Except in pubs, people seem to form queues spontaneously at shops, cash machines (ATMs) or anywhere else they have to wait.
There’s generally a queue in the pub as well, it’s just an invisible one in everyone’s head.
Queuing is definitely part of the national psyche here. People moan about kids being brought up badly and not queuing properly but that’s just kids being kids and it’s always happened.
I can’t fucking stand queue-jumpers though. In fact, the only time I can remember even coming close to being involved in physical violence in recent years was over some queue-jumping.
The story is a bit long, but it probably helps build a picture of attitudes to queueing here in the UK:
If you ever want to see British queuing at its best, go to Victoria Station in London during the rush hour and watch the people filter out of the station and queue for the buses - long snaking queues stretching patiently across the concourse, some with gaps in to allow buses (and people) to go through.
Except, that is, when the Underground Train drivers are on strike. When that happens, every single Tube commuter tries to use the buses instead, and a significant portion seem to decide that the queues obviously don’t apply to them because their journey is far more important and must be completed RIGHT NOW!!!
In other words, they become queue-jumpers.
Queue-jumpers are generally a weasily and cowardly lot who like to pick on the weak. In contrast, I’m a big stocky bloke with a shaven head. It doesn’t matter that on the inside I’m a nerdy bloke who generally wouldn’t hurt a fly, when John McQueuejump skulks into view he generally scurries quickly past me, avoiding my gaze, and looks for better prey.
This is exactly what happened one day, when I found myself part of the aforementioned queue at Victoria during a Tube Strike. (more…)
Loading ...
There’s generally a queue in the pub as well, it’s just an invisible one in everyone’s head.
Queuing is definitely part of the national psyche here. People moan about kids being brought up badly and not queuing properly but that’s just kids being kids and it’s always happened.
I can’t fucking stand queue-jumpers though. In fact, the only time I can remember even coming close to being involved in physical violence in recent years was over some queue-jumping.
The story is a bit long, but it probably helps build a picture of attitudes to queueing here in the UK:
If you ever want to see British queuing at its best, go to Victoria Station in London during the rush hour and watch the people filter out of the station and queue for the buses - long snaking queues stretching patiently across the concourse, some with gaps in to allow buses (and people) to go through.
Except, that is, when the Underground Train drivers are on strike. When that happens, every single Tube commuter tries to use the buses instead, and a significant portion seem to decide that the queues obviously don’t apply to them because their journey is far more important and must be completed RIGHT NOW!!!
In other words, they become queue-jumpers.
Queue-jumpers are generally a weasily and cowardly lot who like to pick on the weak. In contrast, I’m a big stocky bloke with a shaven head. It doesn’t matter that on the inside I’m a nerdy bloke who generally wouldn’t hurt a fly, when John McQueuejump skulks into view he generally scurries quickly past me, avoiding my gaze, and looks for better prey.
This is exactly what happened one day, when I found myself part of the aforementioned queue at Victoria during a Tube Strike. (more…)