I would think this is common courtesy but maybe I’m wrong

[Elphie54]

I was at Costco this morning and for some reason the lines were astronomical. Everyone in all lines had their baskets filled to the brim with stuff, including us. There was one woman at the check out, one more woman waiting and then us (so second in line) with about 6 people with completely full baskets behind us. An elderly woman was looking at the lines, and you could see she only had one item in her hands (a package of raspberries). I asked her if she would like to go in front of us because she only had one item. She was so sweet and said “no that’s not fair, I’m just going to put them back.” I asked if she was sure. The lady behind me goes, “oh don’t be silly! Of course go ahead of them!” So she did and thanked us several times. The two people behind the other woman started bitching that she shouldn’t be allowed to cut the line and how wrong it was, how it’s not fair etc...

Was I being completely unreasonable, or wouldn’t most people let someone, especially someone elderly, with one item, go ahead of them?

Elphie, you say "lesson learned" but please don't lern that one. It's the lesson that makes life a little nicer that you should learn, the one you y knew.

Over 90% of the time, there are not going to be invisibly disabled people in the queue behind you, and I am an invisibly disabled person myself - I would have let someone (young, old, whatever) with only one or two items queue jump.

What is a line? Do you mean a queue?

Yes - agree it’s a common courtesy- but not one for you to extend on behalf of other people

I did this today, and I've done it before. The guy behind me today only had 4 jars of mayonnaise . I don't think it really makes that much of a difference, but the others are right in their choice to not let her go before them if they don't want to.

That's not what the OP did!! She didn't let the person who was behind her go in front of her. If she had, it would make sod all difference to those further back in the queue, because the same two people are still ahead of them.

She let someone else who wasn't in the queue at all, who had just turned up, go head of her, instead of them going to the back of the queue. Thus adding one more person to the queue.

I've often asked someone with one, or just a couple of items if they would like to quickly put theirs through the till before me if I have a trolley full - it does seem the right thing to so - more often than not it has been someone elderly, disabled or with small children in tow, but I do agree with you that it is a common courtesy. I can also recall a few times it has been someone I could see tinkering on the edge of a panic attack or something similar, and whatever the reasons it felt right to usher them through so they could get done and get out as such. Some people just like to bitch, others seem to have a more rigid idea of what is and is not acceptable to them - I just play it by ear and hope that on the balance of things I try to do the right thing.

I do this all the time at Aldi’s while I’m putting my stuff on the conveyor but mostly when there’s not a queue.
Sometimes I let two or three people with a few items go ahead of me. It seems silly to make them wait while I still have half a trolley to unpack.
I don’t do it if a large queue has formed though because surely it’s then up to them to extend the favour.