So I was listening to the radio this morning...

[Spiffy McMoron]

...and a guy called in by the name of Darren. When he called, he was sitting in the parking lot of a local Tim Hortons after getting his coffee, shaking with anger. This is his story as he told it:

He was waiting in line to get his cup o' mud, and the line up was streched to the door. Being courteous, people halfway in the lineup left about a two-foot gap in the line to allow people to pass through the line of their way to seats/bathroom/whatever. Darren was standing on the door side of the gap, and the guy ahead of him was on the cashier side of the lineup. (Read: Darren was helping to create the gap)

Suddenly, a woman standing behind Darren told him to move forward. Darren said, no, he's leaving a space for people to pass through. Suddenly, the lady sadi that if he wasn't going to occupy that space, then she would! The lady then started to cut in line. Darren would have no part of this, and he blocked her. Then he started to lay into her--he admitted that he used some colourful language. She got embarassed, and then went back into line. Sadly, no one from the resturant (or the woman in the story) called in to confirm or deny the story.

The general consensus on the morning show was that, yes, the woman was extremely rude for attempting to cut in line, and Darren was courteous to leave the gap. However, Darren lost points for cussing in his diatribe. I was curious to hear what you guys think/would have done in that situation.

[KamenRiderOsaka]

Probably the same thing. I dont know about the language, depends on how obnoxious the lady acted.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I wouldn't let her cut. It's not like leaving a gap makes it take any longer. I wouldn't curse, though; but I can't say I blame him.

[IT Grunt]

I think this is definitely a situation where neither side is a saint. The woman went way out of bounds in her attempt to gain just a couple extra feet forward. Then the flip side, Darren was out of line in cursing in front of everyone.

The question that comes to my mind, however, is why he felt it was necessary. Based on what I read here, this may be a likely scenario:

Darren refuses to close the gap. Woman tries to cut ahead of him in line. Darren blocks her. Woman attempts to push past him. Darren again blocks. Words are exchanged, resulting in the escalation to his resorting to colorful language to get her to back off, which it sounds like he succeeded. I have a suspicion, that's what happened. If that was the case, then he may have felt it was necessary. The language could have been different, but having to be a bit more forceful in his words may have been called for. In this case, he may have lost points for resorting to colorful language, but one could see why he would. Still, that's only hypothetical.

If it were me, I can assure you a few words would be exchanged. Nothing ticks me off more than people cutting in front of me. I tend to control my vocabulary when in public, but if really pushed, it just may let loose.

[BookstoreEscapee]

It's like the guy who cuts you off and speeds out of sight, just to end up right in front of you at the next red light

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Well, hey. It worked. You know?

I have to be honest here. I would have probably cussed her. I would like to think I would have had the sense to make sure there weren't any little kids around, but I have a salty tongue and I more than likely would have been colorful in expressing my displeasure.

I wouldn't have cussed her at first, I would have told her exactly what Darren told her. That I was trying to think of the other guy and allow people to pass through. He started out trying to be polite, and to let her know what he was doing. She responded by being a jerk. I believe jerks should be responded to firmly and aggressively in a case like this. Don't wanna get cussed, don't act like a jerk in public. Simple concept.

Jerks do stuff like this because they rely on everyone else's good manners to sheild them from the consequences of their actions. In this instance, Darren let this jerk know he was polite, hence a perfect person to bully. Time to let her know his good manners was maybe not something she could use against him. Time to let her know some bad manners were coming back into her face.

[Hemily]

i hate lines, as i posted a while back, as i were in line, with my toe injury before my surgery, and people kept running it over, because they wanted to get past, no asking to move, just speeding up with shopping carts to force their way past.

and latest, was when i was about to wash my car, the booths for manual washing, are just by the parkinglot, so, people park, and wait til it's available... except this one guy, it was my turn next, and he just whizzes by the parkinglot, and stands infront of the parked cars, blocking them, wich is why people park instead, to not block the parking...
i started up my car, slid past him as the booth became available, as i was next in line, not him, and he comes over to me looking angry...

Other guy = OG
me = me...

OG: hey, there is a line!
Me: that's exactly what there is...
OG: you snuck past me!
Me: no.. you snuck past teh line, wich is parked, over there, to not block the parkinglot like you are doing...
*OG mumbes and walks away*

and people wonder why i hate public places... common sense is a foreign concept.

[DesignFox]

common decency is a foreign concept, Hemily....

I think the guy did the right thing. He didn't immediately resort to cussing, so he doesn't lose any points with me.

"...I have a salty tongue and I more than likely would have been colorful in expressing my displeasure..."

Kinkoid- I LOVE the way you put that!

[Becks]

In all honesty, I more than likely would've reacted like Darren. Hopefully with little to no swearing, though.

[CRXPanda]

I did that at a light once, there's a business exit, so I left a gap, and this Cherokee/Jeep was exiting the business, and I motioned for her to come on in...right then Mr Ricer boy decided that he was gonna go from behind me and get in front...um we're at a red light...not going anywhere buddy, well the Jeep scared the shidazzle out of Mr Ricer, and I couldn't roll the window down in the delivery truck fast enough to hear the words exchanged...the Jeep and Honda took up the gap, side by side until the light turned green...

[Anakah]

It's like the guy who cuts you off and speeds out of sight, just to end up right in front of you at the next red light

I HATE that! It drives me insane! Especially when there is traffic and some guy infront of you turns, a car passes YOU because you had to slow down to let the guy turn and then he has to break because of the traffic anyway... What's the point of getting ONE car closer? Better yet they pass you and then go slower than you were in the first place... Or they go really slow you try to pass them and all of a sudden its a nascar race.

Same with the line. Ooh, one whole person closer to the line! Let's cut and make an ass out of ourselves! Good for Darren, sticking up for himself. He was only trying to be nice and leave space for other people to pass through. What would it have accomplished for the line cutter? To be ONE person ahead? Honestly, just wait... The cussing may have been excessive. Maybe a few strong words would have been okay but I have quite a mouth on me too and I would have probably cussed too. Only if there were no children present.