Does anyone else think this is rude?

[paul253]

This has happened around me twice in the last week, and I personally find it to be extremely rude. Oddly enough it happened at the same store, just different locations.

 

I was standing in line waiting to checkout. There was only one cashier, and the line was about 6-7 people long. The cashier called for another cashier. Both times, as soon as the second cashier came up, the very last person in line immediately rushed over to the other line so they could check out first.

 

I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it does. These people obviously saw how many people had been waiting longer than they were, but they didn't care. They just ran up there as quickly as possible (one person actually must have seen the cashier coming because he left and was waiting already when the cashier came up). This is a case where I actually practice what I preach because another time that happened, I asked the lady in front of me, who wasn't paying attention at all, if she would like to go to the other line rather than just hopping over there and getting out of the before she did. And don't get me wrong, I am not mad because they skipped me, just because they skipped everyone, including people in front of me.

 

I don't know, its just one of those things that I find rude and inconsiderate. What does everyone else think?

[stoutdude04]

Yes, happens all the time too. I always say something outloud to myself, but loud enough that they can hear. Nothing completely out of hand, but I get a look once in awhile.

[TracyThom]

I never thought this was rude. I do it all the time. So is everyone in line supposed to move over to the new checkout lane? What if the 3rd person doesn't want to move? What if the 2nd person already has their items out of their cart?

 

I've had cashiers look directly at me and say, "I can help you in aisle 6." That's when I was the last person in line. I don't think it is rude at all.

[Fatter than Joey]

I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it does.

 

I hear you -- My rule is that if there are 4 people in line -- and a new line opens up -- person #3 should go to the new line, because a lot of times #2 is too far entrenched in the passage to turn their cart around, and they are going to get serviced soon enough when #1 finishes.

 

Like the mighty polar bear, I am generally a very gentle and docile creature, but about 50% of the time I leave Target/Wal-Mart I regret not doling out some Steven Segal clotheslines and neckbreakers.

 

1.) Coupons piss me off.

2.) Filling out your checkbook pisses me off.

3.) Buying 100 items and putting it on 10 receipts pisses me off.

4.) Digging around in your purse for exact change pisses me off.

 

The worst person to ever walk this planet was this old lady who did all 4 of these things while in front of me, and when the clerk started to get irritated, she turned, and looked at me and said, "Oh, he is not in a hurry, don't worry"

 

Ker-Snap.

[iHARTbrewCREW]

When I worked at Pick n Save there was always this old lady who would go to the register, find out how much the total was, then go to the atm and take out the money to pay for the groceries. This was during a time where we couldnt just suspend the order until they got back, so we had to wait until she got her money and returned to the register.

[1992casey]

Both times, as soon as the second cashier came up, the very last person in line immediately rushed over to the other line so they could check out first.

 

Most of the time, it seems that people are so dazed that I just walk over to the second register and turn out to be first no matter where I was in the first line. When people are on the ball, I'll definitely defer to those ahead of me.

 

I've had cashiers look directly at me and say, "I can help you in aisle 6." That's when I was the last person in line. I don't think it is rude at all.

 

I think it often turns out that way. I don't think you're being rude.

[Patrick425]

I gotta somewhat agree with Tracey Thom. Even if I'm last or second last in line, I might pause briefly to see if the people in front of me are going to move over, but I'm not going to give them a lot of time. The one thing I don't want to happen is some guy strolling towards the checkout lanes to jump in there before any of us. There are other factors too. If I'm last in line but have 3 items and the guy 2 in front of me has a whole cart full of stuff, sorry, I'm definitely going to seize the opportunity to get in front of him.

 

Also, I tend to be a person who likes to move quickly. I'm in the store for a purpose and I want to get in and out as quickly as possible. From my view point, this does not seem to be the objective of most other shoppers. Chances are that 2 or 3 of the people in front of me are going to strike up a conversation, have some issue with a coupon they are trying to use, or engage in some other time wasting activity. I'm a check card person and also get very annoyed at the 4 items the FTJ listed. I know I'm going to be quick. I'm going to swipe my card and go (no waiting for change or signing anything or showing ID) and I'm not going to quibble over something scanning $0.12 higher than what was stated. Written checks are my number one pet peeve in the store. If you have a checking account you should have a check card and you should use it.

