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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To challenge a queue jumper?

33 replies

Greatcheeser · 23/04/2020 19:50

I was queuing outside a shop for a carton of milk and a few beers, I was second in the queue. A woman slid up to the 2 guys at the head of the queue and began to smarm them, asking if they were in a good mood and would they mind letting her go first as she wanted just one tiny thing from the till area. They looked a bit nonplussed so I saved them the bother of having to think about it by pointing out to her that I was waiting too, as was everyone else in the queue and I did mind if she jumped the queue. So she slunk off to the end of the queue but not before asking me if I was feeling grumpy. I was actually quite enjoying standing in the evening sunshine listening to the birdsong just not enough to let her assume that queuing up didn’t apply to her.

OP posts:

Keepingthingsinteresting · 23/04/2020 19:53

Don’t know who said YWBU, she was totally out of order

NewPapaGuinea · 23/04/2020 19:55

Queue jumpers boil my piss. I’ve berated people at train stations because they think it’s acceptable to sidle up and sneak in at the side.

CCaK · 23/04/2020 19:55

Well done OP.

Elouera · 23/04/2020 19:56

I would have done the same! I've pulled people up during normal conditions when they just push in front, and then either pretend they didn't see a queue or just ignore!

I'm usually the first to let someone in at the checkout if they have a small basket and I have a trolley full. What really annoys me, is if someone with a basket asks, I let them in, then 3 kids come out from the aisles with more baskets for the same women (or sometimes a trolley full) . If I let someone in, I now ask if that is ALL they have!

Stephie0x3 · 23/04/2020 20:09

The people in front of you were probably glad you said it, OP. Definitely not being unreasonable. Everyone has to queue!

allaboardthesinkingship · 23/04/2020 20:24

Well done OP- I always call out queue jumpers they make me so angry!

Samtsirch · 23/04/2020 20:32

Lol, when she asked if you were feeling grumpy you should have replied
“ Are you feeling entitled?” 😆
You were very brave, and not unreasonable at all.

RideaCockHorseOfCourse · 23/04/2020 20:38

I once was waiting in the dentists waiting room for my appointment (just me) and this woman came in in a bit of a rush asking if it was possible to be seen. The receptionist said she would "have to check with the dentist" and I thought "er, no why don't you check with me, as I am already waiting for my appointment! (But was too much of a sap to say it). Bugger me, she saw her before me! I was really cross, but suffered in silence as I wouldn't say boo to a goose back then when I was young I definitely wouldn't stand for that now I'm older and grumpier!

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/04/2020 21:11

Ywnbu
Cheeky bint, I would have done the same. People pushing in really piss me off. Did you see how much she picked up?

GreyishDays · 23/04/2020 21:13

Just well done for spelling queue correctly. Bless you all.

TroysMammy · 23/04/2020 21:19

My DM was recently standing in a long queue for Tesco when a man snuck under the barrier in front of her. She didn't say anything until he go towards the doors when my DM told the security guard "he pushed in". He denied he did until the man in front who was next to go in turned around and said "yes he did push in". The security guard made him leave the queue and go right back to the end where he had to wait even longer than if he'd joined it where he should have.

Thelnebriati · 23/04/2020 21:20

I know this is stupid but I'll offer to let someone go in front of me if I can see they are struggling or something, but people who ask get on my wick.

SquirtleSquad · 23/04/2020 23:01

Ha YANBU!
Last week in the petrol station I was queuing to pay and there was only one other in front of me also waiting and someone walked in and asked if they could pay first because "I am actually a key worker.. "eh!?

alibongo5 · 23/04/2020 23:08

"I am actually a key worker.. "eh!?

I genuinely read that as "key wanker". I think I was right.

LudaMusser · 23/04/2020 23:31

Greatcheeser you did the right thing and I bet everybody else around you wanted to secretly say something but didn't. Well done

With me, I'm Passive\Aggressive. I either don't say\do something or I get angry. Being assertive is something I find hard

ilovesooty · 23/04/2020 23:36

If she only wanted one thing and I wasn't in a hurry I don't think it would bother me. You were second on the queue and I doubt you'd have waited too long.

Crunchymum · 23/04/2020 23:39

Was it a necessary trip for you OP? Beers and milk, the elixir of life

I am tongue in cheek

Blackandgreenteas · 24/04/2020 00:53

I can’t stand a queue jumper. Doesn’t matter if it matters or not, I just can’t stand it.

1555CC · 24/04/2020 09:56

I know this is stupid but I'll offer to let someone go in front of me if I can see they are struggling or something,

That's fine if you're at the back of the queue, or the only one in it. But otherwise that's very selfish. You may not mind letting someone else in, but the others in the queue behind you might. They might have a hidden disability or whatever, and don't want to be in the queue any longer than necessary.

Nocaloriesinchocolate · 24/04/2020 10:34

A woman at the entrance to Waitrose yesterday chided me (politely - this is Waitrose after all ) for queue jumping. I explained equally politely that I was picking up a click and collect food order, the system being that you do go to the front of the queue if doing that. Then the security guy came up and told her off for queue jumping!

HowManyToes · 24/04/2020 11:17

My favourite response to a queue jumper is "and what exactly makes you think my time is less important than yours?" I've used it a few times and nobody has been able to give an answer

RainMustFall · 24/04/2020 11:31

I say something PA like 'Oh dear, how embarrassing, it's happened again.' They turn round and I say 'obviously I must have turned invisible again otherwise I'm sure you wouldn't have pushed in front of me.'

Cue embarrassed look and walk to the end of the queue.

CircleofWillis · 24/04/2020 14:40

I've prepared my answer in case I'm asked. ' Yes you can go ahead of me if you start asking from the back of the line and make sure that every one of the 15 or so people behind me is fine with you pushing ahead of them as well".

BreconBeBuggered · 24/04/2020 14:49

I had a cheeky one yesterday. Me and a bloke, each approaching the end of the queue from opposite directions. I got to the correct, socially-distanced end of the line about 10 seconds before he did, so he swivelled neatly into the space in front of me, leaving far too short a gap as he didn't have a trolley.
It was a hot afternoon and the queue was long. I didn't say anything.

Hingeandbracket · 24/04/2020 14:52

I once had some twats of couple try this at a check in queue at the airport. The bloke was all "oh I don't know why you're making such a fuss it's not a big deal" to which I replied "if it's not a big deal it will be no problem for you to go to the back of the queue instead of pushing in".

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