Express line etiquette?

[Bird]

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 ?

Maybe he, or she, had a reason to be in a hurry; it happens. But no matter what her previous 24 or 168 hours, or 20 years was like, she was a very rude, inconsiderate person. Unfortunately, there are plenty of such in our society.

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.

That happens fairly frequently. Since I'm very seldom in a hurry anymore, I often make that offer.

 

[jmc]

Hello again, original poster here-

Thanks, everyone, for their comments. As mentioned originally, the reason for the post was kind of a reality check to see if I was as clueless, in my own way, as she seemed to me. I can see the point of almost every post (I don't know what Duffster's first one was saying). As far as the appropriate response to this incident, I don't think there is a "right" answer.

John

 

[Mousefield]

Hello again, original poster here-

Thanks, everyone, for their comments. As mentioned originally, the reason for the post was kind of a reality check to see if I was as clueless, in my own way, as she seemed to me. I can see the point of almost every post (I don't know what Duffster's first one was saying). As far as the appropriate response to this incident, I don't think there is a "right" answer.

John

I agree with your "I don't think there is a "right" answer".
I too was puzzeled by Duffster's first post. :confused2::confused2:
Not sure if we want to find out. :laughing::laughing:

 

[riptides]

The right answer is the express line rule - xx items OR Less.

Enforcement and etiquette are open for debate.

 

[Sigarms]

Enforcement and etiquette are open for debate.

I have the answer!

We have the state police and local LEO's stand by the checkout to write tickets for those who break the rule. If they can do seatbelts, surely this wouldn't take too much time

 

[eepete]

jmc, what you did was just fine. Everyone will have their own range of responses to a situation like that.
Most times when I have a lot of stuff, and someone walks up before my checkout process has started with an item or two, I'll offer for them to go in front of me. It's as simple as that's what I would like someone to offer to me.

Same scenario, two stores: People in line at a checkout register, about 4 deep, and they open a 2nd register.

Wally World: Mad dash by two people at the rear of the line to get to the newly opened register :thumbdown:.

TSC: I was 3rd in line, and told the lady in front of me that she is next, stepped to the side. The people in back of me did the same thing :thumbsup:.

So I'm just glad the people at TSC were civilized about it, and hope that the lives of the people at Wally World get better so they are not compelled to compete for every little moment of life as tension breads more tension.

Maybe some people were not raised reading "Highlights for Children." Sounds like a classic "Goofus and Gallant" panel.

Pete

 

[mjarrels]

As a retired Navy Chief... Sometimes the retired Chief comes from me... I don't tolerate these people or the the folks who park in fire lanes.

mark

 

[RadarTech]

As a retired Navy Chief... Sometimes the retired Chief comes from me... I don't tolerate these people or the the folks who park in fire lanes.

mark

I hear ya... I can't remember where I was a few weeks ago, but I saw a LEO and several tow trucks pulling the folks away in a fire lane..


and then of course there are the folks that park there and a fire happens and they complain about the damage to their cars!!! :laughing:


J

 

[Willl]

Everybody forgets, he didn't just deal with ordinary people, this was a female.

Case in point, once held a door open for a Lady and she come back with a verbal "What ?, don't you think I'm capable of opening the door for myself ?".
So I came back with "didn't hold it open cause your female, held it open cause of your age"

Glad I was going the other direction. :laughing:

 

[RadarTech]

Everybody forgets, he didn't just deal with ordinary people, this was a female.

Case in point, once held a door open for a Lady and she come back with a verbal "What ?, don't you think I'm capable of opening the door for myself ?".
So I came back with "didn't hold it open cause your female, held it open cause of your age"

Glad I was going the other direction. :laughing:

That is when you need flame proof underwear, a kevlar shirt and a jock strap for a little protection..

some ladies just go for the gold......

J

 

[txdon]

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?

Exactly! I usually take longer to check out than to shop. The managers are not managing their stores to customer service. At HEB the checkers always ask if I found everything. I tell them no, I didn't find a short checkout lane.

 

[user.69169]

Tell you what, I kind of agree with that Egon fellow about enjoying the view in some of them lines, and I always figured in a good marriage the husband's eyes go bad just a little faster than the wife's rump grows wider, but I flat gotta say some of the wimmen I see in these here stores oughta have a WIDE LOAD sign on them for the public's protection. For the record, not like Egon I still remember what I'm enjoying watching.

Back when I was raised we didn't have these supermarkets or stores where you wait on yourself, and the clerk at the counter generally fetched up what you asked for. They had sticks with a claw on them for fetchin canned goods down off the shelf behind the counter or a ladder with some wheels onit. It was flat bad manners and poor upbringing to hold somebody up who only wanted a couple items and the clerk would generally ask the person with the big order if they minded waiting while she got your 2 items and cashed you out. I was raised to hold doors for wimmen, even my sisters, and take my hat off in a elevator too even if I was the only person in there. My mom woulda slapped me silly right out there in public if I acted like so many fools I see these days.

I been thinking of getting myself one of them portable airhorns for when I gotta go to the Walmart. How stupid can 2 fat wimmen be to not know they are blocking the asile with their carts side by side yackin away about some dang thing or another? Some of them gals could sure use a set of brakelights on their butts too, got plenty of room to mount em by my eyesight.

