Reserving place at supermarket checkout?

[zzzzebra]

Is this a normal thing or AIBU for finding this rude?

Busy Sunday morning in Aldi and all checkouts fairly full. Spot one where there is less of a queue and a little space coming free at the end of the conveyor belt and push my trolley over as you do.

Woman at back of queue turns around and says to me "sorry I'm just waiting" and gestures behind me. I see a man approaching from the isle with a full shopping trolley. He pushes his trolley around mine to the woman and they begin unpacking.

It's the hottest day of the year and I had a screaming baby in a carrier, with a trolley 1/3 of the way full... not that it should matter but I was there with my trolley first.

I didn't say anything but I have wondered since I got home if this is normal and maybe I'm odd for finding it rude.

AIBU?

I'd have definitely spoken up ! Although, this happened to me in another store and they got very nasty with me so I'm a bit more wary these days!
Piss takers though!

YANBU. I'd have got my stuff straight onto that conveyor belt!

I’ve never seen this cheeky fuckery but I would NOT be impressed! A woman with a screaming baby would always come first imo anyway. What is happening to people?! No bloody manners or consideration! 😡

Nah that’s not ok.

Similar to a parking space being reserved by people standing in it whilst they waited for a second car to arrive. Whilst a queue of cars looked for a space.

YANBU, I'd have said you can't hold space at the checkout and started unloading my trolley.

I don't think I'm special because I have a baby or anything but I'm a single parent and have no choice but to take her shopping with me. This morning I needed baby essentials and nappies etc as baby had her jabs this week and hasn't been very well.

I've never come across this before but I just know it's something I would never do even if I had someone else with me.

Not acceptable. It is however ok for the person with the trolley to start unloading while one person grabs one missed item that has been forgotten.

Nah sorry disagree. I would let them go first but if they had a weeks load of shopping and I only had a basket then I'd understand why some wouldn't.

Yeah that's bizarre

Ugh, I had something similar to this, I was walking up to the end of a belt and a smug looking woman ran into the space first, held up her arm to block me and waved another woman to come in front of me. The other woman was older and if either of them had said 'Do you mind if we go first?' I probably would have let them. As it was I had to look at the floor while they checked out to avoid searing them to ashy husks with my deathstare.

If the woman was holding the place, she should have let you go first because
You were there before her husband
You had a crying baby
You had a lot less items that them
I am not sure about the whole place holding thing, if you are going to do that, you can't make people wait even a second, you need to let them go ahead until your partner is absolutely ready to join the queue.

What they did sounds very cheeky especially when you have a young child and I'm not sure I'd have waiting. Saying that I don't think people with children should get to go first, as PP suggested. I have a young child as well BTW

No way. You start loading your stuff o the belt and the CF can go behind you. This is CFery of the highest order !!

Nope, cheeky. I’d have just unloaded.

Not as cheeky as a woman who walked past myself and 2 in front of me with her trolley to start unloading behind her daughter who was at the head of the queue, though! We all said, er, excuse me, there’s a queue, etc. but she blanked everyone and carried on. Don’t know why the assistant didn’t say anything.

I’ve come across this - but with a basket on the floor and someone’s wondered off.
I spoke up and the woman was certain she was in front of me…
On another occasion I’ve just pushed the basket out of the way and moved in and started unloading.

No acceptable and ultimate CFuckery.

It's definitely cheeky but I wouldn't have known what to do or say!

I’m not a single mother and I don’t have a baby but I wouldn’t have put up with such nonsense
You aren’t in the queue if you don’t have a trolley or basket

It's really unacceptable. I'm surprised anyone would think it was OK. Other than the people that "reserve" their spot.

I wouldn't have tolerated it

What about if you had a full-to-the-brim trolley and hers was only a third full? You really wouldn’t let her go first?

CF: “I’m just waiting.”
Me: “Well, I’m ready so I’ll go ahead.”

This happened to me once, I was gert heavily pregnant and had a full basket and some woman was loitering at the end of the checkout. I asked if she was in the queue and she said she was just waiting to see if they opened another till.

Like an idiot I just stood waiting for her
I'm still irritated 🤣. I think if it happened now, I'd walk round her and start unloading my shopping. Why am i waiting so she can decide if she might ger served quicker!. This was also in Aldi!

First and only time that I was shopping in Lidl, and the till was literally empty - not just nobody wanting to be served, but no member of staff on the till, which was quite weird. So I unloaded my trolley onto the belt assuming somebody would see me and come. Waited until another person came up behind, member of staff arrived and served her first because she knew her. I pointed out I was first and I was told i'd be served next. I left my shopping and walked out and never been back. People should take their turn - nobody is in a greater rush than anyone else.

DH has tried to do this on occasion. I'll pick a queue with my trolley load and he'll pick up a random item and go to another queue so I can rush over with the trolley if his queue moves faster, regardless of who is behind him. I just ignore and stay where I am. CF

I said I would. I just said I understood why some wouldn't though if they didn't have much.