 

Both times, as soon as the second cashier came up, the very last person in line immediately rushed over to the other line so they could check out first.

 

Most of the time, it seems that people are so dazed that I just walk over to the second register and turn out to be first no matter where I was in the first line. When people are on the ball, I'll definitely defer to those ahead of me.

 

Exactly

[Jimbo]

Written checks are my number one pet peeve in the store. If you have a checking account you should have a check card and you should use it.

Please keep in mind not all of us who have check cards care to use them, and if some youngster gets all worked up because he has to wait an extra fifteen seconds...well sucks to be him.

[Patrick425]

Jimbo[/b]]

Patrick425[/b]]Written checks are my number one pet peeve in the store. If you have a checking account you should have a check card and you should use it.

Please keep in mind not all of us who have check cards care to use them, and if some youngster gets all worked up because he has to wait an extra fifteen seconds...well sucks to be him.

 

First of all, if you are referring to me as a "youngster", thank you!

 

Secondly, Can I just ask "Why"? That's all I want to know. I have to every thing I can to hold myself back from asking that question every time I see someone writing a check. Why would you choose to carry around a checkbook over a simple piece of plastic that will save you time? I think I'm more annoyed by the fact that the person has chosen to use a checkbook over a check card than I am that it's causing me to wait longer.

 

[bork]

I like the ALDI method. When they open a second lane, they say "I'll take the next person in line". And man, those ALDI's cashiers are blazing fast.

[Tailgat0r76]

I like the ALDI method. When they open a second lane, they say "I'll take the next person in line". And man, those ALDI's cashiers are blazing fast.

I work at Walgreens and I also use that line whenever I open up a second register. It's only fair. If it turns out that that person doesn't want to move, or needs cigarettes from the other line, than I'll ask the next person, and so on. I'll still have people cut, and sometimes I'll call them out, but usually it works out alright.

[hawing]

I can live with people in line ahead of me paying by check - but at least have the check partially filled out by the time it's your turn. You know it's going to be payable to Woodman's or Walgreens or wherever; you know today's date; you could even sign the thing, leaving only the amount blank until you know what it is.

 

I wonder what the deal was with the Pick n Save lady referred to by iHARTbrewCREW above. I'm guessing either "deathly afraid of carrying cash on her, thus setting herself up for a mugging" or "so strapped for cash that she couldn't trust herself to withdraw until the moment cash was needed." Either way, weird.

[theavrock]

I do think its rude, but if people don't take the initiative I will mosey on over. I always look at the people in front of me and if they look at me I gesture them to move ahead or at least wait a few seconds for them to move.

Just because someone brought it up my personal pet peeve is people who get so flustered over people who don't do things in the most efficient way possible, ie: using their check cards, driving etc. I hate to pick on you FTJ, but lets just say someone does two of those things in front of you, well when it comes down to it you just one minute of your day. Is it really something to get worked up over? Maybe I just long for a time when everyone wasn't in such a hurry to get everywhere and do everything, but it just seems like everyone is so busy these days that we have forgotten how to interact with each other. I constantly have to tell store clerks or other people who are "holding me up" thats its really ok when they apologize. I have no problem waiting. Things happen and I'm not going to let something like that get me bent out of shape.

 

For the record I'm 25 years old and it seems like its an age issue, with most people around my age feeling completely opposite of me.

[pretendastronaut]

I'm more surprised I think to know that some people don't consider that rude. I agree there's a gray area with the exact next person in line, but I always offer the people in front of me to move over first. It really annoys me when there's a line of 5ish people and the last person in line jumps over to the new line. How is that not rude to the people who were waiting in line before you?

