Store Lines and Cell Phones: Did I do wrong?

[CakeBeret]

I think you were rude. Unless there is a posted policy stating that they won't wait on people on phones then you leave it up to the cashier to make that call (no pun intended).

I think that it's not necessarily about the cell phone, but about the fact that the woman was standing 10 feet away and clearly not paying attention, and expected the rest of the world to wait around for her. I think that the OP had every right to protest the woman's claim of being in line.

In other words, I agree with bloo.

[Bijou]

You were just fine.  She wasn't even in line.  She was standing a distance away talking on her cell phone. 
(If you had walked up behind her and stood there as she had her conversation she probably would have given you an icy stare and said, "Excuse me, do you mind?  I'm trying to have a private conversation and don't need an eavesdropper at my elbow!")

[JenJay]

I think you were fine and I bet, if she could have done so without getting herself in serious trouble, the cashier probably would have high-fived you.

I know that when I worked in a grocery store the cashiers hated having to stand there, line forming, while some distracted person thought the world came to a halt because their phone rang. They just weren't allowed to do anything about it except make "I'm sorry" faces at the people waiting and "you rock" faces at annoyed customers who did speak up.

[weeblewobble]

I think you were rude. Unless there is a posted policy stating that they won't wait on people on phones then you leave it up to the cashier to make that call (no pun intended).

I am not going to argue with you.  I don't think I would have had that embarrassed moment unless I felt there was some rudeness on my part.  I am curious though, what I should do next time?  Wait behind the cell phone user and say nothing?  Ask, "Ma'am, if you're waiting to be served, could you please move toward the register?"

[Yvaine]

If she was inline putting her items on the convier belt while chatting then I would say you were rude but since she was 10 feet away how would someone know if she was in line or not?

This is where I'm at. It annoys me when people check out while on the phone, but it's not really my call, as another customer, to tell them so. However, the woman was nowhere near the register and not in a standard "waiting in line" spot. To me, if I'm picturing this scenario correctly, I'd have guessed she was intentionally not in line--that she had stepped out of line to finish her conversation or something like that. You can't just stand in some random place and have people psychically know you're in line. If that worked, I'd be first in line for tickets to the next Adele concert. Never mind I'm sitting on my couch. 

[DottyG]

I am curious though, what I should do next time?  Wait behind the cell phone user and say nothing?  Ask, "Ma'am, if you're waiting to be served, could you please move toward the register?"

Or you could just say, "Excuse me.  Are you in line?"  You still run the risk of her getting angry because you interrupted her phone conversation, but that's not your fault.

[ettiquit]

I doubt I'd even give the phone lady a second glance when going up to the cashier.  She was clearly not in line.  However, she clearly thought that she was and had no intention of going up to the cashier until she ended her phone call.  Given that, the OP's comment was appropriate.

[Danika]

I think you were rude. Unless there is a posted policy stating that they won't wait on people on phones then you leave it up to the cashier to make that call (no pun intended).

I think that it's not necessarily about the cell phone, but about the fact that the woman was standing 10 feet away and clearly not paying attention, and expected the rest of the world to wait around for her. I think that the OP had every right to protest the woman's claim of being in line...

POD

There have been times when I was in line, without a cart and without anyone behind me. I only had a few things in one hand and then I saw a magazine or a package of gum and walked 2 feet away, for 2 seconds, to grab it and come back in line. Then, when I turned around, I saw that someone had taken my place in line because they didn't think I was in line. I didn't freak out and call them rude. I didn't even say "excuse me, but I was in line. Get behind me." I realized that I had gotten out of line or given that semblance, and without a cart to hold my place, I just got behind the person who had inadvertently cut in front of me.

She sounds like the kind of person who can't see anything from anyone else's perspective and thinks she can bully her way through life by being rude.

I think you were not rude at all and your answer was appropriate, polite and firm. And good for you for not just getting behind her.

[nuit93]

I think you were in the right, it doesn't sound like any reasonable person could have looked at her and decided "she must be waiting in line".

[jpcher]

I was Christmas shopping today.  I found my items and went toward the cashiers.  There was one register open and the clerk wasn't checking anyone out.  There was a woman standing about ten feet away from the register (basically all the way across the wide lane designated for register foot traffic) talking on her cell phone. 

