Waiting in line can be pure hell
Ever been in a line-up at a store and helplessly watch on as other lines went much faster than yours?
I'm sure all of us have experienced this countless times but nobody has ever pointed out that there's an obvious injustice that we're failing to address by letting this occur.
Ten years ago this very phenomenon killed a fine young man I knew named Jonathan, from the Gaspe, who was just 19 when he died after getting into a fight at the McDonald's at Atwater and Ste. Catherine. He and his friends were in line late at night when another group of young men disagreed over whose turn it was to get served. Jonathan was stuck in the face by Carmelo Marino and Shawn Coughlin and suffered a fracture in a bone in his face.
He tried to get served at the nearest hospital, the Childrens and was then sent elsewhere and that second hospital couldn't serve him for some other reason and he just went home to sleep and eventually it swelled up and he went into a coma and died a 11 days later on Nov 7, 2002.
Marino and Coughlin were charged with manslaughter.
Beyond the fact that the medical system failed this bright young boy, so too did the way McDonald's organizes its lines. Retail outlets generally need a rethink, as the ridiculous stress and annoyance - and possibly mental and physical health hazard -- of lining up in separate lines should not remain a reality in this age.
Some places like Costco often have a good 8 or 9 lines and it's impossible not to spend one's time in that line wondering if one would have been better served by choosing a different line.
A single-line experience eliminates all such injustice, speculation, doubt, line-jealousy and other frustrations.
Some retailers have failed to implement this great solution because they claim it makes people think that lines are longer than they are, but I'm not buying that at all.
I first urged this solution in the newspaper a decade ago but it went largely ignored, although government offices and banks have embraced it, as has the Wal Mart on Decarie and possibly others.
I'd love to see a single-line system, complete with little aisles and ropes, become the new normal, even made into a mandatory, legislated safety requirement at retail outlet, the safety being the prevention of conflict and stress that it would bring.
Technology will surely one day eliminate all issues with lineups one way or another. Until then let's use the tools that we already have to make it right.
Ever been in a line-up at a store and helplessly watch on as other lines went much faster than yours?
I'm sure all of us have experienced this countless times but nobody has ever pointed out that there's an obvious injustice that we're failing to address by letting this occur.
Ten years ago this very phenomenon killed a fine young man I knew named Jonathan, from the Gaspe, who was just 19 when he died after getting into a fight at the McDonald's at Atwater and Ste. Catherine. He and his friends were in line late at night when another group of young men disagreed over whose turn it was to get served. Jonathan was stuck in the face by Carmelo Marino and Shawn Coughlin and suffered a fracture in a bone in his face.He tried to get served at the nearest hospital, the Childrens and was then sent elsewhere and that second hospital couldn't serve him for some other reason and he just went home to sleep and eventually it swelled up and he went into a coma and died a 11 days later on Nov 7, 2002.
Marino and Coughlin were charged with manslaughter.
Beyond the fact that the medical system failed this bright young boy, so too did the way McDonald's organizes its lines. Retail outlets generally need a rethink, as the ridiculous stress and annoyance - and possibly mental and physical health hazard -- of lining up in separate lines should not remain a reality in this age.
Some places like Costco often have a good 8 or 9 lines and it's impossible not to spend one's time in that line wondering if one would have been better served by choosing a different line.
A single-line experience eliminates all such injustice, speculation, doubt, line-jealousy and other frustrations.
 |
| 300-pound Carmelo Marino and Shawn Coughlin went overboard in their battle over a line-up dispute and ended up getting charged with manslaughter. |
I first urged this solution in the newspaper a decade ago but it went largely ignored, although government offices and banks have embraced it, as has the Wal Mart on Decarie and possibly others.
I'd love to see a single-line system, complete with little aisles and ropes, become the new normal, even made into a mandatory, legislated safety requirement at retail outlet, the safety being the prevention of conflict and stress that it would bring.
Technology will surely one day eliminate all issues with lineups one way or another. Until then let's use the tools that we already have to make it right.
I quite enjoy the strategy of picking my line, you size up the cashiers, scope which people have less items, whos got coupons, whos old and chatty etc. etc. It adds a certain element of analytical thought to an otherwise mundane experience.
ReplyDeleteIt's called the "snake line", which I first saw implemented in banks sometime in the early '80s if I recall.
ReplyDeletePrior to that, I presume that a criminally-inclined opportunist standing behind you at the teller might overhear you drawing out a large sum of cash and potentially rob you after you left the bank--which I'm sure did happen on occasion!
Anyway, there's always this solution:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19712847
I try to avoid getting in line behind very old people or women with young kids. They tend to slow things down. I also know which cashiers at the grocery store to avoid. There are a couple who are really slow and/or stupid.
ReplyDeleteOne has to wonder about the mentality of someone who would punch another kid in the face over who gets served a big Mac.
If I can't tell which line will be the fastest I'll go into the line with the hottest cashier.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm particularly obnoxious that day I'll hold up my cantaloupes and say "nice melons!"
That's one of the many reasons I'm the most popular man in Montreal.
-Rick the Prick
We need more self serve cashes... Sadly though most people are completely useless at using them.
ReplyDeleteMcDonalds is in trials of tablet point of sale units where the "cashier" comes to you. Similar to what is being developed by LightSpeed here in Montreal.
ReplyDeleteCostco has more than 8 or 9 lanes. They have in excess of 15. Keeping the lanes moving is something Americans do exceptionally well. Not so here.
ReplyDeleteThe better concept here would be what's done in most of the world, and that's one line and when your turn comes up you go to next available cashier.
Rumour has it that people in Toronto feel less guilty about breaking into line before someone who had been there before them--particularly at bus stops.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I see someone trying to sneak into line here, however, I usually tell them to move to the end where they belong--dirty looks or not.
A new trick these clowns use lately is to "innocently wander" to the front of a line and pretend they're making an "important" call on their cellphone so they can ignore you.
And on that note, I find so-called "cellphone etiquette" is getting worse. People have just become so self-centered. You could be walking along and some idiot with his or her phone up against their ear have no clue that they are about to collide with you.
I swear, someday I'm just going to push them out of my way and shout at them. I've come pretty close to doing it, too!
It would be interesting to read other such experiences in this blog.
I can vouch for the Toronto aggressiveness.
ReplyDeleteI let someone in front of me at an airport, because he seemed to be in a big rush. When he failed to thank me, I told him he was welcome -- his reply: "now I'm in front of you!" Pretty sure he was a lawyer.
Charlie.