10 Items or Less - Your Reaction

[turkeycall]

Some Dyessers might think this trite and inconsequential, but there are times when the people around you can be so insensitive and self-absorbed. Take, for instance, the “Ten Items or Less� check-out lane at Meijer, Wal-Mart, or any grocery store you might patronize. Do you become upset when some shopper unloads twenty or more items when you and others in line have one, two, or maybe five items? How upset do you become? How do you react? It seems everyone might have a story.

While living in Huntington, Indiana twenty years ago, I went to the local supermarket to pick up one bottle of Italian dressing. I approached the “speedy, 10 Items or Less� aisle. There in front of me, was a lady who took 19 or 20 items from her cart and placed them on the conveyor belt. The cashier looked at me and the line of five people behind me who had one or two items, but said nothing to this lady. Her items were checked through.

The lady then took out her pen and pointed to the sign which read, “No Checks Cash Only,� then asked if she could write a check. Of course, the cashier said it would be okay. It is a logical presumption that the cashiers have been instructed by management not to correct the customers.

I waited until this lady’s purchase was completed, then asked her if she had graduated from North Huntington High School. She smiled - probably thinking I recognized her - and said that, indeed, she had. I replied that the local school system hadn’t done a very good job at teaching her to read. Her smile quickly turned to a frown and she left in a huff.

Not expecting it . . . The shoppers behind me applauded me.

Just out of curiosity, what’s your story? How do you handle a situation like this?

[Big Dog]

Maybe, she was very close to soiling herself. better to make it home, than in the store.

[Maof]

i don't have a problem when people are several items over the "required" but then to write a check...now then that's gonna piss me off. i know at kroger, they will direct customers to go to the 15 items or less isle if they only have 1 or 2 registers open.

[lilpup]

There are so many self-scanners around now it doesn't really matter. One person might be over the limit but they'll only tie up one scanner.

[Pam]

What really cheeses me off is those signs should read "10 items or fewer."

[gibran]

My bet she would be the one who would dress someone down if she was behind her.

[Mikeg]

My better half has all of the good shopping "war stories". She came home one day from the dry cleaners with this one. She was second in a line of six people waiting to be served when a lady walked into the store and went directly up to the counter where she laid down her items to be cleaned. My wife looked at her and said "Excuse me, the line starts back there". The woman just looked at her and said, "No English" and didn't make a move. So while sweeping her arm in a rainbow motion towards the back of the line, my wife loudly said to her, "you go there". Sheepishly, the woman picked up her things and retreated to the end of the line, while several of the others in line gave my wife a polite round of applause.

[Sstashmoo]

This sort of goes along with the "are things better or worse now" thread.

People are totally inconsiderate and impolite in stores nowadays. I absolutely refuse to Christmas shop in area retailers anymore. If it ain't on the Internet, it won't be under the tree. The last straw, was when a lady friend and myself were shopping at Costco a few years ago, and some miserable old frump, slammed her cart into ours intentionally, and cut my friends hand, as she had it over the side looking the other way. I was livid, and I let the frump know my opinion on her thoughtlessness. Then we each blamed ourselves for being there to begin with.

Another time in that very same store, the lines were out the azz as usual, This lady in front of me kept jumping to other lines and then jumping back in to ours when that line slowed, always going back to the same spot in front of me. I asked her to let me know when she decided on a line that suited her. That store seems to bring the worst out in people. Maybe because they have to pay to shop there???

My opinion on the over ten item shoppers, piss on em' they're jerks and they know they are jerks and wake up every morning and realize it.

The good ol' days, if someone offended you or your wife in public, proper etiquette was to jackslap them. People were much more polite then.

[Ravine]

What really cheeses me off is those signs should read "10 items or fewer."

Classic Pam, if ever I have seed it. Hilarious.

And, uh, Sstash... I have to, I mean got to, I mean must [[better, Pam?) ask... When the fuck was it ever "proper etiquette" to "jackslap" anybody in a situation of that type?
However, since you brought it up, that's why the manners are so crummy in this here forum, and better in the much-derided one across the street: people do behave better when their neighbor is free to slap the fudge out of them.

[Lowell]

You were lucky she didn't pull out her coupon pouch and start arguing over expired dates.

[Jimaz]

While living in Huntington, Indiana twenty years ago, I went to the local supermarket to pick up one bottle of Italian dressing....

It can't be healthy to hold a grudge against a stranger for twenty years.

I prefer to deal with these situations in a different way I call "reverse revenge." Instead of passively accepting the role of being offended by the offender, I instead watch for opportunities to assist someone else who sincerely needs help. It's no great sacrifice to offer an elderly person a cut in line or patiently hold a door for someone struggling with a walker. They're always extremely grateful. The satisfaction of revenge comes from knowing you're secretly undermining the selfish worldview of the one who offended you.

The bonus is that it makes the world a better place.

[rb336]

I have pulled a person's cart out when they were in the express lanes [[aren't most up to 15-20 items now?) and shoved it down the row. yes, i was in a crappy mood and not feeling terribly charitable.

I was working at a total station once, this lady kept doing the lane change bit, and I kept going to the car that was at the pump first. she got soooo red. I told her if she had stayed in one place she would have gotten served five or six cars earlier.

