Comments on: Are You In Line?

By: Varsha Keshkamat

Varsha Keshkamat — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:30:42 +0000

I must share what happened in shoppers stop with us a few years back. We took our shopping to the counters, only two of them were working, and we actually were the first ones in line( i guess that caused the confusion). And out of habit we just stood a few paces back assuming that a common line would form behind us. Guess what? A man came and stood behind the man(paying for his shopping at one of the counters), we were a bit amused and shocked that he had jumped the queue. And before we could regain our senses(a couple of seconds) another person came and stood behind the person at the next counter. At that point we realised that we were ‘back home’ and should start ‘obeying’ the line etiquettes. This realisation came a bit late though as we had managed to lose our fisrt place in the line altogether. :)

By: Soumala

Soumala — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:23:19 +0000

Hilarious, Jay!

Few years ago a man overtook me as I was approaching the counter at a bank in Calcutta. Of course he was avoiding all eye-contact and pretended that it was his right to barge in right in front of me. So, I tell him “Did I ask you take my place or am I entirely invisible to you?” At this point, some of my trailing line-companions voiced their displeasure too (we do that a lot in Calcutta :)) Although I was able to regain my place in the queue, there was not even a trace of apology in that man’s demeanor — or a lame excuse (like: you were engrossed in your daydream etc.)

By: Chintan Ganatra

Chintan Ganatra — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:34:57 +0000

Rightly said Imraan…It’s not only restricted to Indians. Moreover, tere’s one more ‘line etiquette’ and that is: If you are a woman [and a good one too :)], you have the ‘right’ to ask somebody “Bhaisaab, aap mere liye please ticket nikaal denge? Yeh Lijiye paise.” and nobody in the line will complain, even if they would be burning within. If you are a man and try to attempt something similar, you will be told “Shana banta hai kya. Jaldi aaneka tha na. Hum log kya berozgaar hain joh aise hi khade hain???” :) :) :)

By: Imraan

Imraan — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:50:30 +0000

I do agree with the line behavior hypothesis but I do not agree that it applies only to Indians. I was in a huge line outside Best Buy a couple of years ago, for the black friday or thanksgiving sale, on the insistence of my friends. I wasn’t too happy about being in the middle of nowhere and the temperatures made the situation worse( -14deg celcius, the night before had been +10deg celcius) - seemed nature was making a endurance test, to make us feel worthy of the discounts we’d get. I did let people get in because I didn’t move ahead everytime the line shuffled and reshuffled. Well my argument was that since the store wasn’t open (and not enough people were leaving their cherished “line-spots”) , the line couldn’t be getting any shorter so the movement was only temporary and everyone would shuffle back , as they did frequently. The Americans were getting kiddish if you ask me for silly discounts at this point, as they tried to sneak ahead a couple of spots in the line or try to spot a gap in the line somewhere ahead to wrongfully jump in. I incidentally did allow one or two people get in the line with my indiscretion or “don’t care attitude”. So one of the American ladies in the line (coincidentally not even behind me in the line and thus impacted by my indiscretion) accused me with “if you want to make friends by letting people in , please go somewhere else”. The Americans are crazy folks too, I am sure the “line behavior hypothesis” works in any country where people get competitive.

By: Ketan Kulkarni

Ketan Kulkarni — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:05:29 +0000

It is unfortunate that we Indians behave the way we do. Ever heard of evolution and adaptation? the thing is the present situation in India requires you to glue yourself to the next guy in the line. As they say “there is many a slip between the cup (you) and the lip (next guy).” Ppl do crawl in and barge in and force their way in and make a scene. You don’t know if your work will be completed today. It is a Stochastic process and people are just adapting. Been thousands of years and people are still adapting…
But when in Rome so as the Romans do, so does that not apply to India? ..