What will happen to supermarket queues when it starts raining?

[SunnyStroll]

I know lockdown had been a different experience for different people but the sunshine must have made it a bit more bearable for everyone. Apparently it's going to be wet now for quite a few days.

What impact will that have on the queues? Yes, I know there's nothing to stop people queuing in the rain but will they? Will the usual quiet/busy times apply or will everyone shop in the dry spells?

How desperate would you need to be to queue for, say 40 min, in the rain?

Will good humour be maintained or might this be the tipping point?

[HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime]

Whilst planes aren't flying there will be less rain overall anyway because there's less cloud nuclei being released for water vapour to condensate on. Although I live on the East Coast and hardly get any rain anyway.

But regardless people will dress for the weather, do bigger shops and go less often or just look at the met Office and go during predicted dry spells.

[isabellerossignol]

I gave up on umbrellas years ago because it never seem to rain without blowing a gale as well, so I always ended up with an outside in umbrella and more rain on me than if I hadn't bothered in the first place.

I am a great believer in a coat with a hood.

[EngTech]

Dress for the weather 😀

No doubt, people will complain about no shelter but a large umbrella is the item to bring with you 👍👍

[EBearhug]

I asked at Waitrose when we first started queuing. The Waitrose employee shrugged and said he didn't know.

I don't think any of the supermarkets round here have options for undercover queuing.

[WorraLiberty]

How desperate would you need to be to queue for, say 40 min, in the rain?

Why would anyone have to be desperate?

It's just rain. I have an umbrella and I tend not to dissolve when wet.

[TheCumbrian]

It barely rains anyway and you won’t melt in the wet

Written by someone who hasn't lived in Cumbria I assume.

[MaggieAndHopey]

"It barely rains anyway"

maybe not where you live! I'm on the west coast of Scotland. It rained every. single. day. for about three months before the recent weirdly dry spell. Now it looks like business as usual again, which is actually sort of a relief, to be honest.

[GreyGardens88]

At least I won't have to see posts of selfies with a prosecco in the garden 10x a day on facebook for a while

[DDemelza]

Are you all witches in Cumbria, then?

[DefinatelyAWeeGobshite]

Maggie I’m also the west coast of Scotland, it’s practically Summer for us just now eh?

[Oblomov20]

I haven't queued for more than a few minutes anyway. Won't queue in the rain. So this isn't a problem to me.

[BoomBoomsCousin]

I would assume people will try and avoid - going after showers rather than during; trying to eek out supplies for another day in the hope it will be dry then; nipping in a small shop for the basics if the wait is shorter and going to the supermarket at a later (hopefully drier) time.

But plenty will just wait, at least it's not sleety winter rain
.

[Ninkanink]

Wtaf is wrong with getting a bit wet in the rain? If I need to queue and it’s raining, I’ll queue. I’m not a baby (in fact I’m doing babies a huge disservice here), I’m not going to whine about a little bit of rain fgs.

[AvalancheKit]

We will all hear a pitter, patter..........pitter, patter..........pitter, patter.....drummed into our brains as we stare shell-shocked into those puddles....thinking about what to buy....

.......pitter.....patter............

......pitta........patter....

......Pitta.......Pate....

.........then just four days later...

Mumsnet...AIBU..... For thinking people are stupid to be stock-piling Pitta Bread and Mushroom Pate now????

Those supermarket advertising people are so subliminal...

[wanderings]

The tipping point for what?
The tipping point for civil unrest and mass disobedience, which I think is becoming more imminent every day, each time the government spouts its meaningless waffle and easily fiddled figures, instead of telling us about exit strategy. Boris's waffle "I know the economy is crumbling and many of you are worried for your jobs and homes, please be patient while we tell you nothing" has probably enraged a few people.

[Port1aCastis]

Use your umbrella and wait in the queue

[PickAChew]

Hopefully, people will dress appropriately and people who just wanted a paper and a pie won't bother so they'll be slightly shorter.

That said, no queues at all today at our retail park for supermarkets. Even the Wilko queue was about 2/3 its usual length. Markses was quiet enough to allow customers the freedom of the entire ground floor.

[Hingeandbracket]

So far I have avoided queues entirely by accidentally living in a less densely populated area. If I have to queue in the rain I will use a coat. Riots won't start.

[deydododatdodontdeydo]

Anybody born and brought up in the UK will be well used to rain.

[BeingLonely]

Come to Scotland, bloody rains a lot and you queue as normal!

[ravensoaponarope]

@AvalancheKit

[Peppafrig]

@Destroyer it barely rains in Britain ? You having a laugh you have clearly never been to Scotland .

[okiedokieme]

Perhaps marquee hire companies could find customers!

[Zaphodsotherhead]

I'm hoping it will stop the 'hobby shoppers' who were out for a walk and have decided to pop in and get a couple of ice creams and a coke.

[Bearbehind]

The tipping point for civil unrest and mass disobedience, which I think is becoming more imminent every day

PMSL at the thought of a bit of rain would be the catalyst for this

Some people really are revelling in the drama of it all, not to mention using every opportunity for a bit of Tory basing