OT - Retail lines

[inkman]

I’ve reached my breaking point with mother ***** lines at stores or fast food joints. Can people just stand 2-3 feet behind the person in front of them like the good ol days?  I realize COVID had an impact on how we do lines as a society but this was happening long before the pandemic.  
 

Almost every single time I go somewhere where there is a line, I have to ask the person who is 10 feet away from the next customer if they are in line.  
 

The lady I got behind at Aldi today was a solid 20 feet behind the customer in front of her.  The cashier from a different line had to tell her to move closer to the rest of the line.  What is wrong with people? 

Edited August 9, 2023 by inkman

[Scottysabres]

13 minutes ago, inkman said:

I’ve reached my breaking point with mother ***** lines at stores or fast food joints. Can people just stand 2-3 feet behind the person in front of them like the good ol days?  I realize COVID had an impact on how we do lines as a society but this was happening long before the pandemic.  
 

Almost every single time I go somewhere where there is a line, I have to ask the person who is 10 feet away from the next customer if they are in line.  
 

The lady I got behind at Aldi today was a solid 20 feet behind the customer in front of her.  The cashier from a different line had to tell her to move closer to the rest of the line.  What is wrong with people? 

Truth!

I stopped in tops Sunday, went to check out, there was like 10 ft between people. There were 3 people waiting for self check out, I was 4, I was like 6 to 8 feet up an aisle, like.....wtf?

Get it together folks.

[Doohicksie]

I haven't noticed it around here (Texas).  It's usually a coupla feet, if that.

[nfreeman]

 

[Ogre]

28 minutes ago, inkman said:

I’ve reached my breaking point with mother ***** lines at stores or fast food joints. Can people just stand 2-3 feet behind the person in front of them like the good ol days?  I realize COVID had an impact on how we do lines as a society but this was happening long before the pandemic.  
 

Almost every single time I go somewhere where there is a line, I have to ask the person who is 10 feet away from the next customer if they are in line.  
 

The lady I got behind at Aldi today was a solid 20 feet behind the customer in front of her.  The cashier from a different line had to tell her to move closer to the rest of the line.  What is wrong with people? 

I’m having the opposite problem. Every mother ***** that gets into line behind me needs to be so close that they’re breathing down my neck. Or the fabric from their clothes is actually touching me. 
I turn and look at them, mostly to assess whether they’re special or not, because I really have to tell them that their breath stinks and that they need to stop touching me. Thanks a million!

[SwampD]

It's the world in general. Self absorbed douchebags. Everybody is so wrapped up in their own stupid little world that they don't pay attention to anything that is happening outside of their own heads.

Here in Jersey, and I'm not making this up, people will just stop their car, no blinker, no flashers, nothing, right in the middle of the street or intersection. It happens almost every single day. Blows my mind. If you are lost , pull over.

[inkman]

14 minutes ago, Ogre said:

I’m having the opposite problem. Every mother ***** that gets into line behind me needs to be so close that they’re breathing down my neck. Or the fabric from their clothes is actually touching me. 
I turn and look at them, mostly to assess whether they’re special or not, because I really have to tell them that their breath stinks and that they need to stop touching me. Thanks a million!

Point me to where this happens.  I’d rather deal with that than every single time I’m in an establishment I gotta ask dumb mofos if they are in line.  Either make it appear like you are in the line or keep shopping losers.  This fills me with so much rage.  I DONT WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE.  DO WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.  I LOATHE TALKING TO PEOPLE. GET YOUR ***** TOGETHER. 

[Pimlach]

I think the line gap thing is a holdover from Covid social distancing.   There are people fearful of close contact now.   If it isn't the reason, so be it.  

There are so many changes in our society today, so many behaviors that were once considered rude and unacceptable,  that this is not one I spend a minute worrying about.  I worry about all the angry and depressed people out there carrying guns.  

Edited August 10, 2023 by Pimlach

[inkman]

2 minutes ago, SwampD said:

It's the world in general. Self absorbed douchebags. Everybody is so wrapped up in their own stupid little world that they don't pay attention to anything that is happening outside of their own heads.

Here in Jersey, and I'm not making this up, people will just stop their car, no blinker, no flashers, nothing, right in the middle of the street or intersection. It happens almost every single day. Blows my mind. If you are lost , pull over.

I was just gonna touch on this.  You are correct. It’s people be oblivious to anything going on around them.  They does remind me of someone who was a little too observant at…ehm…Pittsford Wegmans. I rarely shop there but it’s one of 4 Wegmans within 10 minutes of my house.  
 

