Does anyone else think this is rude?

[TSack27]

It's minor semantics, but I feel line jumping (or talking on the phone or balancing the checkbook) is "inconsiderate", not necessarily "rude".

 

While not a fan of line jumping, I'm glad the store finally recognized a need to open that additional line. Sure I wish I'd be the first in that new line sometimes, but I hope the store recognizes that pattern and is ready to open that line sooner next time. That's one of my pet peeves... why does it seem like a surprise to some stores that there is a rush at the checkout lines during the hour after work shifts or lunch hour? When the line is 5-6 people deep, and the express lane is not open, it gets a little nerve racking if I'll make it back to work in time or get to an evening meeting or game in that limited window.

[jwill535]

It's minor semantics, but I feel line jumping (or talking on the phone or balancing the checkbook) is "inconsiderate", not necessarily "rude".

Dont they basically mean the same thing? If one is worse then it would depend how said situation presents it self.

[thebruce44]

Yeah, I'm capable, but a big pain to look it up when I can grab my register and flip it open in a sec.

 

Let me get this straight, you hold other people up at the store because it is inconvenient for you to check your balance online when you get home? Try putting yourself in the shoes of the people behind you in line.

I don't think the check card is our friend at all. In fact, the check (debit) card and it's sister, the credit card, play a huge role in what happened to our economy. They have made people feel comfortable spending without the immediate consequences. Obviously, this doesn't apply to everyone who uses a card. Whteher subconscious or not, it's a lot easier to scan a card than to shell out actual currency or enter an amount in a checkbook and see your balance change. A bit OT I know, but my point is that if 100% of the population used a check card 100% of the time, it wouldn't be all good.

 

I see what you are saying, but I am the exactly opposite. When I have a lot of cash on me, I burn right through it at a much faster rate than if I am putting it on a CC or Check card. Don't know why....it just "burns a hole in my pocket" I guess.

 

It is simply someone doing something differently than someone else.

 

No, my different way is faster and you should do it that way too so as to not inconvenience all the other people doing it the correct way.

[theavrock]

It is simply someone doing something differently than someone else.

No, my different way is faster and you should do it that way too so as to not inconvenience all the other people doing it the correct way.

 

 

Get over your sense of entitlement. Just because you think it is correct does not mean it is. If its the correct way then how come stores have not made it their policy to take checks. When I use cash, that is faster than waiting for you to swipe your card, enter your pin, decide whether you want money back and then if the amount on the screen is correct or not. Oh and I have to wait for your silly card to be authorized too! We should just all use cash. I can't stand it when you people using your debit cards hold me up when all I want to do is give the clerk my $20 and go to my sanctuary. EDIT: I don't ever use checks at stores. I always use cash or my debit card. I just can't see getting bent out of shape over it and thinking that other people MUST do it a certain way.

[valpocrewsader]

Yeah, why keep track of your purchases by hand if your bank already does it for you? It just seems like a huge waste of time to me, unless there is some other reason for it I'm missing.

 

If you write checks EVER, verifying your balance with your bank via web or phone cannot be relied upon as 100% accurate. If you never ever write checks, this argument doesn't apply, but just one outstanding $75.00 check that hasn't hit your bank yet 'cos the payee hasn't cashed it could be the difference between overdrafting and not overdrafting when you make your next purchase/withdrawal from checking.

 

Also, as Jim mentioned, I like being able to flip open my checkbook to see my current balance rather than the hassle of going to my bank web site, going to my account page, typing my username, answering two secrity questions, submitting a password, and then reviewing the activity for anything that hasn't hit yet. I'm very computer literate, and use my bank site all the time, but don't want to jump through those hoops to know my balance every time.

 

Keep your loose change in a coin jar and cash it in at your bank or credit union rather than be tempted to pay exact change

 

Hmm, totally disagree. If someone eschews their loose change in lieu of breaking that extra $1 every time, that just seems really lazy and inefficient to me. If I make 10 cash purchases in a week, I'd be left with 10 less bucks in my wallet and a bunch of change that was useless until my next trip to the bank. And I never go inside a bank, anyways. Just seems more prudent, thorough, and responsible to hand the cashier the necessary two dimes when your total is $4.17....

 

 

Fun thread.