I stepped around the woman and approached the register, putting my items on the counter, only to hear, "Excuse me!  There's a LINE and it starts behind me!"  The woman still had her cell phone to her ear, but seemed pretty incensed that I'd "skipped" her.  Apparently, I was supposed to wait behind her until she finished her phone conversation and moved toward the register.  All of my ehell training went out of my brain and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind, which was, "I'm sure that the clerk would be happy to help you, once you've finished your phone conversation."

By this time, there were people lining up behind her and the clerk had started my transaction.  The woman called me "rude" and a few other names.   She was the next customer the clerk waited on. I ignored her as she continued to call me names, thanked the clerk and walked out of the store.

I got in my car and had that, "OMGosh, I can't BELIEVE I said that!!" moment and got really embarrassed.  So I throw myself on the mercy of the ehell court.

Was what I said rude?

Would it have been better if I'd said something else?

Would it have been better if I'd said, "OK," and moved back behind the woman until she was ready to check out?   

Maybe I'm missing something . . . How can you "step around" someone that is standing 10 feet away? I mean 10 feet away is a long way from where the register is. I wouldn't thing twice about someone standing that far away from the register as actually being in line.

Did the woman have stuff on the counter being checked out and a transaction was taking place when she stepped away to take a phone call? Where was she in proximity to her cart?


OP -- I think that you did fine. Your comment was quite polite.

[Sharnita]

What Dotty said. Since she is on the phone I'd likely shorten it more and just say "Are you in line?"

[weeblewobble]

I was Christmas shopping today.  I found my items and went toward the cashiers.  There was one register open and the clerk wasn't checking anyone out.  There was a woman standing about ten feet away from the register (basically all the way across the wide lane designated for register foot traffic) talking on her cell phone. 

I stepped around the woman and approached the register, putting my items on the counter, only to hear, "Excuse me!  There's a LINE and it starts behind me!"  The woman still had her cell phone to her ear, but seemed pretty incensed that I'd "skipped" her.  Apparently, I was supposed to wait behind her until she finished her phone conversation and moved toward the register.  All of my ehell training went out of my brain and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind, which was, "I'm sure that the clerk would be happy to help you, once you've finished your phone conversation."

By this time, there were people lining up behind her and the clerk had started my transaction.  The woman called me "rude" and a few other names.   She was the next customer the clerk waited on. I ignored her as she continued to call me names, thanked the clerk and walked out of the store.

I got in my car and had that, "OMGosh, I can't BELIEVE I said that!!" moment and got really embarrassed.  So I throw myself on the mercy of the ehell court.

Was what I said rude?

Would it have been better if I'd said something else?

Would it have been better if I'd said, "OK," and moved back behind the woman until she was ready to check out?   

Maybe I'm missing something . . . How can you "step around" someone that is standing 10 feet away? I mean 10 feet away is a long way from where the register is. I wouldn't thing twice about someone standing that far away from the register as actually being in line.

Did the woman have stuff on the counter being checked out and a transaction was taking place when she stepped away to take a phone call? Where was she in proximity to her cart?


OP -- I think that you did fine. Your comment was quite polite.

I meant I walked past her.  But I did change my course to give her a few feet of space, so technically, I did have to step around her.  No, she didn't have any items on the counter.  She was holding one item.  No cart.  I think that was what was so bewildering.  She was no where near the counter.

[LifeOnPluto]

The woman was rude and ridiculous. If she wanted to be "in line", the onus was on her to... y'know, actually move up to the cash register. Not stand 10 feet back.

[mmswm]

Seems to me like this lady belongs in the Special Snowflakes thread.  I get a sneaking suspicion that no matter what you did, she would have reacted badly.  I don't think you were out of line (pun very much intended) at all.

[O'Dell]

I think you were rude. Unless there is a posted policy stating that they won't wait on people on phones then you leave it up to the cashier to make that call (no pun intended).

I agree with you, Sharnita. The comment about the cell phone was rude. It wasn't your place to decide that, Weeble.

Her being in line or not is another issue. You could have insisted on going first on the basis that she should have made it clear she was in line if she was ready to check out.