So I enter the 7 items or less line.  I think I had 8-9 things but who ***** cares right. So this 97 year old lady behind me starts nagging that I have too many things.  I’m like WTF are you talking about grandma.   Apparently he 4’10” ass couldn’t see the divider between me and the person in front of me.  So I get all heated at this old bag because she has the observational powers Mrs. Magoo.  

[nfreeman]

4 minutes ago, inkman said:

I was just gonna touch on this.  You are correct. It’s people be oblivious to anything going on around them.  They does remind me of someone who was a little too observant at…ehm…Pittsford Wegmans. I rarely shop there but it’s one of 4 Wegmans within 10 minutes of my house.  
 

So I enter the 7 items or less line.  I think I had 8-9 things but who ***** cares right. So this 97 year old lady behind me starts nagging that I have too many things.  I’m like WTF are you talking about grandma.   Apparently he 4’10” ass couldn’t see the divider between me and the person in front of me.  So I get all heated at this old bag because she has the observational powers Mrs. Magoo.  

OK my friend.  Let's not get too worked up about minor things.  There are plenty of great things to be happy about, even when other people are breaking the rules.

[inkman]

7 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I think the line gap thing is a holdover from Covid social distancing.   There are people fearful of close contact now.   If it isn't the reason, so be it.  

There are so many changes in our society today, so many behaviors that were once considered rude and unacceptable,  that this is not one I do not spend a minute worrying about.  I worry about all the angry and depressed people out there carrying guns.  

Yeah I mentioned the COVID thing. I understand the gun point but here in Rochester just this week someone reported a gun sighting at a Walmart.  I immediately called ***** (not that it couldn’t happen) but unfortunately, we usually find out about active shooters after the damage is done.  Lo and behold, no one had a gun.  A whole section of town was shut down, worrying hundreds of people over something some Karen saw they thought was a gun.  I’m glad everyone is safe and being overly cautious is good but you better know what the ***** you are talking about if you are going to throw that out there.  It’s the reason yelling fire in a crowded movie theater is a crime.  You are causing the issue. 

[inkman]

2 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

OK my friend.  Let's not get too worked up about minor things.  There are plenty of great things to be happy about, even when other people are breaking the rules.

Oh I’ve got plenty to be happy about. It generally has little or nothing to do with anyone outside my circle.  I just thought an OT that people could relate to would be ideal in these lean hockey weeks. 

[mjd1001]

I notice something like this at various fast food places when ordering inside.

I walk into the store, and someone is standing 'kinda' near the place where you place your order. Did they order already and are waiting but just don't want to stand too close to the other people waiting? Are they still 'thinking' of what to order. Are they waiting for someone else to meet them?  Are they next in line but the employee beind the counter isn't available?

I have run into all of those situations.  The biggest thing that bothers me is when someone orders, and when waiting they do not move all the way to the pickup side. They order, and just stand 3 feet back or 2 feet to the side of the register they ordered from, and anyone coming in behind them has no idea what they are doing.

[Eleven]

Sorry, man, but I got used to the personal space of six feet and I'll continue it.

[Night Train]

" I don't blame you for staying back.  He just picked up a script for Typhoid ! "  

 Never pass up opportunities to freak idiots out.. 

[inkman]

30 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Sorry, man, but I got used to the personal space of six feet and I'll continue it.

Six feet is fine is you at least look like you are in line behind someone. Most of the people I see aren’t even facing the direction of the line.  So I have to ask if they are in line.  

[Weave]

52 minutes ago, inkman said:

So I enter the 7 items or less line.  I think I had 8-9 things but who ***** cares right. So this 97 year old lady behind me starts nagging that I have too many things.  I’m like WTF are you talking about grandma.   Apparently he 4’10” ass couldn’t see the divider between me and the person in front of me.  So I get all heated at this old bag because she has the observational powers Mrs. Magoo.  

If she were 10-20 ft behind you this wouldn’t have happened.

Just sayin’……

 

I generally hate peoples.  Give me all the distance.

[Ogre]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Six feet is fine is you at least look like you are in line behind someone. Most of the people I see aren’t even facing the direction of the line.  So I have to ask if they are in line.  

I’m starting to wonder if I have encountered the problem that you’re irked by and just didn’t realize that they were in line and just went around them.

Hmmm.

That’s an easy fix, pretend that you had no idea they were in line and go around them. 

[shrader]

And then there’s the people who ask if you’re in line when that formation you’re standing in with 5 or 6 other people couldn’t possibly be interpreted as anything but a line. 