[eriedearie]

Quite often I've noticed the express lane was backed up when I have been in a regular check out lane. I noticed people behind me with a few things in their hands or carts and let them go ahead of me. To me it's only common courtesy. Why make them wait while I have a cart load of stuff for the checker? And more often than not, the favor gets returned to me by another courteous person.

And I love it when shopping at Aldis when I'm finished with my cart, and there's a person who has just parked and will be needing a cart. I offer them my cart and they thank me and start fishing for a quarter. I like to refuse the quarter, and then I see the surprised look on their face. I tell them a little kindness goes a long way - and when they are finished with the cart to pass it on. And I like it even better when I return to Aldis another day and I'm on the receiving end of the cart! - Yes, it does happen!

[East Detroit]

I generally don't count how many items are in the carts of others.

I also don't use the "U-Scan", because to me it is like using the "U-take a job away." I would rather pay a couple pennies more in the cost of groceries and deal with a real person. But I'm sure the corporate chieftains are still working on the cheap RFID concept so we'll never need a person again.... for our convenience of course.

[gnome]

And I love it when shopping at Aldis when I'm finished with my cart, and there's a person who has just parked and will be needing a cart. I offer them my cart and they thank me and start fishing for a quarter. I like to refuse the quarter, and then I see the surprised look on their face. I tell them a little kindness goes a long way - and when they are finished with the cart to pass it on. And I like it even better when I return to Aldis another day and I'm on the receiving end of the cart! - Yes, it does happen!

E.D., that is an excellent idea; leave it to you to bring a positive vibe to an everyday thing. I can't wait to head to Aldi and pay homage to your idea.

[EMG]

Let's just say that if I were in charge, there would be a law banning all retail establishments from accepting checks or coupons.

With debit cards available, there is absolutely no justification for anyone to be writing checks at the grocers' nor for grocers to accept them.

[Locke09]

People are very inconsiderate, however, I wouldn't be too quick to take offense at people with more items than allowed in the "10 items or less" lane.

I have often seen cashiers wave one or two people over to that lane if there is no one in line already and the other lanes are backed up. They do this to try and help clear the lines rather than stand there doing nothing, waiting on someone with one or two items to come to their lane.

If I get into a line and there is already someone loading their items on the conveyor belt, I figure it was a good utilization of time for the cashier to have gone ahead and gotten started with them. Now, if there is a line already and someone with twice as many items as allowed gets into it, that's a different story.

[turkeycall]

Jimaz quote: "It can't be healthy to hold a grudge against a stranger for twenty years."

I'm not holding a grudge. I don't even know the name of the lady in question. I came across a website at which the blogger was bringing up the issue of grocery checkout manners. It reminded me of that time in Huntington and I used that particular event only as an example. Evidently, the societial attitudes haven't changed in over twenty years.

What I was looking for was to see how people react to those who pile on the groceries at the express lane. Is it seen as an infringement on acceptable social behavior, or is it a non-issue? That's all.

[Gistok]

When shopping at CVS I am surprised at how many people don't realize the concept of a "Bee Line" [[although the stores don't do a good job of making that apparent). So when someone cuts up to a register [[or more than likely get in line behind someone already att one of the registers)... I have to politely tell them that it's a Bee Line... and that they should BE BEHIND ME....

[Mackenzie68]

I have been known to develop "cart rage when someone is looking lef t and pushing straight ahead into me. I just let them slam into my cart and then laugh as they try to justify themselves. I have also been known to count aloud as the person ahead of me slowly plunked their items on the belt.

Yes, I often gesture someone to go ahead when they have just a very few things. Having been stung once or twice by a second, attached shopper with a full cart, I now ask if they are alone.

On the other hand, I was trying to be friendly to the cashier this afternoon and had to dive for my wallet at the last minute. Doh! Sorry if you were behind me, I paid cash and got out of the way with my cloth bag as quickly as I could.

Someone mentioned common courtsey, and I think it, and its cousins common sense and common kindness are poorly named.

[sirrealone]

Let's just say that if I were in charge, there would be a law banning all retail establishments from accepting checks or coupons.

Coupons? Really? Would you personally be willing to send me $5 - $10 per week to make up the difference in savings that our family would no longer get after you banned coupons?

[East Detroit]

When shopping at CVS I am surprised at how many people don't realize the concept of a "Bee Line" ...

Me too, but I dont think its that they dont realize the concept. I think they either realize and are selfish or are so into their own thing that they dont pay attention to anything but themselves.

[gazhekwe]

I agree about U-Scan, I think it takes jobs as well. I have been forced into it from time to time by the U-Scan minder who then does the scanning him or herself. Personal service! I guess they are worried about their jobs too.

[TKshreve]

These u-scanners are there for two reasons. They sell you the idea that you can "Do it yourself, and much quicker" on top of slashing labor and man hours to keep lanes open.

AKA - You can now do our job. Just wait till they start adding a convenience fee for using these U-scans. I can already see one with a spidered crack throughout the interface screen in the shape of a fist.

[Jman]

The people who build, market, distribute and install the u-scan are greatful for their jobs.