[thebruce44]

Get over your sense of entitlement. Just because you think it is correct does not mean it is. If its the correct way then how come stores have not made it their policy to take checks. When I use cash, that is faster than waiting for you to swipe your card, enter your pin, decide whether you want money back and then if the amount on the screen is correct or not. Oh and I have to wait for your silly card to be authorized too! We should just all use cash. I can't stand it when you people using your debit cards hold me up when all I want to do is give the clerk my $20 and go to my sanctuary.

 

I understand what you are trying to say theavrock, but I am usually faster at using a check card than I am with cash, especially at places like Walgreen's where you don't have to sign. After they ring me up, I thank them, tell them I don't need the receipt, and am usually half way out the door by the time I would be fumbling for cash and waiting for the extreamly slow counting highschool employee to give me my change (this is a problem at most stores around me, but OT).

 

And to me, it is not a sense of entitlement to expect people to be considerate of me when I am of them. On the rare occasion I do pay with cash, I will grab my stuff and move out of the way for the next person to start their process while I am still putting the money back into my money clip. I never see other people do this...I am in a hurry all the time durring the week and their is nothing I can do about it...It isn't a sense of entitlement to expect people who are going to hold me up to try to be considerate.

[TSack27]

jwill535[/b]]

TSack27[/b]]It's minor semantics, but I feel line jumping (or talking on the phone or balancing the checkbook) is "inconsiderate", not necessarily "rude".

Dont they basically mean the same thing? If one is worse then it would depend how said situation presents it self.

I see the difference as being the level of intent. My opinion only (no dictionary was consulted) - both may be done for selfish reasons, but "inconsiderate" actions may not knowingly be offensive to others; whereas "rude" behavior is done knowing it is offensive to others and choosing to do it anyhow.

 

While generational difference have already been mentioned as a possible reason for the differences, I'm thinking the size of the community and pace of lifestyle may also be a factor (my lack of experience living in a city like Madison or Milwaukee gives me a different perspective).

[pretendastronaut]

I haven't counted it up, but it feels like there are more people in this thread that are upset about people who write checks, than people who essentially jump in front you in line. I find the latter worse, as it is blatantly disrespectful of other people, while writing a check is a choice in how someone manages their finances. And honestly, getting worked up about people writing checks in front of you because it slows you down, doesn't seem a far step from jumping lines, because it slows you down.

 

It always amazes me how quickly we'll drop our humanity for inane things. Like in the video that Patrick425 posted, the bit about people running to the area around the airplane gate entrance, that always amazes me. On almost every airline, your seating is already decided, you have your ticket, yet everyone herds around the gate right away as if they might not get their seat. You don't talk to each other, you don't make eye contact, and you quietly vie for the best spot you can get, cutting people off if you need to.

 

The one that really gets on my nerves though, for people not waiting their turn and disrespecting everyone else, is on the highway. When there is a sign saying "Right lane closed in 2 miles," the appropriate response isn't to take that nearly empty lane to the front and jump in front of everyone. It's those people that are making the whole thing take even longer to begin with, because everyone else was willing to get in line and wait their turn to go through, and then stop to let these other people cut in front. I refuse to let these people in when the lane ends, and it has gotten me into some interesting situations.

[mtrebs]

I tried not posting anything in this thread but I can't help myself. A lot of the things being discussed in here are some of the reasons why I frequently proclaim "I hate people." I know this sounds bad, but I can't stand how lots of people have no consideration for others. Every day whether its someone cutting me off while driving or just being lazy and not putting a shopping cart where it belongs I find myself shaking my head and wonder where we will be 10/20/50 years from now. It's sad that when someone actually does something "nice" for someone else that it is a surprising act and not something that is done on a regular basis.

Some things that bug me:

1. People on their cell phones all the time (in lines at a grocery store/fast food restaurant, while driving, on the phone the exact second the pilot says you can use your phones, etc.). Why are these people on the phone all the time? Do people really care that you just landed and are waiting until the plane gets to the gate? Are they that important that they have to conduct business every free minute of the day? I understand that some people are extremely busy, but a vast majority of these people must just be on the phone to blab about nothing.

