Would you have said something to this queue jumper?

[mary91]

Or the staff?

I was queuing in my local newsagents with my ds who was getting quite fidgety when a lady came in and walked straight to the till. She had a basket of items and looked at me and then to the cashier and said ' oh is that the queue?'

I began to walk forward and to my surprise the cashier, and manager ( who was also there) replied ' no my dear, your absolutely fine where you are'

Ok so I thought the manager would sign on the other till and serve me and maybe apologise as I had been waiting a few minutes already. But no he just walked off.

I was really annoyed by this and put my paper down and walked out.

I'm regretting not saying anything to either the woman who pushed in or the staff. They all knew I was waiting and all I had was a paper and she had a basket of items.

What would you have done ?

[CarolDanvers]

I’d have said “actually I was first, thanks” with a smile and moved forward and put my purchases on the counter.

[pineapplepatty]

I would have said Er, excuse me. This is the queue and you're behind me.

I always do if someone tries to push in, it's my pet hate. My kids all groan if they see someone try as they know I'll say something.

[mary91]

I'm really regretting not saying anything now!

[madeyemoodysmum]

Cheeky mare

Forget it but next time stand up
For yourself.

[CarolDanvers]

You don’t even need to be forceful about it, just smile and be pleasant about it. She did ask after all, it was the person behind the counter who got it wrong.

[SnuggyBuggy]

Were you obviously in a queue? I've seen people stand several feet back from the till riffling through the shelves that have expected me to "just know" they are in the queue.

[WindypopsWendy]

I’ve put down stuff and walked out in similar circumstances.

You could have flounced out or written something pointed on Facebook about them.

“My money isn’t good enough for yer” plus tossing paper onto the floor is a “burn-your-bridges” response.

[ketchupormayo]

I always say something. Even at a bar, I make a note of whose in front of me and if I get served before them I say they were in front of me, and if someone gets served before me i also say no no sorry I was in front. I hate people pushing in!

[ketchupormayo]

Sorry but in this case I would of said to the cashier straight away. That's just rude of him

[HotChocolateLover]

Yup, I always say something.

[ItsAllGone19]

I have spoken up in circumstances like that and made it clear to the manager that I won't use their services from that point onwards.

I reduced the queue jumper to tears in my case though I'm pretty evil when I get rolling so I might not be the best example.

[Happilyacceptingcookies]

I'm not great about being assertive but yes I would (and have in the past) spoken louder than usual and said yes this is the queue with a fixed smile. She obviously knew it was the queue, why else would you be loitering around the tills with a basket

[dustarr73]

In that case i would have said something.Either that i would have just handed my purchases to the manager and walked out.

[HildaAlida]

I was standing in a massive, irritable queue for the self service tills at a big supermarket once. A huge man was behind me with his child, virtually standing on my heels and craning his neck, so impatient was he.

When a till came free and I was next, he actually WALKED AROUND ME to rush to it! I was like, WTAF?!

I opened my mouth but, before I could launch a protest, his child - of about 9 or 10 - swiftly said from his position behind me, "Dad, she was before you."

He tutted a bit but grumbled back behind me. Ha! At least his son had some manners!

[FiremanKing]

She pushed, of course I would have said something.

[FloralTeacup]

It’s easier said than done when you’re shy/otherwise not assertive! But you still had every right to say something - you were there first.

I had an awful incident the other week, in which I, myself, accidentally pushed in. I was at a busy train station with DP, suitcases in tow. DP went straight through the first available ticket barrier, and I instinctively followed him through straight after. What I didn’t realise, however, was that I had cut across a man who must have stepped forward seconds before me. I heard him moan to the guard, “do people just push in here”. I felt absolutely gutted and mortified...

[Elderflower14]

Ds2 is autistic and deaf. Many years ago I was teaching him about queuing in a shop. He had some sweets and was waiting behind me at the front of a long queue. As I went to be served a previous customer came back tothe till in front of me to query something on her receipt. The next thing I heard was a loud voice shouting "MUMMA, MUMMA, NOT HER HERN, NOT HER HERN!!! 🤣 🤣 (hern =turn)!!!

[SouthWestmom]

I don't understand why you aren't at the till if she could walk up there. Were you waiting for an invitation?

[Acis]

I had something similar happen once but the assistant refused to serve the queue jumper. She made a massive fuss and threatened to make a formal complaint, so I made sure she heard me tell the assistant that if she did I would be happy to make a statement setting out what really happened.

[Overmaars]

I've had to teach myself to be assertive in this situation. I always check now like a PP who is before me and who after me, so I can be sure I'm on safe ground and practise in my head saying, yes I'm next.

A greyer area is when a load of women come in with buggies and spot a friend at the front of the queue and then join them, as happened to me once. Then they all ordered and paid separately, which was really cheeky. If I'd complained though, I guess she would have ordered all their coffees. But I was really p'd off as I was waiting for ages when I'd started off second in the queue and was getting a takeaway.

[ShannonRockallMalin]

I'm sure it wasn't the case in this instance, but I just wanted to put a word in for those of us on the other side of the counter! As a veteran of retail and customer service, it is sometime genuinely difficult to tell who's next in a queue, especially if you're working at a counter where there's more than one till. Customers tend to stand in a way that they can hedge their bets and see which till becomes free first, so when you look up from serving the previous person, there's just a shuffling crowd. I tend to say 'who's next please' and let them sort it out amongst themselves!

[Downunderduchess]

Definitely. I always make a point of noticing who was there first so I know my place in the queue. I have often said something if someone tries to jump the queue. They usually know exactly what they are doing. Just rude.

[Playmytune]

I would have said something, but then I’m the one that refuses to let people past when they are trying to get to their “friend” at the front in the queue at the amusement park, to the extent they say it will be my fault if their friend takes an asthma attack on the ride, cause they aren’t with them!
Ermm, no it won’t, their “friend” can wait till they get to the front fairly if it is so bad that she needs 3 people to queue jump to get to her!

[bratzilla]

I’d have said something, I’ve had plenty of arguments of this though . Most recent was queuing for something where it was 1 out, 1 in. 45 minutes into queuing the woman in front has 2 friends and 5 children arrive and join her in the queue. Apparently it wasn’t queue jumping as she was paying .

[MaryTeenOfScots]

I'd be annoyed too OP. More than once I've been in a queue at a café when someone else has just gone ahead of me. Maybe it wasn't clear enough that I was waiting, but I'm not sure why else I'd be hanging around the till with my purse out...

I've also had people come up and interrupt me while I'm ordering, asking about their order or wanting something. It's so rude!