[Fatter than Joey]

I hate to pick on you FTJ, but lets just say someone does two of those things in front of you, well when it comes down to it you just one minute of your day.

 

No, of course not.. I have all the patience in the world for people who are moving along the best they can -- my problem comes from people who don't seem to realize that there are other people in the universe... If you are old, and write slowly... take your time -- if you need to balance your checkbook or argue about a 10 cent expired coupon, do it on your own time.

 

but it just seems like everyone is so busy these days that we have forgotten how to interact with each other.

 

This goes both ways though. I generally assume that people may be going to work, or have better things to do than watch me dig in my pockets for exact change.

 

I certainly agree that it is rude to be impatient, but I think you should show some some sort of concern for other people's time -- you just don't know what they may be up against.

[paul253]

I think if you pause, look to see if anyone ahead of you is going to go, and then go, that's fine. But to go there immediately when you see a cashier coming, not even giving the other people a chance, I think thats rude. Its like they are saying "my time is more valuable than your time". Like I said, if I am last in line, I will actually ask the person ahead of me if they want to move. They may not, as some places like Walgreens only sell cigarettes from one side, but I still ask. To me, they were their before me, so they should have the first oppurtunity to get out of their before me. Obviously its different if there already is two lines and they just happen to pick the slower one.

1.) Coupons piss me off.
2.) Filling out your checkbook pisses me off.
3.) Buying 100 items and putting it on 10 receipts pisses me off.
4.) Digging around in your purse for exact change pisses me off.

What pisses me off about coupons is that they still exist. Seriously....every store where you may buy a lot of small products, like grocery stores, drug stores, etc, has their little "discount card". Why cant you just take to stupid 20 extra cents off with the discount card?

Filling out your checkbook doesn't necessarily get to me. What gets to me is when someone sits there, staring at the cashier, nothing in their hand and all the oppurtunity in the world to fill out like the date, the name of the store, signing it, but they don't. They wait until the cashier physically hits "total", then digs it out of their purse and starts. Also, when I was a cashier, people would actually fill out the entire check but before they gave it to me would fill out the back part where they keep their balance as well. Thats pisses me off.

Number three really irritates me. If they are going to act like 3 different customers, they should have to get back in line each time.

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned is someone who forgets to get something, but of course they are already 3/4 of the way done with the scanning so the cashier can't just take the next customer. Everyone has to wait for that person to run over to who knows where and get what they need. Cashiers shouldn't let people do that.

[Thurston Fluff]

I try to be as efficient as possible but never really understood why people are so impatient. Granted like, FTJ says, there may be times people really are in a hurry but I doubt most people are realy all that pressed for time that the extra 30 seconds is going to spell doom. If indeed some people are really in that much of a hurry I think they should either get a day planner or give themselves a little more time to get were they are going. Seems l more likely to me they just want to get home faster. When they get their I'm sure the extra minute or two of game shows or Inside Edition will be well worth the hurry but perhaps not the ulcer from all the aggravation they get from such slow people ahead of them. I've found playing little mind games helps while standing in line.

 

I like looking in the tabloids for how many times a psychic foretells the doom of the earth compared to who is divorcing whom and dividing that number by three to find out when the next appearance of Jesus' image in a potato will occur. When you know that it's only a small step away from knowing when Brittany Spears will have another kid. Just divide that by her current weight and add 9 months to today's date and you have Madonna's next adopted kids name by looking at the numerical standing of the letters in the alphabet. If it's Britanny's sister having the kid then just subtract 7 and you get the same answer.

According to my studies, which is every bit as accurate as any index fund manager, it's July 7th 2014 which, coincidentally, is the day after the National Enquirer says the Earth will end. Now that I did the first part it should be easy for anyone waiting in line to pass plenty of time by doing simple arithmetic problems to get all the gossip they need.

 

Needless to say I've been stuck in the DMV for a while recently.