2. Inconsiderate drivers...there are too many examples to list.

3. I don't have a problem with people using their checkbooks/paying exact change at a store, but don't wait until everything is rung up before you dig in your purse. Have your checkbook/money out and start filling it out as they are ringing up your purchase. I don't mind if you write the check in your register, but you can do the subtraction outside of the line.

4. I work at a company where many people walk laps in the hallways. Every day (often numerous times a day) I will be walking with someone and will come across some walkers coming from the other direction. The hallway is really only wide enough for four people if they kind of squeeze together, but for some reason it always seems like the women (it always seems to be women for some reason) walking the other direction never squeeze together or shift their group so that they are only two people wide. My friends and I always have to form a single-file line and sometimes have to turn sideways to fit without running into them. I can't believe that these people won't move...I wish someone would run into them but then I'm sure someone would get fired.

5. People that don't hold a door open for you if you are right behind them or people that don't thank you for holding a door open for them (especially if you have to wait a couple of seconds for them).

6. People who refuse to follow the one-and-one rule when trying to exit a parking lot. It really bugs me when they intentionally squeeze in so tight that no one will even think about going in front of them and then they just look forward pretending that they didn't see you.

7. People that have a full cart of groceries and arrive at the checkout at the same time as someone with only a few groceries in their hands, and yet the person with the full cart goes in front of the other person.

 

All I really would like to see is people think about other people once in a while. A simple act of kindness or a thank you still goes a long way. Sometimes I wish I were born 50-years earlier...

edited:

I guess my feelings aren't as bad as I made it seem with this initial post, but it really bugs me that a lot of people aren't considerate of others. I do realize that there are lots of good people out there and that's great, but I think the fact that I work in a very large office building and run across many people every day that I get to see lots of these negative things every day. I guess I am kind of a glass-is-half-empty type of person so I imagine that's why these stick out to me more than the positive things. Oh well....I can't wait for the season to start so I have other things to occupy my mind...

[theavrock]

I haven't counted it up, but it feels like there are more people in this thread that are upset about people who write checks, than people who essentially jump in front you in line. I find the latter worse, as it is blatantly disrespectful of other people, while writing a check is a choice in how someone manages their finances. And honestly, getting worked up about people writing checks in front of you because it slows you down, doesn't seem a far step from jumping lines, because it slows you down.

 

It always amazes me how quickly we'll drop our humanity for inane things. Like in the video that Patrick425 posted, the bit about people running to the area around the airplane gate entrance, that always amazes me. On almost every airline, your seating is already decided, you have your ticket, yet everyone herds around the gate right away as if they might not get their seat. You don't talk to each other, you don't make eye contact, and you quietly vie for the best spot you can get, cutting people off if you need to.

 

The one that really gets on my nerves though, for people not waiting their turn and disrespecting everyone else, is on the highway. When there is a sign saying "Right lane closed in 2 miles," the appropriate response isn't to take that nearly empty lane to the front and jump in front of everyone. It's those people that are making the whole thing take even longer to begin with, because everyone else was willing to get in line and wait their turn to go through, and then stop to let these other people cut in front. I refuse to let these people in when the lane ends, and it has gotten me into some interesting situations.

 

Totally agree with this in every way. I do the same thing. If you fly up along side of me because you didnt get over so you could fly through that lane and cut in front of everyone else, you are waiting for someone else to let you in because I am not doing it. Humanity and compassion are being lost at an astonishing rate and its sad that no one sees it. I love the internet and technology but I have to check myself from time to time and re-assess the way it makes me communicate and interact with others.

[Glennron]

5. People that don't hold a door open for you if you are right behind them or people that don't thank you for holding a door open for them (especially if you have to wait a couple of seconds for them).

 

I've never read anything on here I agree with more. I legitimately believe you can get a slight understanding of someone's personality/overall "niceness" by these two simple acts. It may sound silly or stupid but I've always believed that.

 

The cell phones while in line for something is more annoying on the employee end I think. I used to work at a Cousin's, so people ordering while on their phones wasn't that uncommon. I guess if they're not distracted from ordering it's not a big deal, but sometimes people would get annoyed if you'd "interrupt" them, like it was some big deal to talk to them while they're ordering.

[Patrick425]

I haven't counted it up, but it feels like there are more people in this thread that are upset about people who write checks, than people who essentially jump in front you in line.

