Who Enjoys Waiting In Line?

[clwcain]

Anyone? Really? Does anyone here actually enjoy waiting in line? For anything? Check-out at the grocery store? Doctor's office? DMV or equivalent? Customs queue?

[Night Elf]

I don't enjoy it but I learned that skill in public school. :D

[Nicole M]

I enjoy waiting in airports (sitting with a book) but not lines.

 

It's funny you should ask this. I just went last weekend to the Colleges That Change Lives fair, and came away with two things: most students interested in the CTCL are far, far more adept at cutting in line than my polite son (is that what they learn in school?), and there are females that are capable of uttering more words in 60 seconds than both my boys together will speak in a whole month. Not that the second lesson has to do with your question, but those were the two biggies that day.

 

Why do you ask?!

[MotherMayI]

I can recall one time in my life where I enjoyed standing in line. It was during a trip to the grocery (by myself) after a particularly stressful week with the dc. I picked the longest line, and I just relished in the moment...no children begging for gum or a candy bar, no screaming baby, letting me know she had had enough- just a moment to myself.

 

Other than this one time...I do not enjoy standing in line/waiting. At. All!

[SquirrellyMama]

It depends on what I have to do after waiting in line. When I worked outside of the home I enjoyed standing in lines because then I didn't have to go back to the office.

 

I'm not fond of lines when my kids are with me because they haven't been to public school and they do not know how to stand in one.

 

Kelly

[Desert Rat]

I enjoy choice number 3. LOL Really I don't mind waiting in line. But I like Night Elf's response best.

[Laurie]

This works out very well for me in December! I send him out to do most of the Christmas shopping and he never minds waiting "on line" as he calls it. I think it reminds him of his childhood growing up in NYC. My dh laughs when we complain about our snowstorms here in Seattle, our recent heatwave, or about how crowded we think someplace is. His major complaint has been that there are no good bakeries here, but he was happy when I took him to a Scandinavian bakery that sells Black and White cookies! :D

[Spy Car]

While I might admit to not particularly enjoying waiting, I do consider the practice of queuing and waiting ones turn on a first come first served basis one of the great customs of a civilized society.

 

The alternative, where one pushes to the front by physical force, or cuts the line do to social status, is very distasteful to me. So I'll chose "waiting in line" anytime.

 

Bill

Edited August 3, 2009 by Spy Car

[nukeswife]

Although at times it can raise my stress level, most of the time I just consider it part of life and deal. If my kids are with me we'll use it to play I spy or something like that.

[Audrey]

I don't particularly enjoy queues, but I do try to make the most of the wait time. I always have a book with me, for one. If it's during some working time, I always have my BB and can catch up on email, check project status, etc.

[lionfamily1999]

Well, I just love clicking on condescending answers :)

 

I don't mind standing in line. Sure, I could be doing other stuff, but there's plenty of stuff I can do in line. Most of the time I leave part of whatever I need to be prepared for while I'm waiting in line (like writing out my check, or getting my papers in order).

 

Really, I don't mind it 99% of the time.

 

Lines at the emergency room tick me off. Otherwise, even at the DMV, I have something I can do. Most places with line merit me asking my mom to watch the kids (I'm thinking places with long waits). So I get "me time" and get to read my book or whatever in actual peace.

 

The only thing I don't like about lines would be listening to adults whine like little kids while they wait.

[Peek a Boo]

I do consider the practice of queuing and waiting ones turn on a first come first served basis one of the great customs of a civilized society.

 

The alternative, where one pushes to the front by physical force, or cuts the line to to social status, is very distasteful to me. So I'll chose "waiting in line" anytime.

 

Bill

 

Amen.

 

ok, i chose "heck yeah, love it" lol.

Because truly, if I've already decided to buy something, then chances are I've anticipated the time necessary to wait my turn to BUY it. I'm grateful that i have the ability to stand in line, the opportunity to not have to walk twenty miles to get something, and the funds with which to make the purchase. and like SpyCar mentioned, that the worst that happens is I have to wait peacefully for my turn.

 

I'm a people watcher. i like watching the activities that go on around me.

winking/smiling at the little kids. making weird faces at the brats.

maybe chatting w/ the people around me to lighten the mood.

 

but i'm a pretty optimistic "glass is half full" kinda gal.

and yeah, for places other than the grocery store, i take something to keep me occupied.

Edited August 3, 2009 by Peek a Boo

[elegantlion]

Not exactly a line lover but I have learned some very valuable things while waiting. It also depends on if the line is at Walmart or Disney World.

 

When we were at the beach there were no lines, front row seating for all. I think everyone deserves to be at the front for a while, bring your own sunscreen though, the sun is more powerful at the beach.

 

What that has to do with queuing I'm not sure, but I'm really missing the beach.

[readwithem]

The alternative, where one pushes to the front by physical force, or cuts the line to to social status, is very distasteful to me. So I'll chose "waiting in line" anytime.

