he didn't use cash machines and was only trying to keep out of the way of passing pedestrians. Cries of "Dad don't get involved" from my sons stopped it going any further as the man further muttered his unhappiness and I carried on with using the machine.
Ever since then I have tried not to crowd out the user and not stand to the side, but I do regularly see queues for machines straggling out into streams of pedestrians, as I guess others use my same thought process.
It seems that the British understanding of " how waiting in a queue works" does mean that this mainly goes on without a problem, but I wonder what happens in Europe and the USA?
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Here in the USA it seems that everyone has a big sense of 'entitlement'. People are unwilling to 'queue' ('stand in line' in local parlance) unless strict rules are evident.
Case in point: Our local supermarket (Krogers, known by us as the Kroghetto) has a self-checkout area. A twin pair of checkouts seperated, unfortunately, by a pathway which most people use to come into the main part of the store.
The common sense approach is that if waiting to pay at one of these, you wait in a general 'common area' at the end and - in arrival order - use the one which comes free the soonest.
However, 'the entitled ones' feel that if they stand one side or another but level with me they can leap to the machine on that side with little care for the decent "you were here first" approach.
I have lost count of the number of times this has happened. A queue of 10 or more of us have also suffered other customers who can't even understand the concept of the queue and just rush forward from nowhere.
I have complained to the staff and management who don't care. I now just belittle anyone who cuts in and publicly berate them for being an ignorant SOB. On two occasions I have also gone over whilst they were scanning their items in and waved one of my items over the scanner so it rings up and they are forced to call the cashier for assistance.
Yes, 'entitlement' is a BIG thing over here matey... now, where's my cup of tea?!!
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