Express line etiquette?

[hr3]

Life is far too short to let little things like this bother ANYONE !!! If someone had cut you off on the highway doing 100 and drunk as ****,, Then you should be upset !! I think your lucky she wasn't either talking or texting on her cell while trying to cash out.

 

[Lloyd_E]

John,

Been there... and I think you were very polite about it and to the point.

I usually mumble back "society takes care of their own" - I usually get a "deer in the headlights look" and leave it at that. I know they will take a few hours/days to figure it out... some will, some will not!

lloyd

 

[jinman]

I know that sometimes a checker or supervisor will ask a person with a full cart to go to the express line if that line is not busy. I generally don't complain and am very non-confrontational. After all, express lines are a privilege instead of a right. If the store does not do something to control the flow, it's my choice to accept the delay or leave my item(s) and walk away. While I don't think saying something is wrong, it is probably non-productive. I like the stores that have only a tiny space for items instead of the conveyor at the regular registers. Just the inconvenience will deter a few people from abusing the item number limit.

Now, when I'm going down an aisle in the store and there are folks blocking the aisle with carts and their bodies while they have an "old home week reunion" I get a little frustrated, especially if they are gabbing and blocking the access to the item I need. I've been known to politely ask them if they could hand me something off the shelf. Normally that's all it takes to get them to clear a path.

 

[MikeD74T]

JMC, Generally I take Egon's viewpoint, literally. However, when the lady pulled out of the original line the express cashier was idle, being nonproductive & not making any money for the store. When you came along you seemed to assume the cashier was there for your convenience more than customers in general. I've been in both ends of this situation and generally just wait it out. I've also been challenged by idle cashiers that apparently could count to which I reply "ring it up or put it back on the shelves, your choice", none has ever chosen to put it away. Most express cashiers realize why "over the limit" customers come thru express when the other lines are backed up.

Some people are born to stand in line. People of WalMart & people of Disney have that in common. I'm not one of them I did enough of that in the Navy. Would you have stood behind 3 carts of 150 items each if you had one, two , three...?... over the limit & the express line was empty?

I do however agree that you were quite gentlemanly in your dialog.
MikeD74T

 

[groundcover]

I love the story of the cashier in Cambrigde who looked at the kid with the full cart in the 15 or less lane and said " so you got to Harvard and can't count or MIT and can't read ?"

 

[Duffster]

Am I the only one that thinks if a store was doing a good job of keeping up at the checkouts there would be no need for the express lane?

 

[two_bit_score]

Hi All,

Sometimes I seem to have a knack for rubbing people the wrong way and then wondering why. I'm generally not a confrontational person unless someone is taking an unfair advantage. Please tell me if I was out of line in this case:...............................................

Of course when you only hear one side of a story, the other side always looks bad. But still, could you share your thoughts on this.

Thanks,

John

Amen, Brother John! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Sigarms]

Heck, what about people who pull their car into the fire lane (clearly "no parking" marked) and leave their car there to "run" into the supermarket?

Or, what about people who are in front of you checking out, but then have to run to get something else that they forgot, leaving you standing looking at the clerk?

Or, like last month where we went to a nice wedding service and someone brought their screaming little child into church but would not take them outside?

Sorry, this will start to get off topic

John, no nothing wrong with you in my opinion. If I didn't carry a sidearm at times, I'd say something to the people in a hearbeat.

Of course when you only hear one side of a story, the other side always looks bad. But still, could you share your thoughts on this.

Funny, your side of the story is what I see myself.

 

[ronjhall]

I have been invited to use the express lane. Even though I had over the limit. No one else in line. But when someone jumps in front of me to run their over limit quantity in a cart they will get my comments. Not rude just facts.
We must live in a more laid back area. Many time I have come to a express lane with just a couple of items. The person in front of me offers to let me go ahead because they have several more items than I do. Depending on how much of a hurry I am whether I take the offer or not. When I can I like to make the same offer to others.

 

[Reg]

Hi All,

Sometimes I seem to have a knack for rubbing people the wrong way and then wondering why. I'm generally not a confrontational person unless someone is taking an unfair advantage. Please tell me if I was out of line in this case:

I'm getting only one item at a supermarket and all the regular registers have only one or two customers deep except the idle express line. Just as I approach the express line, a woman pulls her cart out of a regular register and gets to the express line about one step ahead of me. Her cart was about half full on top and had several heavy items on the bottom.

"Express line?" I asked, nodding at her cart?

She smiled sweetly, pointed at the sign and said "Fifteen items or less".

"So you're under the limit?" (probably with a twing of disbelief in my voice.)

"Yes." (again, the sweet smile.)

"Then I must have misjudged." (a superficial apology)

Nothing more said during her extended checkout process. Many items, plus the cashier needing to come around to scan the heavy items below.

After witnessing this, when she came back to my end of her cart, I said "I don't believe you.", trying to keep it light but still make my point.

"Well, there was 25 items" she admitted, "But you don't have to be so rude about it." (Her claws were out.)

"I don't think I was being rude. Rude is ignoring the rules and making everyone behind you wait." (enough with the lightness)

She stomped off saying something to me over her shoulder, but I couldn't make it out and probably that's good.

Of course when you only hear one side of a story, the other side always looks bad. But still, could you share your thoughts on this.

Thanks,

John

Does it REALLY matter THAT MUCH to you ?
Only she knows what her previous 24 or 168 hours were like.
I don't know what makes people do that, or what makes you object to it, but if that is your "gripe du jour" I'd say your life is pretty good.
So PLEASE just ENJOY it will Ya ?