[mjd1001]

3 hours ago, inkman said:

I was just gonna touch on this.  You are correct. It’s people be oblivious to anything going on around them.  They does remind me of someone who was a little too observant at…ehm…Pittsford Wegmans. I rarely shop there but it’s one of 4 Wegmans within 10 minutes of my house.  
 

So I enter the 7 items or less line.  I think I had 8-9 things but who ***** cares right. So this 97 year old lady behind me starts nagging that I have too many things.  I’m like WTF are you talking about grandma.   Apparently he 4’10” ass couldn’t see the divider between me and the person in front of me.  So I get all heated at this old bag because she has the observational powers Mrs. Magoo.  

The 'old women at the grocery store' issues, there are so many. This is the one I love the most...

Express line, this time she is in FRONT of me.  I have 3 or 4 things I just want to check out with..

-She has more than the limit

-Her bill comes to something like $35.27

-AFTER the Cashier tells her what the bill is, and she asks 2 more times just to verify the ammount.....then she SLOWLY goes into her purse...digs around for 10-20 seconds...pulls out the change purse....slowly digs around in there, looks up and asks for the 3rd time how much the bill is because she forgot...then digs around some more for exact change, and I mean EXACT change down to the penny.  Counts it out SLOWLY to the cashier...but nope, she thinks she gave the correct ammount but the cashier has to correct her and tell her she gave the wrong ammount.  Looking confused the customer digs in the change purse and eventually gets it correct... then when the tranaction is done, there is no moving on to make room for the next person..nope..puts that purse right back on the little ledge, takes the change purse and slowly packs it away in the bigger purse, zips it up and THEN moves on to make room for the next customer. 

 I swear, I know people get older and sometimes take a little more time to figure things out, but a debit or credit card is made for stuff like this..one swipe and you are done.

I don't know what is worse...getting in the express line and having that happen on occasion, or going to the self checkouts where all 4-6 of them are occupied by older people who just can't figure out how to use them or non-older people who just take their time because they don't care.

-

[shrader]

4 hours ago, Ogre said:

I’m having the opposite problem. Every mother ***** that gets into line behind me needs to be so close that they’re breathing down my neck. Or the fabric from their clothes is actually touching me. 
I turn and look at them, mostly to assess whether they’re special or not, because I really have to tell them that their breath stinks and that they need to stop touching me. Thanks a million!

Just once you should ask that person for a reach around. 

[Ogre]

1 hour ago, shrader said:

Just once you should ask that person for a reach around. 

Sooooooo….I’m going shopping at Wegmans in Chili around, how about 11 am?

[Kr632]

People have been doing this at red lights. They’ll stop 3-4 car lengths from the light at each intersection. More and more people have been doing it. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

Hell, when it's too busy and I need my space, I just start fake hacking and I'm in my scrubs and people just leave me be 😂😂

One of the very few positives from pandemic times. 

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

The 'old women at the grocery store' issues, there are so many. This is the one I love the most...

Express line, this time she is in FRONT of me.  I have 3 or 4 things I just want to check out with..

-She has more than the limit

-Her bill comes to something like $35.27

-AFTER the Cashier tells her what the bill is, and she asks 2 more times just to verify the ammount.....then she SLOWLY goes into her purse...digs around for 10-20 seconds...pulls out the change purse....slowly digs around in there, looks up and asks for the 3rd time how much the bill is because she forgot...then digs around some more for exact change, and I mean EXACT change down to the penny.  Counts it out SLOWLY to the cashier...but nope, she thinks she gave the correct ammount but the cashier has to correct her and tell her she gave the wrong ammount.  Looking confused the customer digs in the change purse and eventually gets it correct... then when the tranaction is done, there is no moving on to make room for the next person..nope..puts that purse right back on the little ledge, takes the change purse and slowly packs it away in the bigger purse, zips it up and THEN moves on to make room for the next customer. 

 I swear, I know people get older and sometimes take a little more time to figure things out, but a debit or credit card is made for stuff like this..one swipe and you are done.

I don't know what is worse...getting in the express line and having that happen on occasion, or going to the self checkouts where all 4-6 of them are occupied by older people who just can't figure out how to use them or non-older people who just take their time because they don't care.

-

I took my 90 year old independent father shopping at Topps recently. He buys from a hand written list, he takes his time and moves  slow and steady, he pays with cash, he uses change and strives for exact change for some reason.  Bags a lot of it himself in his own bags.  Then he shuffles out slowly, pushing his own cart. I marvel at him.  On the days that I’m not there I sure hope he doesn’t have to deal with the intolerance you describe just because he took a few extra minutes.  His stamina and independence are rare.  We should value our elders more.   What is your hurry?