To think you have to actually have a trolley or basket with some shopping in it before joining a checkout queue?

[101handbags]

In Sainsbury's on Saturday, I spotted the one till that didn't have a queue and wheeled my trolley over. There was a woman standing in front of me, and a few bits & pieces left on the conveyor belt, which I naturally assumed were hers. I was just about to start unloading my trolley onto the belt when a man appeared with an overloaded trolley, pushed in front of me and said 'Excuse me, I'm with her', indicating the woman in front of me. Now, I read a lot on here about people standing in car parking spaces to reserve them, but I have never, ever heard of people reserving spaces in the checkout queue. When I look back now, I remember us both approaching the checkout from different directions and the man indicating to the woman to run ahead to get there before me. I gave him the glare from hell and went to the next till. Afterwards I felt like such a doormat. I know I should have said 'I was here with my trolley first, I am not moving' but I didn't. I know I need to be more assertive. Please tell me how you would have reacted/what you would have said?

Gobby adolescent..... And choose to say, predictive phone

Lottie you do realise how stupid that would make you look don't you?

In future I will be sure to stand in such a place that they can't get at the conveyor belt incase I come across you!
Lottikins, I have a better idea... why don't you just lie down on the conveyor belt so no-one can put their stuff down. At least then we'd know who to point and laugh at.

I have a mental image of Lottikins being dragged off by supermarket security for refusing to move while blocking the conveyor belt without having any shopping, all the while bleating on about her "big trolley" as she is kicked out on her arse .

So what is the view on people who join the queue with their almost full trolley while their partner scurries off to get the last few bits? Or even if it is not premeditated e.g. you get in the queue and then think "Damn I didn't get any X, you stay here while I go and get it"

Would you all really object to this and assume the hapless shopper should forfeit their place in the queue until they were sure they had entirely finished. Or is it tolerated for just these last few, possibly overlooked items?

And if the latter then isn't it just a question of degree - e.g. it's OK if you have done 95% or more of your shopping when you join the queue but not otherwise.

This happened at Legoland!!

A man queued by himself for boating school. When he reached the front, he stood next to the boats refusing to get in as he was waiting for his wife and children who were on another ride

The young workers didn't really know what to do so let him stand there.

As I went to get on a boat with 5yo dd1, I was pushed out of the way by his wife from behind who told me, she was in front of me as her husband had saved her place

Her children were still trying to squeeze through the queue on the bridge and she thought that thay could hold the whole que up while everyone waited for them to push in.

I wasn't having any of it.

I stood my ground. I told her she would have to queue like everybody else, that you cannot save anybody a place. And I told the young girl that was working on the boats that they shouldn't be allowed on when every single one of them, bar the husband, had pushed in.

I got in the boat and sailed off.

When we got out the husband was moaning to another relative how they hadn't been allowed on

I have a mental image of Lottikins being dragged off by supermarket security for refusing to move while blocking the conveyor belt without having any shopping, all the while bleating on about her "big trolley" as she is kicked out on her arse

Yes please

with her hapless husband pretending he doesn't know her and quietly queuing in line with trolley as normal people do

It wouldn't bother me if someone was u packing their trolley and forgot some bits and their friend/partner etc nipped off to get something as that's clearly just a mishap, we all forget something at some point in our lives and it's in a completely different league to standing putting your non existent shopping on the conveyor belt. I would be so amused to actually see someone doing this! It's never ever happened to me yet but I would like to see it!

I would particularly like to witness lotti in action

This reminds me.

We were lining up on the first night when Skyfall came out. A couple queue jumped after lurking by the door and went in first despite the line being a mile long. Myself and some others who'd queued for an hour or so told them what arses they were for jumping in line, they sat there brazen faced and they'd saved seats, wankers!!

I have a mental image of Lotti doing a "goalkeeper" thing, jumping from side to side to stop anyone getting past!

Lotti you are utterly ridiculous and pathetic.

Sugar rice, cinema queue jumping happened to me in Half Term with DCs. Fortunately large scary looking helpful man pointed out the error of their ways in no uncertain terms. They went to the back, we all sniggered and pointed fingers.

I was talking to the manager of a bingo hall once and the staff had strict instructions not to allow place-saving to avert fights. Some players got really superstitious about the order cards got sold in.

Maybe they should do that in supermarkets.

I don't know what the man's wife must have thought, when she walked in and saw her husband with his arm around me.

His children were all a bit but I think that was more at me taking the chair than at their dad having his arm around me.

He didn't come back for the next three lessons though, so I claim the victory as mine

Thanks everyone so much for your replies, next time I shall try a combination of all the useful tips above.. a bit of a glare, a bit of a 'f*ck off' (politely!), a bit of start unloading.... I hadn't been in the queue long but it was just the cheek/rudeness of it that upset me. I am really amazed that anyone admits to doing this & thinking it's ok... and as for both partners queuing at separate checkouts, one with no trolley/basket and then pushing in to whichever queue moves fastest.... amazed.

There's one hell of a difference between sending someone off for something you've forgotten and hogging a space waiting for your whole shop to arrive.

5foot5 I've done that before, forgot to pick up some naan bread. The lovely checkout operator phoned through for someone to grab a packet for me. Wonderful service in ASDA.

I'm fucking howling at 'Would you like to go ahead of me? I don't mind'

Lottie don't you feel like a prize tit because you no doubt look like one standing there chuntering on about big trolleys while your DH finishes the shop?

ResponsibleAdult we were very pissed off especially as the staff folded so easily and let them in swallowing whatever limp lillied excuse they gave.

Queue jumpers are on my list along with parking twats and trolley check-out hoggers!

I do think staff should take some role in now allowing this to happen. It shouldn't be just left up to customers to fight among themselves when someone shamelessly queue skips.
Or could supermarkets not put up signs stating places in queues cannot be 'reserved'.

Wow, I'm really unaware of this phenomenon. I've never done this (and I can't imagine anything worse than taking my husband to the supermarket anyway), but I do sometimes think I need a warning sign on my back saying "Since I have chosen this queue it will turn out to be the slowest one going, you may wish to choose another one." I'm also always the one in the queue where the manager chooses the person behind them to lead to a newly opened till.

not allowing this to happen.

P.S. Love the idea of checkout staff going deliberately slowly with queue jumpers.

lol at lottikins and her big trolley i had honestly thought 'bagsy-ing' a space in the line was the kind of thing we grew out of once we'd left primary school. obviously not!