 

It's not so much that I'm more annoyed at check writing than I am line jumping. Line jumping in it's self is a much more heinous act. However, the way it was presented in the first post of this thread is questionable. There are too many different scenarios in that situation. If another line opens and you notice people in front of you making a motion to go over to the new line and you race over to beat them, then yes, that's definitely rude. However, if the people are not paying attention or just look over and seem to not care or have no interest in moving over to the new line (I see this a lot), then I'm sorry buy I'm not going to wait for them.

 

Or, lets say there are 6 people in line and a new line opens then who should move over. In reality 2, 4, and 6 should move over. However, how often do you see this exercised to perfection? Also, what if the 5th and 6th guys have 1 or 2 items and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th guys all have 10 items or more? I really think the guys with less items should be able to go first, especially if they are paying with cash or check/credit card. Also, in a place like the average grocery store or Wal Mart or Target its nearly impossilble for the 2nd or 3rd person to work their way out of the line and go to the new line. At Walgreens, usually the registers are right across from one another and it's easy for anyone to move over.

 

There is no simple yes or no to the original question of this thread. I don't know if there is too much that angers me more than someone just blatantly skipping in line. Fortunately, I don't see it happen to often. If the situation described in a previous post about the skipping at a golf course happened to me, I would be very vocal and make sure I was heard.

[PlayerHader]

Patrick, were parts of that post supposed to be in blue? Why should 2, 4, and 6 be able to move over? Why is that perfection? Do you really think the store should check to see who has the least items as well as each person's payment method?

 

This thread is getting weird. I agree with much of what mtrebs said, but I don't think I let things ruin my perspective on things like he seems to.

[bani1717]

Jimbo, thank you for mentioning your cash flow spreadsheet... now I know I'm not the only lower who does that http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif (Although I admit I make it a bit extreme and record every transaction.)

 

Also, since a couple people brought up things that bug them while they're on the road... one thing that grinds my gears is pedestrians who walk against the signal. I live and go to school in Madison so it's pretty commonplace. I admit I do walk against the lights at times - but when I do, I make sure no cars are coming and I make sure to hurry up.

 

For example, yesterday I saw two examples of this while I was driving my car in the campus area. One was a group of people who hurried across and weren't really in my way. The other was a kid (listening to his ipod I believe) who entered a long intersection with 3 seconds left of the flashing hand. He did not hurry at all was still in the intersection when I got my green turn arrow. So, I had to wait for him, and as I drove by I honked my horn. I always make it a point to do that, because I feel that in general people are too forgiving of pedestrians and drivers are a little too passive in this city. I'm not saying I want to see people not yield to pedestrians... but if you're in my way because you're walking when you shouldn't be, I'm gonna let you know it.

[Patrick425]

Patrick, were parts of that post supposed to be in blue? Why should 2, 4, and 6 be able to move over? Why is that perfection? Do you really think the store should check to see who has the least items as well as each person's payment method?

 

This thread is getting weird. I agree with much of what mtrebs said, but I don't think I let things ruin my perspective on things like he seems to.

The thread is not getting weird, you are just not following the logic. Think about it. If 2,3, &4 move over then 5 is now 2 in the old line and 4 is now 3 in the new line. So, 5 basically skipped 4. 2, 4, & 6 (or 2, 4, and 5 I guess) moving over is the only way to insure that no one has skipped anyone in front of them. No, I don't think the store clerk should see how has the least items. I don't think the clerk should be a traffic cop. However, if I'm number 2 and I have 15 items and as a new line opens, I look back and see that number 5 or 6 only has 1 or 2 items, the general courtesy would be to let them go ahead of me.

 

edit: Ok...I guess 2,3,5 or 2,3,6 moving over to the new line (in the same order) would work too.

[Barbs4339]

Does anyone else's head hurt right now?

[Patrick425]

Does anyone else's head hurt right now?

Kind of my point. It's not a simple people in the front of the line move over to the new line and no one get's skipped.

[Jimbo]

Yeah, I'm capable, but a big pain to look it up when I can grab my register and flip it open in a sec.

 

Let me get this straight, you hold other people up at the store because it is inconvenient for you to check your balance online when you get home? Try putting yourself in the shoes of the people behind you in line.

