Behavior in lines

I'm curious as to how you came to the conclusion that people who expect a larger personal space consider themselves "of a higher status"? Did you conduct a survey? It could be that they simply don't enjoy getting lap dances from complete strangers or are uncomfortable being so close they're practically wearing the same clothes. I mean, if you can see the pores on the back of a person's neck YOU ARE WAY TOO CLOSE!

As for the smoker - I too would have paid good money to see him flattened out. I am a non-smoker, and of course when you go to casinos etc you go with the full knowledge that people will be smoking all over the place. That doesn't mean the smoker has to be an inconsiderate jackass. Many smokers try to be considerate of others and in most cases you can just get up and move somewhere else if smoke is bothering you. However, when you are in a line and have waited a long time, it is selfish and rude for someone to light up and force people to breathe in huge clouds of concentrated smoke because the other party can't just get off the line without losing their place. That scenario is bad enough, but to turn around and blow the smoke directly in someone's face - hopefully that was a lesson in courtesy and common etiquette to that idiot.

Lastly, for the woman at a promotional kiosk or cash machine - if I am using a debit card at a cash machine and someone is hovering over me I have to say that I also tell them to get back. With all of the nonsense that goes on today with identity theft, card skimming at machines and what not, there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for someone else to be right on type of you as you are trying to conduct a sensitive personal transaction. If there was actually 4 feet of space between you then I think she probably overreacted but there have been situations where someone has literally been right behind me at an ATM or while I am trying to check out of a store with a credit or debit card and I have had to tell them to step back.

 

Because a lot of people take this occasion to rearrange their entire reservation scheme and add/subtract 10 or more people from their original entourage. They also start to bargain for a different room location, ask about upgrades, ask about late arrivals, act startled about an obscure 3rd party reservation, etc.

 

Nothing annoys me worse than some nerd with a huge backpack swinging around and hitting me with their bag.

 

Ya also gotta watch out for people with laptop cases or gym bags on shoulder straps who get on an elevator after you. They turn around to face front and the bag swings around and gives you a nut shot. You gotta do one of these:

 

No, no survey on my part. I read a study once about the establishment of queues and the thought process behind them, which of course is heavy on personal space and what affects it. Interesting information. In rereading my original post, I think I should have indicated that perceived status can be a determining factor, but it is not a given. Many things come into play. For myself, I'm probably less tolerant of some people being close to me in line than others and I want to believe it's more a fear factor than a reaction based on status, but I don't really know.

As for the woman who chewed my ass in the kiosk/atm line...I stand by my measure of giving her appropriate space. Had she turned around and simply said, can you give me a little more room, I would have thought nothing of it, probably said "Oh sorry, sure" and done it. Even though IMO I had nothing to be sorry for, being treated like a human being goes a long way in how I respond to people.

 

I too am a studier of line standing behavior.

It seems that when people get in that herded type thing they they will all sort of act the same. If one person complains how long or slow it is, they feel compelled to react the same way.

Also there is a cultural element to it. Some cultures clearly stand closer than other with a different view on personal space. Along those line, other cultures will bring the whole family to every event.

Was in line at walmart the other day and there was a family of 9 in front of me. They bought 1 soda dna bag of chip. Thats two vehicles they needed to go to walmart to buy that. Also some people dont seem to understand the lengths of the lines and wil get into the loanger ones somehow thinking that line must be better because there are more people in it,. I have seen this one many times.

Older people seem to be more protective of their place in line as if someone is going to take cuts. I guess maybe taking cuts was a big deal back in the day. I went to see the wheel of fortune taping a few years back. There was this huge area with what must have been 3,000 chairs in it. Everyone had a ticket so we were all going to get in but being TV its just a slow measured process. Everyone insisted in standing in line for a couple hours. I noticed right away they had a snack bar with beer so I just sat there drinking beer watching everyone stand in line around me. I was literally the only person who sat down during the wait with all those chairs. It was sort of crazy.

 

I don't mind when people are close while in the line. However, when I get to the front or a window wherever I might be such as a bank teller, cashier at the casino or pharmacy. I don't want you know what I'm discussing whether it's my name, birthday or money matters. Stay back far enough that your not listening in.
I also don't like when people of status think they can walk right past you thinking they are a higher status than you. One time I was waiting in line at Bally's AC. The 7* line was closed and I was the only person waiting fro someone at the Diamond window to finish. As the person in front of me finished, this woman walked right around me and went to the window as if I didn't exist. She had no idea what status I had and she would have waited maybe two minutes. It was the year before I made 7*, I decided I would never do that when and if I made 7*. I did make it the next year before bonuses.

 

I had a situation kinda like that when I was just out of college. I was at the grocery store waiting in line at the courtesy booth (I can't remember what I was there for, maybe to pay a bill or cash a check). The guy behind me in line was talking loudly on the cell phone and when it came my turn and I walked up to the counter he walked up and leaned on the counter not too far to the left of me and proceeded to have his loud cell phone conversation making it difficult me me to even have a conversation with the clerk. I said some agitated response to him (can't remember what it was but it wasn't something as rude as it should have been like "Hey, asshole, get back in line and keep it down the clerk and I can't even hear each other over you!". He got all indignant and said something to the person on the other end of the phone about somebody disrupting his phone call or something. I seriously couldn't believe the balls on this guy! Talk about "Do you know who I am?" syndrome. Of course this was back when cell phones were getting somewhat more common but weren't as ubiquitous as they are now.