 

Bill

 

We saw this prominently when trying to clear security (pre 9/11) for an early Monday morning flight in Naples, Italy. :glare:

[readwithem]

You crack me up. This is one of the funniest threads I've read in a long time.

 

Agree that Night Elf's response is fabulous ;)

 

Nice to see you here. Did you make it to the Highland Games this year?

[readwithem]

I don't enjoy it but I learned that skill in public school. :D

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[pooh bear]

As Arthur Dent said

 

"Ok. Leave this to me. I'm British. I know how to queue. "

 

 

I really don't mind standing in line for things. Bring a book if you know it's going to be awhile.

Edited August 3, 2009 by Pooh Bear

[CalicoKat]

when I was 16 I decided that it was better to call it queue. Somehow it's a little less annoying to queue up than to wait in line. :D

[elise1mds]

It doesn't bother me if I am by myself. It stresses me out when my kids are with me. I never know what they will do when they get bored.

 

That's me. If the kids act up, it'll depend what kind of line it is as to whether it stresses me out. If it's one of those lines where you're just expected to be dead silent (the bank, for instance), it's stressful. If it's a line at the zoo waiting for the train, I'm just as likely to start singing and playing silly games with my kids. Of course, half the time I do that in the bank, too..... :tongue_smilie:

[Tree House Academy]

It depends. If I am waiting in line to use the bathroom, Umm...yeah. But, if I am waiting in line at the grocery store, I figure it is part of life. I take the opportunity to read a magazine, talk with others in line, etc. I try not to sweat the small stuff and waiting in line is just one of those everyday inconveniences, IMO.

[anissarobert]

I don't love it, but it doesn't bother me, unless dc are acting up! I usually just talk to others in the line if it is somewhere like the grocery store, or bring something to do. (Although I usually don't do what I bring, because I end up talking to someone.)

[beansprouts]

I accept lines as a necessary evil, and do not make myself or others miserable over things I can not control. However, I much prefer to give my business to companies that are run efficiently with enough qualified staff available to meet the needs of every one of their clientele in a timely manner so that none of our time is wasted. I voted "no" to lines.

[Melissa in FL]

I couldn't answer your poll, because it really depends.

 

If I'm at the grocery store it's a necessary evil. I will even stand in a longer line to get a cashier that I like. Although I have chosen not to go to one grocery store because the lines are always really long, they just don't schedule enough cashiers. I figure my time is worth something and I'll go to a store that respects that.

 

If I'm at the doctor or dentist or orthodontist and I have an appointment for a certain time then I get annoyed that I have to wait. The worst is at the doctors, they will often slid people in during the day and that makes the scheduled appointments fall way behind. One doctor that was recommended to me has a huge problem with this, you can expect to wait at least an hour after your appointment to see her if you have a late appointment. We have chosen to go with a different doctor who respects our time as much as theirs. Also, when they are running so far behind I don't think you get as good of care. The doctor is then trying to make up time and spends only moments with us. I understand that they need to squeeze in sick patients, but you would think they could plan several hours free in the morning or end of the day to take them instead of making those with appointments wait so long. After waiting several weeks for an appointment I don't want to wait the day of.

 

And of course I have been in the ER waiting with a sick child and I hate the lines there. I'll only take my child if I truly feel they need care NOW! It's very annoying to have to wait for what I consider an emergency.

 

So, for me a line depends on why I'm standing in line.

Melissa

[Soph the vet]

What kind of lines were you thinking of, Chris? I once stood in line for a flu shot for 3 hours outside in Minnesota in December. I made very good friends with the people around me and we all decided we would get pneumonia even after receiving our flu shots!

[lionfamily1999]

I'm a people watcher. i like watching the activities that go on around me.

winking/smiling at the little kids. making weird faces at the brats.

maybe chatting w/ the people around me to lighten the mood.

 

Me too! I'm very rarely bored while waiting. There's too much to see and think about.

I hate when I do that and am asked to go to a shorter line.

 

What helps is that I won't go somewhere if I don't have time. I don't go grocery shopping if I know I HAVE to be somewhere in an hour. Otherwise I would be stressed out the whole time.

:iagree: Knowing there's a line, you go with time to wait. And I don't like it when I'm "forced" to join a shorter line, or when someone acts like I've performed a miracle because I let them infront of me (you have one can of food, I think I can wait).

[clwcain]

Amazing. Simply amazing. See, I hate lines of any kind: traffic, checkout, you name it.

 

I shop on the Internet as much as possible to avoid lines. I can't stand just standing around.

 

Voting drives me crazy for this reason. Waiting in doctor's offices, the same.

 

Waiting lists are even worse than physically standing in line.

 

And I can't fathom why anyone would want more and longer lines for anything.

 

One of the joys of living in Italy was that no one queued up for anything. Far more civilized, IMO.

[MamaT]

I hate waiting in line. It really stresses me out. I hide it very, very well though. I'm always polite, but I cannot stand to waste time.

 

This is after waiting 2 hours in the DMV yesterday for my son to take his driving test!:001_smile: