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Warning - whiny expat post.

Why do some folks not understand queueing - especially in eppco? Is it a cultural thing? Or am I just a bit to British and need to get over it (I know already its the later).

Quite frequently i pop over to my 'local' eppco to buy some milk or cigs. I stand inline behind the person in front and then some smuck pushes through in front of everyone and puts his wares on the check out desk.

Yesterday this happened and I said to the guy "Hey pal, there is a queue here, Do you know what a queue is? Do you understand the concept at all? In fact why on earth do you think we should stand here and wait our turn, where as you seem to qualify for the authority to just push past everyone?". Poor guy he looked worried and his head started to wobble side to side is if it was going to fall off. He did not know what to say apart from 'sorry, sorry' - I felt kind of bad then and said 'no problem, please you go first'.

So i suppose i need to remember the ole saying 'it's a lot easier to wear slippers then carpet the world'.

We have a lot of folks from all over the globe - whats your thoughts?

I am also aware that I may get the hell flamed out of me for posting this - but hey wtf.

i like your slippers expression.

Same thing with queuing happens with driving

But it could be partly attributed to the British thing, I mean don't you guys Queue to get into a queue?

well there are alot of times it happened to me when i was waiting in line and somebody cuts in line, they dudes are usually distracted about something that they dont even realise. if the person when did this is an old timer, its better to let it go and let them cut infront of you.

then again, its up to the person behind the counter to tell the customer to stand inline.

scarlet wrote:But it could be partly attributed to the British thing, I mean don't you guys Queue to get into a queue?

We love a bit of queueing

then again, its up to the person behind the counter to tell the customer to stand inline.

Very true.

I'm starting to think it is a "cultural" thing. It may have to do with having to "push your way" to get things done and only because "everyone else does it". I don't like generalizations but my experience has been that "indians" tend to be the pushiests (I use the term but I have no way of knowing whether someone is from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh because I do not speak any of those languages). And no, they don't all "look alike". But if i lived in a country with so many people I imageine waiting in line would get you no where. Perhaps the same attitude is brought here.

I imagine the person that tried to get ahead of you at the petrol station may think twice next time. Now you just have to do the same for the other 700,000

I do the same (specially since I know none of them are armed)

My worse experience happened d at the bank when I first arrived. As I was conducting my transactions this guy just sits next to me (there were 2 chairs facing the desk and the person who was helping me). My first reaction was to yell at the guy but luckily for him (and for me as I had only arrived in Dubai the day before) I was just finishing my transaction. What did he look like? see above...

This is a chronic annoyance in Dubai. I like Bleakus' advise (finally!) You can always speak up and embarrass the person, which is a bit of fun, or you can just let it go. I think the worse thing to do is get seriously upset over something like this - so not worth it.

BTW, what segment of the population do you think mostly does this cutting in queue thing?
nah, jk

freza wrote:BTW, what segment of the population do you think mostly does this cutting in queue thing?
nah, jk

see above

^ oh my, you're extra bold today...

The people who cut in the queues at Carrefour sh!t me. It's like... they know what they're doing, but they don't think anyone is bold enough to challenge them.

I have on occasion given them the 'look' and once asked someone what the hell they thought they were doing.

I agree with Concord's analysis that it's probably due to the fact that for some people if they queued in their own country, they'd get nowhere, and sometimes you have to jump queues... but come on, not at the supermarket.

freza wrote:^ oh my, you're extra bold today...

whew! I read "bald" first time around. After checking in the mirror I re-read it. What a relief!!!

freza wrote: I like Bleakus' advise (finally!)

what is that suppose to mean?

Concord wrote:

freza wrote:^ oh my, you're extra bold today...

whew! I read "bald" first time around. After checking in the mirror I re-read it. What a relief!!!

hahaha! you silly dawg, you actually made me laugh.

ian, have people tried to cut in queue with their shopping carts or just carrying a basket? Now really, shopping cart cutting-in is so not subtle! Damn.

Its definitely a cultural thing...can't stand it as well...FYI Im not british so let's not generalize and put the blame on any ethnic group


Where's my aureole???!!!

I think Concords analogy is near the truth - If you grew up knowing that you would never get anywhere waiting inline you would go for the 'get in there' approach.

My tolerance is getting better though - I was at the airport this week and stopped to use the toilet - the guy at the wash basin next to me was depositing the green phelm from his nose and throat down the plug hole.

