My episode on what happens when someone crowds in line received a great response — probably because we’ve all had to suffer a stranger standing so close that they could count the freckles on your neck. I can’t stand it! I encountered this the other day and thought it deserved revisiting.
Waiting in line brings out the worst in people (via Getty Images)
The undisputed, undefeated champion of improper line etiquette is The Crowder. Unless I’m stranded on the top of Mt. Everest, I don’t want someone pressing up against me as if we’re keeping warm to survive. Here are 3 Quick and Dirty Tips for better line etiquette:
Tip #1: Ask Politely
If you’re on the receiving end of The Crowder, kindly ask them to step back a foot or two. Don’t be rude when you do this; just give them a heads up and let them move back.
Tip #2: Use Your Inside Voice
When in line, you need to use your inside voice. Shouting on your cell phone as if you were stuck in a wind tunnel is not necessary. And if your call is that important then step out of line and return when you are done.
Tip #3: Try a Little Tenderness
This next tip is best put to use in grocery or clothing stores. There is always one person in line with one item, while the person in front of them has 20. If you are the latter, try a little tenderness and allow the person with just one item to go ahead of you. Think of it as paying it forward.
Have you had an encounter with The Crowder? Tell us about it in Comments.
100% agree with #3. I also let people with screaming or about to be in a tantrum children go ahead. It makes everyone’s day much more pleasant.
And with #1: I guess saying, “You have to buy me dinner before you get that close” would be out of the question?
Yes, I was being crowded standing in line at the Statue of Liberty when it re-opened in 1989. A hispanic woman kept pushing against me over and over even after asking her politely to stay back. After there times of that nonesense I grabbed the front of her dress and shoved her forward shouting, “YOU WANT TO GO IN FRONT SO BADLY, SO GO!” She was holding her husband’s hand and they both lunged forward. I’m a 4′ 8″ petite Asian and 4 feet of that is gall and lungs! Don’t mess with me. Another time I used my umbrella as a weapon to keep people from crowding me. That works. No wonder they prevent umbrellas from entering arenas and stadiums.