Well, valpo stole my thunder. I have dial-up, so couple that with everything valpo listed and it would require several minutes to check my balance online as opposed to flipping my register open. No way that scenerio compares to one where if I were to write a check in line at the store.

[TracyThom]

This is fast becoming a "Things I hate at the grocery store" thread. Let me chime in.

 

-My #1 pet peeve is when people don't put their shopping carts back in the cart corral. Are you that lazy?

 

-People who have conversations in the middle of the aisle, blocking it for all ot-hers who want to get around them.

 

-Women who leave their purses sitting in their shopping cart when they walk away from it. You are just asking for it to get snatched.

 

-People who take up 2 stalls when they park.

[JJHardy7]

Also, as Jim mentioned, I like being able to flip open my checkbook to see my current balance rather than the hassle of going to my bank web site, going to my account page, typing my username, answering two secrity questions, submitting a password, and then reviewing the activity for anything that hasn't hit yet. I'm very computer literate, and use my bank site all the time, but don't want to jump through those hoops to know my balance every time.

 

I think this might be a bank issue. Once I verify my information on one computer I only need my user name and password and I'm in. Your point about checks not clearing is true and that's the only reason I can understand why balancing a check book is worth it.

[thebruce44]

Well, valpo stole my thunder. I have dial-up, so couple that with everything valpo listed and it would require several minutes to check my balance online as opposed to flipping my register open. No way that scenerio compares to one where if I were to write a check in line at the store.

 

I guess I just really don't understand why people have to have a balanced checkbook then. I check my balance probably once a week online. The rest of the week, you could ask me at any moment what my balance is and I could tell you within $50 easily. Are people that close to overwithdrawing that they need to be more accurate than that? I was unemployed for 5 months this winter, but it never got that bad.

 

I understand that with dialup it might be more difficult, but I have to assume that you go online at least once a day to check your email or this site. If you were to check your balance then, it couldn't take more than 1 or 2 minutes. Compair that with the 5 people behind you in line who have to wait an extra 30 seconds while you write a check, balance you checkbook, and wait for the cashear to do all their check stuff..this seems like a matter of common courtesy to me.

 

Even if it did take a long time for me to check my balance online, I would still do it to avoid holding people up at the register just because I know how much it anoys me. I guess if you go through life on a slower schedual, maybe you don't realise how other people feel about it...thats why I never get mad at people or say anything, I just think to myself how inconsiderate they are.

 

Anyway, just trying to give my two cents on the issue as someone who is constantly strapped for time...I can't believe that comes off as me having a "sense of entitlement" over my own time that I need to get over, but so be it. Agree to disagree on this.

[Patrick425]

Also, as Jim mentioned, I like being able to flip open my checkbook to see my current balance rather than the hassle of going to my bank web site, going to my account page, typing my username, answering two secrity questions, submitting a password, and then reviewing the activity for anything that hasn't hit yet. I'm very computer literate, and use my bank site all the time, but don't want to jump through those hoops to know my balance every time.

 

I think this might be a bank issue. Once I verify my information on one computer I only need my user name and password and I'm in. Your point about checks not clearing is true and that's the only reason I can understand why balancing a check book is worth it.

There is usually an option that states somthing like "remember me on this computer". If you select this, you don't have to answer the security questions every time you log in.

[Patrick425]

This thread reminds me of a quote from another comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, talking about how women tend to use checks more then men -

 

I think to a man, a check is like a note from your mother that says "I don't have any money, but if you'll contact these people, I'm sure they'll stick up for me... If you just trust me this one time. I don't have any money, but I have these... I wrote on these... Is this of any value at all?"

[PeaveyFury]

Are people that close to overwithdrawing that they need to be more accurate than that? I was unemployed for 5 months this winter, but it never got that bad.

 

That's not necessarily the problem. It's that banks do sometimes make mistakes. Last year I made a $180 dollar deposit and at some point the one got dropped, making it $80 instead. Fortunately, I check everyday and caught it, but if you were checking once a week or just once on a monthly statement, that could cause some issues.

[jazzytrav]

Just seems more prudent, thorough, and responsible to hand the cashier the necessary two dimes when your total is $4.17....

 

If you have those two dimes readily available, I have no problem with that. The problem is when you spend five minutes digging through the bottom of your purse looking for the two pennies.