Do You Let People Go Ahead of You in Line?

[Tigger&Belle]

Not the people who are already ahead of you--I do hope that you let them go ahead of you!

I mean if you are getting ready to check out and you notice someone is in back of you with a couple items and you have a lot more.

Sometimes I can't because I'm in a big hurry, have a restless child, etc, etc. But when I can, I offer to let the person go in front of me, especially when there is no express lane.

I ask because today I was in the Dollar store with my kids and my 6yo announced that he needed to go to the restroom. He announced it with that urgency that we all sometimes get. I went to the front to pay for my two items and there was only one lane open. One person was already checking out and one person was in line with a cart full of stuff. I commented to my older son that I'm surprised that there wasn't another lane open since there was a long line (by then another couple people were in line and then told my 6yo that I'd ask about the restroom, but that they probably didn't have one. I had the exact change out, hoping the lady would notice, but either she didn't or didn't care. When the first person finished I asked the clerk if there was a restroom and he told me there wasn't, but he saw my 2 items and my exact change and did let me go ahead and give him the $ even though he had started to ring her up.

So, my question isn't whether we are legally bound to let someone go before us, because of course we aren't. Or whether or not we are morally bound, because of course we aren't. Or whether we always pay attention to notice someone. Of course we don't always pay attention.

But I do try to pay attention to my surroundings and if I know a child has to go to the bathroom or if someone has 2 items and exact change and I have a whole cart of stuff I would most certainly let them go.

Oh, and I do think that the store should have opened another lane when the line was as long as what it was, which was my original comment. I probably should have mentioned that to the clerk (as if he didn't know it), but I was more concerned about my son at that point, with the intestinal viruses that have been going around our family. I just wanted to get out of there and get home!

So, when YOU are aware that someone is in back of you with a couple things and are able (not too rushed, etc, etc) do you let them go ahead of you?

 

[wdwmom2]

Yep, all the time. And I have had the favor returned more than once!!

 

[U2_rocks]

Yes, I certainly do! I know what it feels like to have 2 items and be stuck behind a bunch of people with carts full!

 

[sajetto]

Seems like I'm doing that all the time, especially for the poor moms carrying around 3 or 4 kids when they're screaming her ear off

Most often after that its elderly people that I can tell are getting tired of standing

 

[Buckalew11]

I always do also. esp. if I have a cart full and they have small kids/babies. And usually people REALLY appreciate the kind gesture.

 

[Taylor]

I always do.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I LOVE to do it with elderly people and I can only hope that someone is doing it with my 83yo mom! What goes around comes around!

As to the screaming kids--there is an added bonus. Not only are you helping the mom and the children, you are removing the screaming child from your earshot. Talk about a win/win situation!

 

[hentob]

Just got back from the grocery store, and yes I did

She didn't have much less than me, but she had on nurse scrubs and looked very, very tired. I imagine she just put in a full shift, plus some. I had an easy day at home today, so I let her in front of me.

She thanked me like a million times

 

[mrsheppo]

Yes, I've done it many times and had the favor returned.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I LOVE to do it with elderly people and I can only hope that someone is doing it with my 83yo mom! What goes around comes around!

As to the screaming kids--there is an added bonus. Not only are you helping the mom and the children, you are removing the screaming child from your earshot. Talk about a win/win situation!

The mother thing, I feel 100% the same way. Last year when I was taking my DD to school there was an older women cleaning the snow off her car (at the church the school is at.) I had her sit in the car while I did it for her. Now she didn't want to because I was also carrying a baby, but did when I told her I would want someone to do the same for my mother.

As far as your 1st question. Yes. All the time. Now I do addmit if you do it enough where do you draw the line (for example there is 3 people in line with just a few things behind you.) But then again that doesn't happen too much.

Now it rarely happens to me because even if I just go in for bannana's I have a full cart at check out time.

 

[mudpuppy]

I usually do too and the favor has been returned as well. In fact, this morning I had a full cart and a young woman with two items came up behind me, obviously in a hurry, so I let her go ahead. Moments later, another checker tapped me on the shoulder and directed me to the check stand she was going to open. I was checked out and into my car before the gal I had allowed to go ahead of me ever came out of the store Oh well, my intentions were good

 

[trene]

I do many, many times. If I happen to see an older person putting away bags I help them along with my kids. We helped one man load his truck one day and he couldn't believe that we would stop to help him. What goes around always comes around!!!

 

[momof2inPA]

Maybe the person in front of you with the full cart was in a big hurry, had just had a hip replacement, needed to get the kids off the bus, etc.

I give up my spot when I can for someone with a few items, but I don't ever expect someone to do that for me, although sometimes people do. If my kids need to use the potty, I'll leave the store and my items if I have to. It's the nature of the job-- mommy.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

Yep- I'm a firm believer in paying it forward. Sometimes, a gesture that small makes a huge difference in the life of a harried mom, for example.

I think one of the nicest things I've ever seen done involved DH- he pumped gas for an elderly woman on an exceedingly cold night. She actually broke into tears when he asked. For him, it was just something he noticed and couldn't help but think he didn't want her standing out in the cold. Always be aware of your surroundings and those around you. We should always make time to make those small, but so significant, gestures when possible.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Yep, all the time. And I have had the favor returned more than once!!

Yep - me too!

 

[Cantw8]

Only if it's a guy with a cute butt I'm serious

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Maybe the person in front of you with the full cart was in a big hurry, had just had a hip replacement, needed to get the kids off the bus, etc.

I give up my spot when I can for someone with a few items, but I don't ever expect someone to do that for me, although sometimes people do. If my kids need to use the potty, I'll leave the store and my items if I have to. It's the nature of the job-- mommy.

She didn't have a hip replacement, that is for sure. She could not stay with her cart to save her life when the lady ahead of her was checking out, something that my 12yo was asking about when we were out of the store. She KEPT wandering off--strange...

Of course I don't know if she was in a hurry, which is why I'm not judging her, just asking in general. I have 4 kids, with Jake being my youngest and my oldest being an adult--so I pretty much know the nature of the job--mommy. It's a strip shopping center, though, and there aren't restrooms like there would be in a mall or a lot of shopping areas. And we're not talking a regular restroom trip, but what appeared to be an urgent sit-down trip. We've had some intestinal issues, but as it turned out he made it until we got home, which is good since I'm not sure where we would have found a restroom and we live close.

But anyway, she didn't appear to be in a hurry and started to chat with the clerk about helium for her balloons, wasn't unloading her purchases, etc, and he was seeming a little impatient with her considering the long line.

No kids to get off the bus today since there wasn't school here. Regardless, I'm asking people in general, when they are able, if they let people go ahead of them in line.

In her case, she might not have been paying attention. Seemed to have been, but who knows?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Only if it's a guy with a cute butt I'm serious

Where is the clip art for that???

UnderTheMistletoe,What a sweet story about pumping the gas!

I agree about paying it forward.

 

[Cantw8]

Where is the clip art for that???

UnderTheMistletoe,What a sweet story about pumping the gas!

I agree about paying it forward.

Stop teasing me, sistah

 

[Muffin]

I used to quite a bit, depending on how much of a hurry (or not) I was in.

But a couple of months ago, I let a guy in front of me in the grocery and was I ever sorry! He only had 2-3 items in his hand, but he was buying cigarettes. The cashier had to go off somewhere to get them. Then she had to come back and find out if he wanted a box or a soft pack and then go back and get them. When that was finally resolved, he then wanted extra cash back, so they had to get a manager to come do their manager thing. It was ridiculous.

I haven't done it again since then.

If anyone had offered to let me go ahead and I knew I was going to be making a transaction like that, I would have declined.