 

I usually only hit players clubs to get a replacement card since I am good for losing it . Nearly every time every person in front of me has some sort of bizarre transaction that requires 5 forms and a 25 minute discussion. That drives me nuts.

 

Drambler, Mitkraft and oghuman...your posts all remind me of a trip to my local this past summer. It's later in the evening and only 1 players club window is open. There's a few people in front of me and it's moving slow, but I finally get to the front. Just about my turn when up walks someone in the top tier line, so they are next. Sure enough, they get done and here comes another. Little old lady (smaller and older than me) works her way to the front of the "special" line and goes to the window in front of me. It's taking a while so I start to pay attention. She is OPENING a new card account. Brand new customer. None of those player line names meant squat to her, so I guess you just get in the shortest line, the one with no one in it, and there you go. I was a little surprised the players club employee didn't direct her to the back of the line, but then again, she was little, and she was old. I wonder if this would work for me?

 

My daughter and I were standing in a HUGE line up for the HighRoller on the night of the 4th of July. We thought it would be a brilliant idea to be way up in the air when the fireworks went off. It was...but half the city had the same idea that we did. So the line was moving VERY slowly. They had a single guard overseeing the line. When we got almost to the door a group of people about my age ...(old enough to know better!!) just picked up a construction horse that was directing the line and cut right in. The people closest to them started to protest and the woman swung around and said "We have been here all day!" in a really snotty voice.
Here?
Where?
Not in this line up you haven't been!
I don't have much of a temper but this really burned me up. I should have ran back and told the security guard. I wish I had.
I don't understand what happens to people to convince them that THEY are somehow more important than anyone else.
Grrrrrrr.

 

we have a summer shack that has a sign in the window.
If you are using a cell phone when you get to the window, you will not be served.

 

I was in a restroom in a bar with a few of my friends, laughing and talking. A women in one of the stalls told us to be quiet because she was on a business call. That comment did not quiet us down.

 

fart noises from you all would have been an appropriate response

 

LOL, or a loud flush from the next stall.

 

Well, in her defense she WAS on a call while doing her "business"!

 

I am a New Yorker and I have absolutely no problem confronting pushy rude people and telling them exactly where they can go. I was in Florida earlier this year, waiting on line at a Walgreens (there was one person paying at the register and I was the only person on line waiting) when two women appeared out of nowhere and stood right next to me. One turns to me and says "We were in line first". I said "Oh yeah? From where? ACROSS THE STORE"? Then I proceeded to tell her in no uncertain terms that there was no way in hell she was getting in front of me and trust me, she didn't. People only do these type of things because most people are too afraid to speak up in their own defense and these (censored) known they can get away with this bad behavior most of the time. So they continue to do it.

I do have to say it is always best to gauge the situation - if you think violence will result from a confrontation of course it is not worth getting into it. For the most part though, people have to be taught that they have to wait their turn just like everyone else, and if they don't like it - oh well. TOUGH!!!!!

 

I think this is about people's behavior in lines.

I waited in line the other month at a medical lab at 6:45 am - the sign said they opened at 7 am so did their website. I was the first in line.

Sure enough people lined up behind me - some asked if they are opened - my reply was the sign said 7 and this is why I am waiting.

7 am comes along and the line now is about 10 people or so. No employee comes to the door.. ... a minute goes by and I decide to pull the handle - it is open to my surprise - I go in and everyone follows and there are people already there milling around and waiting to be called by staff. I apologize to the people behind me.

Apparently the door was open all along. Funny how people follow - some people told me they thought they opened earlier while in the line. I was a bit embarrassed for not trying the door but it really didn't make a difference to the order we were taken for blood work at the end of the day.

Some of us chuckled as to how people are followers...although some questioned...no one tried the door.

 

People should have more patience. Just chill. I learned patience at an early age, coming from a family with 8 children. (Although there were probably only 3-5 years when all 8 of us lived under Dad & Mom's roof at the same time.)

We had 1 bathroom and 1 phone for years until the early 80s.

Try to inject a little humor in your "terrible" situation. Nowadays just about the only events in my life where I need to stand in ANY substantial lines are TSA at airports, and getting into sporting events.

In both instances I approach the most attractive female(s) I can find and ask "So, where are you flying to today?" This gets some interesting looks and polite chuckles at Brewers games at Miller Park.

 

My "beef" is the SINGLE LINE .....but 2 register clerks.
Think CVS pharmacy ----
3 people "que up"......are waiting.......and then some jackass
walks up to the second register, as if there is no line. (?).....and we're too stupid to see an open clerk ?
........and then ?.......the clerk tends to them....while we waited in line.
>
Supermarket line
Woman is tapping my ( freshly injured ) achille's heel -
as if tapping me with her cart will get me moving faster
After the third tap........I cut loose on her
Explaining to her all of the above........in a stern tone.