Jumping the queue possibly because you're a teacher?

[triedandtestedteacher]

So today I had to take my dd6 with me to the shops. We both donned masks to go. There were two shops next to each other. One with a queue of about 6 people and one with about 2. We joined the longer queue and got to third in the queue with about 3 people behind us when this woman came up and just hopped in front of me. At first I wondered whether she was queuing for the adjacent shop but she was standing very close to the last woman in front ( everyone else was at least 2 metres apart) and looking round furtively because she knew she'd jumped in. My dd who is very ...well 6 started pulling at me and going on and on about how she's pushed in and asking why etc. So I say to the woman 'excuse me? Are you queuing for x shop or x shop' to which she replied that she was queuing for the shop that I was queuing for. I told her that there was a queue and she'd jumped in. Next news her rather large husband appeared and informed me I was pathetic and to go in ahead if I was so bothered. I then said that there was actually at least 3 people she'd jumped in front of. The woman then started ranting at me that I was setting a bad example to my dd to be so rude? I replied that no I was showing her that sometimes you have to call people out when they're being rude and inconsiderate. Unfortunately a shopper two people back shouted 'do we really need this? Isn't there more important things? Anyway you've got a kid with you, shouldn't be out'. The women who had pushed in then repeated how rude and pathetic I was and followed it up with 'I'm a teacher'. Now I'm not sure what she thought the relevance of that was. That she should get priority queuing or that she had a right to tell me how to behave in front of my dd because she was a teacher? I didn't get to ask her because she was then allowed into the shop leaving me to fume outside at the audacity of the woman. I'm a teacher myself but wouldn't attempt to use it to win a disagreement. AIBU? Would you have said anything?

What an absolute CFer. Yeah, I’d have done the same as you to be honest!

@DrierThanANunsNasty you know when you just question yourself? I sometimes think when you are the one that stands up to these crappy people, other people act like you're totally unreasonable when they just haven't got the guts themselves

Currently I'm a bit on edge from this lock down so I potentially would have a - lost my shit and gave her what for or b - started crying about how unfair everything is

YANBU she was a CF

Oh god no, I’m the ultimate tell it how it is person - all my friends will tell you that as they cower away in embarrassment when I tell any CFer to get back in the queue. I can’t stand people like that. Sounds like she’s used to her big husband frightening people off. What a wankpuffin.

Not sure what the teacher thing had to do with it but the shopper behind was right.

No-one needs that, especially in front of kids.

@newnamewhosthis I'm on edge myself. Worried about work, homeschooling and I'm pregnant and been spotting for about a week. I tried to be polite and the bigger person but I could easily have lost it at her. Don't think she'd have been so brave without her husband

I've spoken up against queue-jumpers before. There's always a yob that backs them up. I've stopped saying anything because I always end up feeling worse post-confrontation than if I'd let it lie.

This has nothing to do with her being a teacher and everything to do with her being a dick

This, only now they think they have a good reason to be a dick and are more important than anyone else.

I would have told her the same and I hate confrontation but fuck that, no need to queue jump we are all in the same boat especially if there were only 6 people in the queue.

but the shopper behind was right
So op is just supposed to let anyone jump in front of her? How many? 1, 2, 6? But hey shut up about it cos nobody needs to challenge selfish dicks as it makes them not you look bad?

Sounds like she’s used to her big husband frightening people off. What a wankpuffin

Love that expression. Can I steal it please [grin}

As for the big husband, I've noticed a couple of very angry and aggressive men around recently. At least I only encounter them briefly when out, but I fear for their womenfolk.

It's amazing how someone jumps in and then acts like you're being unreasonable. I had it on a plane last year when someone tried to push past me to get off and I told her to wait her turn - but apparently I was the pathetic one. Oh well.

Tbh I was going to let it go but as my dd was so loudly questioning the unfairness of it and the woman could clearly could hear her I felt like I had to address it. I genuinely didn't expect her reaction

YANBU. She was a CF. Being a teacher was irrelevant to her argument. I think you did the right thing and unless you were swearing and shouting at her, it doesn't hurt to show your six year old not to let CFs do what they want and expect no one to say anything.

@brightyellowcardigan definitely wasn't swearing or shouting. Wouldn't dare. I teach in the area and it's small so I'm always very aware of myself

Where you in Aldi? Apparently some people are allowed to jump the queue there. I don’t know if teachers part of this group.

@Number3or4 no it wasn't Aldi or any of the big supermarkets

She might have gotten confused by this? But being rude is acceptable.

She was totally out of line and I would have been a lot less polite than you. I would have told her to get to the back of the queue and told her husband to go and pick on someone his own size.
I don't blame you for being annoyed and can't believe someone else in the queue stood up for her.

Tbh somethings it's best to let it slide and the person behind was right, why were you out with you're child in the first place. This is the problem people going to the shops in twos or with dc, it should be one person from per household unless it's a single parent to reduce the risk to workers and the rest of the community.

Define the leg you think she possibly had to stand on.

@Starlight1243 husband at work. He's also a key worker.

Sorry that happened to you OP.
It’s happened to me before as well.
It is an awful feeling and I think worse for you because these people did that to you in front of your DD.
You were in the right and it is a sad thing that rude people often get away with such behaviour.

She was being unreasonable but what was the relevance of the husband being big? He can’t help that

why were you out with you're child in the first place

because she is allowed to be, and Sainsburys have specifically said this in their email this morning, though they said only if necessary - I imagine other supermarkets have the same sort of policy.

It's for the parent to decide if it's necessary, not some random virtue signalling person in the queue (or random MNer).

I don't think anyone has the 'right' to push in. Gross bad manners and she was very rude.

I do have to say that at the very beginning of this CV and queuing lark, I went in to shopp and only managed to get bread, so one item. I wasn't bothered about the queue, wasn't in a rush but the lady in front who had a huge shop turned around and said to go first.. Very kind of her I thought.