In which I get into a shoving match

[Food Lady]

OK, we were shoving her stuff, not each other. I was barely done actually ringing in the stuff of the couple ahead of her when she shoved her stuff toward the scanner. I hate that for two reasons: it can double-scan stuff or put your stuff on another person's transaction and overcharge him/her, and because it comes out of impatience and a self-centered attitude, it's just plain rude. It will not make me go faster. So I pulled out wrapping paper and put it on top of the 2nd customer's stuff to wrap a glass plate I hadn't gotten to. I pushed it back in order to get at the underneath of the plate I was wrapping. SC didn't react to that, that I could tell, but she shoved it toward me again as I put the plate in the bag. I felt like she was making a point, but she may not have even realized her intent. But she was acting agitated, in a hurry. And I hate when they do that. It's akin to tapping fingers on the counter or jingling keys impatiently. I went on bagging the first person's plate.

This is where I decided to take the upper hand. I heard the plate bonk the counter and realized it wasn't wrapped well enough. Out came the plate and the whole shebang was on the counter again, on top of SC's stuff as I re-wrapped the plate and slid into the bag, taking great pains to make sure it was well-done. And in the process I shoved SC's stuff over to the side again, to get it out of the way. She moved it one last time, so I guess she won this round. I'm ready to go again.

[Golden Phoenix]

I used to hate that too when it happened at Shmesco Groceries. And especially when a kid decided to "help" by doing it, shoving item after item onto the scales/scanner faster than i could grab them while the parents ignored them. It usually meant some stuff didn't scan, some stuff scanned twice, and trying to weigh produce was a nightmare.

On the other side of the equation we have the folks (usually older) who would panic every time the automatic belt would move forward and would hold their stuff back with their arm, meaning nothing hit the sensor beam, meaning the belt kept moving and all of their stuff would pile up and up until it fell on the floor. At which point it was always *my* fault, for some odd reason.

One lady was so freaked out by the belt that every time it moved forward she'd dash back from the bagging area to grab her groceries again, despite my explanation that it would stop. I ended up hitting the emergency stop button on the belt just so I could get the transaction over with.

And don't get me started on people who put baskets on the conveyor belt! I still remember the bruises...

[Food Lady]

I don't work in a grocery; it seems worse.

[XCashier]

People are just insanely impatient and self-centered these days. It's like they can't comprehend that the person in front of them is also a customer, and just as worthy of consideration as they are. They only see an obstacle to them getting what they want. And we employees end up getting it from all sides. It's a sick system.

[Evannah]

I HATE impatient customers, especially when they get behind me. A few days ago me and my mum were standing in the queue in the card shop. A woman came behind me and instantly started complaining about the queue saying it was unbelievable and all this, and she just kept sighing. (er... it's Christmas and you're in a card shop. It' going to be busy). That was bad enough. But then she kept pushing into me and getting all into my personal space, even though she knew I couldn't go anywhere. Then I caught her trying to sidle past me, ever so discreetly, thinking she could jump in front of me, but I kept catching her try to do it.

[emax4]

I probably would have just held my arm in place to create a barrier so she would take the hint.

[Sapphire Silk]

I probably would have just held my arm in place to create a barrier so she would take the hint.

I would have said, "line starts behind me," with a glare.

I hate line jumpers.

[MoonCat]

When people behind me in line start pushing against me, I either turn around and give them the Death Glare (at which point they usually apologize - insincerely, but I've made my point), or else I just shove my butt back at them. Hey, you bumped me first! (although now that my butt is getting smaller that might not work so well )

[Lace Neil Singer]

I once had a woman shove her giant buggy into my legs repeatedly in a queue. Oh, and did I mention that at the time I was on crutches? Eventually, I turned round, gave her a death glare and said, "You shove me with that buggy one more time, and this crutch is going to be across your fat arse." She stopped.

[Slave to the Phone]

I was in the grocery store and went to bag my stuff while the cashier rang it up. I had a lot of stuff because I refuse to shop the week before Christmas, so I know the impatient person behind me could see that there was no way my order was paid for. The cashier was still ringing it up for goodness sake.

A bagger came over to bag, so I went back to the till and almost didn't say anything to the idiot who was standing with his card ready to swipe. I almost ALMOST let him pay for my groceries, but then remembered that it was the cashier who would have gotten in trouble.

[minchazo]

I used to hate that too when it happened at Shmesco Groceries. And especially when a kid decided to "help" by doing it, shoving item after item onto the scales/scanner faster than i could grab them while the parents ignored them. It usually meant some stuff didn't scan, some stuff scanned twice, and trying to weigh produce was a nightmare.

Um... this makes me curious. Where I shop, they don't have the conveyor-belt and the cashier has to remove all items from the cart, scan them, and place them in the bagging area. I've always "helped out" by moving stuff in the cart towards the cashier so they don't have to reach as far or bend down to the bottom level for the heavy stuff (not moving stuff OUT of the cart, mind you, just putting it closer). Am I secretly annoying everyone by doing this?!

[Food Lady]

OK, yes, that does annoy me, but I remind myself that the person is trying to help. The problem with this lady was that she saw me move the stuff out of the way, but repeatedly kept moving it back over. That's a control issue, as opposed to helpfulness. minchazo, I'm sure you are just fine and it's obvious to the cashier you are being courteous. No worries.

[Lace Neil Singer]

There's a big difference between helping, as you are, and hindering. I'm sure that you don't shove items in front of the scanner which is a massive annoyance.