Now, about that express lane, I generally note it's closed when I go in the store, or if it ain't it's all backed up while some woman with 6 kids munchin on things she ain't paid for yet fights with the register gal over what is paid for by foodstamps. If I happen to be in that 15 items or less line you can bet your pickup I got no more than 14 items, and I got in that line cause I want to get the heck out of that store. If you happen to be in the store when I'm there you'll hear me counting the number of items the person in front of me is putting on the belt, and telling them when they go over 15. I like to be helpful and figure some folks just don't do well with numbers. I'll even politely offer to go ahead of the person with too many items so they can go put some back. Like I said, I like to be helpful.

Another part of my helpful nature goes to helping the store. I got a pretty good set of lungs still, never smoked, so when I pull up tothe checkout area and it looks like a traffic jam at the Border Crossing I'll do what I can to help. Generally the store has some person wandering around from register to register with this key hanging around their neck who I think is supposed to be some sort of manager. Evidently they pick them manager people for poor eyesight cause dang few of them can see the traffic jam beyond them registers. I give them a hand by loudly suggesting some more registers need to be opened. This works real well at the Walmart, and occasionally at the KMart too. KMart seems a little dodgy to me though. They put a bunch of these checkout lines in a while back where they aparently think you're going to do your own checking out. First time I tried that thing out the machine went and blew a horn at me and this big security fellow came running. He was iffy on being part of the human race for shure, and needed a breath mint. He gets up in my face cause I'm looking for where I shold put my money in that machine. I guess they only take some plastic card, but there should be somebody there to tell me. Last time I went in they took all them machines away and must have fired the security guy.

Another thing I don't particularly like in these stores is the button you push for somebody to get off their duff and come and help you. If youre going to be inthe store business you should have help onthe floor who are there to help customers. Since I don't believe in no method of transactionother than cash, I always ask for a discount for paying cash too. I know them stores pay the Master Card a fee so if I'm paying cash I should get a discount. That's just good business.

 

[dmccarty]

JMC,

I don't think what you did was wrong or rude. It is not rude to point out that someone else is being rude.

Will the "lady" do it again? Who knows. There are many people that it won't make a difference. Then there are others that it will change her behavior. I would bet she drove home "complaining" about you and that may make her think twice next time.

But people are pigs.

Later,
Dan

 

[J_J]

People are people, and as such, you should expect anything. I have been on both sides of the equations, staying in the long line with 15 items, while watching 10 customers go through the 10 item checkout line. The cashier rang up about 100 items in the quick line. So I watched new customers come and go, finishing their shopping, while I waited in the long line. I have also jumped in the quick line with more than 10 items. You do want the cashier to earn their money. I hope that some of you understand that life is not always great, and you do what you have to do to make it easier on yourself and everybody.

 

[LBrown59]

I've also seen the old joke, many times, of the person going to the express line with a cart full of groceries and the clerk asking, "Which 15 items do you want?" It may make a good joke, and I'd love to see it done, but I doubt any store would ever do it because they don't want to antagonize
*that customer.

*If I was that customer I'd simply walk out of the store with out saying a word leaving the cart setting right there.
That's probably why stores don't or won't do that.

 

[DocHeb]

Happened just today - a woman with a half-full cart was waved over by the express line cashier that had no customers. She came over, and 20 seconds later a <15 item person came to the line and was buckin' and snortin' and carryin' on. He looked pretty foolish.

Life is to short to get your boxers all wedged up.

 

[LMTC]

If they're going to have "express" lanes, then they should adhere to the guidelines. However......my resolution has always been this....just like banks used to use in the lobby....ONE line. Period. One line feeding the checkout area, no matter how many registers are open. As any given checkout becomes available the next person in line goes to it. No penalty for picking the line with the slow cashier, or the line with the person who cannot, after looking 5 times, find the credit card they want to use. Everybody gets the same odds and chances. When an additional checkout opens, everyone gains the same advantage as the single line moves quicker. If someone with 10 items wants special treatment, let them go to the corner convenience store and pay the high prices. Why should someone spending $25 get better/faster service than my wife who is spending $150.00?

Seems just obvious to me, but no one does it. I suppose the appearance of 30 people in line would just send some people to the exits, even if the line was moving well.

 

[jayste]

was buckin' and snortin' and carryin' on. He looked pretty foolish.

Life is to short to get your boxers all wedged up.

This thread is gettin' me to buckin' and snortin' and gettin' my boxers all wedged up! :laughing:

No, actually I'm the guy who, if I've got a basket full and you've got a few items in your hands, I'll let you go first. Be warned though, if I've got 10 items I'm going through the express lane. Heck, I've even gone through the "self-checkout" lane before! :shocked:

 

[dave1949]

If they're going to have "express" lanes, then they should adhere to the guidelines. However......my resolution has always been this....just like banks used to use in the lobby....ONE line. Period. One line feeding the checkout area, no matter how many registers are open. As any given checkout becomes available the next person in line goes to it. No penalty for picking the line with the slow cashier, or the line with the person who cannot, after looking 5 times, find the credit card they want to use. Everybody gets the same odds and chances. When an additional checkout opens, everyone gains the same advantage as the single line moves quicker. If someone with 10 items wants special treatment, let them go to the corner convenience store and pay the high prices. Why should someone spending $25 get better/faster service than my wife who is spending $150.00?

Seems just obvious to me, but no one does it. I suppose the appearance of 30 people in line would just send some people to the exits, even if the line was moving well.

That all makes a lot sense. I have seen that system used somewhere besides banks and don't remember where. Could it have been a BX/PX ?
Dave.

 

[Bird]

I have seen that system used somewhere besides banks and don't remember where

Banks (which I never go into anymore), U.S. Post Office, County Tax Collector (renew vehicle license plates), and our local Best Buy store.