Was I in the wrong to push in the queue ?

[crisikrinkles]

Went into the post office in our town.
It’s always packed and they had two serving.
I needed currency and places never normally have it without ordering.
I needed it that day as we were travelling at night (last minute I know )
There was probably 20 people in front of me.
I didn’t want to wait in the queue incase I stood there and they didn’t have it anyway.
So I went to a counter and just said “before I queue can I just check you have this currency “
A woman barked “there’s a queue !”
I explained I wasn’t pushing in,I was just checking they had something before I got to the back of the queue.
She shouted “ no you wait to ask questions “

was i in the wrong ?

Pushing in anywhere is rude - it's implied with the word 'push'!

No issue with asking the person at the head of the queue if they mind if you quickly ask a question before their turn - most people would say yes. It's like when a person with only one item asks to go ahead of you at the checkout because you have a whole basketful.

But the imperative is to ask, not push.

Did you ask the person being served by the cashier if they minded if you asked a question and interrupted her banking transaction ?
The person behind the counter was serving someone else. You wanted her to stop dealing with that person and put you first. I hate it when this happens. So often it can be at a critical point in dealing with the original customers details. And they are distracted.

Yes but not in cash. If I need cash in a country then I use a local ATM but as I said I never needed any at any point (Australia, Greece, France, Singapore, Canada). I was in each country for about 5 days average and it would have been v annoying to arrive home with a purse full of random currency because let’s face it you can’t use it all up and it cost a fortune to convert back so it’s a waste of time and money. Actually I don’t even own a purse anymore!
I can’t say I’m bothered if cash disappears given I’ve not used it for years.

In any case I’m not sure why the OP felt it necessary to queue for 30 minutes when you can withdraw it at your destination in seconds.

Ah, so places with ready access to a cash machine. I have travelled more remotely these last few years, and taking cash has been essential in order to tip, which many local people rely upon. No cash machines for many miles!

No issues with me and I would do the same.

You were perfectly in your rights to ask a question

Not wrong at all OP.

But this is Mumsnet where lots of people would've stood in the queue, staring at their feet and being too anxious to nip to the front and ask a 2 second question because they 'don't like confrontation' 😬🤣

You're fine, acting like a normal adult who asked a very quick question.

You should HAVE just waited. Ýou WERE rude.

how long do you think "Excuse me, can I just check if you have US dollars in stock before I join the queue?" takes, exactly? If 10 seconds makes the difference between an acceptable or non acceptable waiting time, then post office queues are probably not for you.

I think that was reasonable OP, but ideally you should have said it to the people waiting. 'Sorry I'm not skipping I am just checking something..' I would always be accommodating to people like this and expect the same in return. To be fair the person may have assumed you were skipping and not realised. It would be nonsensical to stand there for 10 mins to ask that question and be told no

No its fine why would you waste your own time

You thought it was fine to ask your "quick question" before you queued for currency, the lady in the queue objected. Two schools of thought in the replies you've received on MN. The question is, would you do the same again, because MN has not really resolved this for you?

Completely Concur With You 💚

Post office queues where I live are horrendously long, takes forever to be served. Asking if they had the currency before you joined the queue is reasonable, some people are dicks!

Yes exactly, she was just asking a simple quick question which took a few moments - Not like she requested an actual service from them until she queued 💚😇💚

Omg was this in Derby? Because this happened when I was in there haha

Were you shouty lady? 😆

Hahaha no. Curious if it was the same instance though as shouty lady is always miserable 😁

Before we criticise "shouty lady" we know nothing about her or the time constraints she was facing. The replies to this post really resolve nothing for the poster, or the rest of us.

Of course you were, your failure to plan isn't someone else's emergency.

I'm talking about my own personal experience here so your comment is null and void, about criticising, bore off🙄

YABU Your question took time to investigate and answer.

In asking this question other people waited longer to be served whilst you happily ensured that the minimum amount of your time was used.

It didn’t take “time to investigate “ it was a one second reply.
Do you stock this currency ….yes
I waited till she had served the last customer
As soon as she said yes I joined the back of the queue and waited my turn.

I think OP was right to speak up. I wanted to buy something in Primark the other day that had no tags. The queue was absolutely massive so I went to the till section to speak to staff before queuing.

I got some looks from the people in the queue but I gave zero shits.

As it happened, I didn’t buy the item so I’m
glad I didn’t queue to ask the question / get item looked at.

Don’t be so silly