I did not even bat an eyelid

a friend of mine who came from the states to dubai for the first time, told me the same thing, that people here don't respect that. It is like they are all busy and everyone else is not well for ur info everyone is busy and has stuff to do, but respect should be on top of everything else !

It's partly cultural thing plus attitude. Even you put "first come first serve" signboard they will not understand. In McDonald, a friend of mine fight with a guy in Kandura for cutting the line. In some situation we can let it go but sometimes it's just hard to let go especially if the person trying to cut the line is not aged. I find it nasty really, they already cut the line then when they reach the counter they'll call the crew "hey, hey...give me this etc.." - this is really attitude. i dont know what to say anymore. If i am the next person, i just go otherwise my blood pressure will suddenly increase.

for me the worst is getting into a lift! If you wait more than 5 seconds for the people to get out the 10 people who arrived after you will push in front leaving you to wait for the next one.

I was once waiting for the lift and an elderly lady was next to me. The lift arrived and as we were getting in this young guy in a suit squished past us so he could get in first. Funny thing was...there were only 3 of us waiting!

thats when you ask the guy nicely and tell him that he is cutting in line, if he seems to understand the responsibility of his actions and doesnt step back, thats when you hold him by the throat and choke him until he understands that.

im sorry, but sometimes people only learn the hard way

Coops wrote:for me the worst is getting into a lift! If you wait more than 5 seconds for the people to get out the 10 people who arrived after you will push in front leaving you to wait for the next one.

I was once waiting for the lift and an elderly lady was next to me. The lift arrived and as we were getting in this young guy in a suit squished past us so he could get in first. Funny thing was...there were only 3 of us waiting!

The lifts - thats another

Have you noticed when you try to get out of the lift, people block your way trying to come in - It's like let me out you idiots, lift is not going anywhere until the people needing to leave get out first.

Bleakus wrote:if he doesnt step back, thats when you hold him by the throat and choke him until he understands that.

im sorry, but sometimes people only learn the hard way

haha. seconded.

mighty.one wrote:

Bleakus wrote:if he doesnt step back, thats when you hold him by the throat and choke him until he understands that.

im sorry, but sometimes people only learn the hard way

haha. seconded.

Thirded - shall we start a vigilante group and walk round stores and lift shafts and then each time we see a case empty a tin of paint on them or something just as humiliating?

ok - i am going to far again.

we used to put the good ol' fart machine to good use in crowded lifts at home. Not sure the sort of reaction they would get here

grrr i hate lifts and especially sharing them with people that have not discovered deodourant(if thats how you spell it)

oh and another thing my husband hates! is lining up at the supermarket and they stand right up behind him pressed against his back - i always laugh cuz it doesnt happen to me.

He has now taken to stading back to back with me glaring at the person behind so they at least leave a 1cm gap!

^ haha

like bleakus said if the person is old I'll let it go. but if its someone thats young then he better just move back when i give him the look. otherwise ill say something. this usually only happens to me, like ian, at carrefour. i remember i was waiting in line for like 15 minutes once and this guy, i wont say his nationality...*cough* decides to step in front of me right up to the counter and hand her his basket...now, Im wearing a abaya and a sheila so i dont really think you can miss me, i told the cashier not to ring his stuff up and he starts yelling me. stupid stupid people. learn how to stay in line.

I have NO hesitation in telling the queue jumper just exactly where he should go and stand i.e. at the back.

I think it is downright ignorant of the person/s, and I don't care what culture/country he is from.

The only exceptions I make is if someones comes and asks me if he can go in front cos he may have a small number of items when I have "Spinneys" sitting in my trolley.

Its all about being polite. Also, kids (from my experience, mainly Emiratee kids) are perpetrators of this "queue jumping." They are pulled up straight away and told exactly where they went wrong and where they too can go and stand. They need to be taught that they are not privaliged.

yorky gets flame suit ready.

i HATE wild wadi queue jumpers. They deserve to drown..slowly

yorky500 wrote:
Its all about being polite. Also, kids (from my experience, mainly Emiratee kids) are perpetrators of this "queue jumping." They are pulled up straight away and told exactly where they went wrong and where they too can go and stand. They need to be taught that they are not privaliged.

hmmm well ive never had to deal with any local kids...for me its always been indians or pakis


and yeah, i tell them to go to the end of the line as well.

You go Girl !