[SeriesFinale]

I wish all businesses that have multiple registers would just use the one-line approach, like, say, Wendy's or whatever, but the point-of-sale impulses purchases are probably too high for Target or grocery stores to ever consider it.

[paul253]

CVS pharmacy does that too. They may have 3 registers open but only one line.

[valpocrewsader]

Written checks are my number one pet peeve in the store. If you have a checking account you should have a check card and you should use it.

Please keep in mind not all of us who have check cards care to use them, and if some youngster gets all worked up because he has to wait an extra fifteen seconds...well sucks to be him.

Nothing wrong with writing a check, it's no slower than using a debit card. But that's only if you stop at writing the check and don't proceed to slowly file the carbon copy; slowly record the date, description, and amount in the check register; and slowly calculate the new balance. I don't understand why people can't save that for when people aren't waiting behind them. If I used my debit card and then busted out my checkbook to record the transaction and figure out my new balance while everyone waited, I'd feel like a heel.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Yeah, I don't mind if someone is using a check, but you can certainly have the check (minus the total) written out if you're just standing there.

 

I'm not a guy who gets in the fast lane and counts items. I don't care if you have 23 items in the 20 item lane. With that being said, I was in Wal-Mart one night when a customer who was clearly friends with the cashier easily had 60 items in her cart, which she rang up in three separate receipts. I did on that occasion ask to speak with a manager/assistant.

 

I also don't like cashiers who attempt to suggestive sell more than one item. Ask me if I want cookies or a donut or whatever, but if I say no thanks, please stop there.

 

I was in radio shack today to buy an audio cable adaptor. The first issue was the guy didn't want to just sell me the one I selected, he had to ask what it was for. I told him, at which point he stated that "for that use, you need this one" which was of course, the most expensive model. I declined, said "I just want this one here", and went to the register. At the register, he asked if I needed any addtional cables, cords, or adaptors. I said no thanks. He then said "we have a great deal on AA batteries today. Do you need any batteries?" I again said, no thanks. He then barged ahead with "Well, we also have a great deal on Sprint and AT n T phones today. Who is your current carrier?"

I tried really hard to not be rude, and I was trying to make it obvious that I just wanted my 3.79 adaptor, which he simply wasn't going to allow, so after the suggested cell phone up-sale, I finally had to say "Look, I just want the adaptor, I'm not looking to change cell service or get batteries, can I just get the adaptor please?" I shouldn't have to turn into a jerk to extricate myself from Radio Shak, but the guy simply wasn't going to let me go until I either (A) bought something more, or (B), told him to pound sand.

[logan82]

I do think its rude, but if people don't take the initiative I will mosey on over. I always look at the people in front of me and if they look at me I gesture them to move ahead or at least wait a few seconds for them to move

 

That's what I do as well. I am also generally the type to get in and out of a store because I know what I want. Can't really get to upset with the checkout lines though. Don't have much control over them.

 

I just bought a new printer a few weeks back at Staples and went through the whole "do you need a cable/warranty/ink" stuff with the cashier. I wish I had just told the guy "I know which cable I need and no I do not have one, but you are insane if you think I am going to buy the $20 one here when I can easily go somewhere else and get it for under $10." Instead I just did the yup I already have one thing. Almost have to walk up and tell the cashier to just ring up the total and let me pay before they go into their whole spiel. I know they are probably trained to do that, but it is very annoying.

[nohopspanther]

The problem is not the one person in front of you wasting your time by moving slowly, it's compounded by 3-4 people in line each moving slowly along with the cashier.

[theavrock]

The problem is not the one person in front of you wasting your time by moving slowly, it's compounded by 3-4 people in line each moving slowly along with the cashier.

 

So if everyone is moving to slowly in front of you, is them that are moving too slow or you who are moving too fast? Sorry to get all philosophical here but if the problem is with everyone is it a problem or a difference of opinion?

[Principessa21]

I'm terrible. Not only do I jump from the back of a line, I seek out cashiers opening up. It actually makes me smile just a little when I look back and see a person I skipped shaking their head at me.