Temptation to Teach

[mojo84]

I would have told the cashier how to better handle and avoid such situation.

[bblhd672]

Stores are bad about not handling those situations. I don't know if its part of their training to let it slide instead of confronting a customer about their boorish behavior. Very rarely have I seen the store personnel make the offending customer move out of the way.

[Soccerdad1995]

I have learned that it is futile to attempt to teach an adult common courtesy. If they weren't properly taught at home, and a lot these days were not, then you are not likely to succeed now. What she did was rude. But it wasn't illegal. I would probably have just shaken my head and resolved again to teach my kids what this lady's parents failed to teach her.

I do think that stores should recognize that some of their customers lack common courtesy, and should adjust by doing something like making eye contact with the next person in line and specifically waving them over. Maybe saying something like "Ma'am, I can help you next over here".

[KLB]

Since I was conceal carrying, I thought it best to stay neutral and hope the situation would peacefully resolve itself . . . What would you have done if you were me in this situation, and what do you normally do in situations like this when there is the temptation to teach someone right from wrong?

I would have done what you did even if I weren't carrying. You can't teach the whole world manners. But given that you were carrying, I think your reluctance to interject yourself into the dispute was especially wise.

[vjallen75]

[Snip]

I would probably have just shaken my head and resolved again to teach my kids what this lady's parents failed to teach her.

[Snip]

This I would use any situation to teach my kids what to do and not to do. If it embarrasses the person of interest then so be it.

I would have done what you did even if I weren't carrying. You can't teach the whole world manners. But given that you were carrying, I think your reluctance to interject yourself into the dispute was wise.

It was wise of you to stay silent. One slip of showing your concealed status could cause unwanted problems.

[Jusme]

I agree with all the previous responses, so many people today have the "me first" attitude, and believe that they are entitled to do what ever they want because they are "in a hurry". Poor manners are learned, just as good ones are, Interjecting yourself into that situation is usually not going to change anything and may potentially escalate the situation.

You mentioned that she was "fidgety" probably because she thinks she has to be in a hurry everywhere because she is use to the instant gratification world she is accustomed to. I would be willing to bet that she wasn't in such a hurry that she would have delayed answering a text, on her way home.

You handled the situation properly, by leading by example. I have had people cut in line in front of me, and just have to pass it off. I always try to be the shining example of courteousness, especially when OC, for the very fact that if someone should say, "Did you see that guy with a gun?" the response would be, "You mean that guy who held the door open for the bunch of thugs cussing at everyone, who didn't even say thank you?"

[AJSully421]

[Snip]

I would probably have just shaken my head and resolved again to teach my kids what this lady's parents failed to teach her.

[Snip]

This I would use any situation to teach my kids what to do and not to do. If it embarrasses the person of interest then so be it.

I would have done what you did even if I weren't carrying. You can't teach the whole world manners. But given that you were carrying, I think your reluctance to interject yourself into the dispute was wise.

It was wise of you to stay silent. One slip of showing your concealed status could cause unwanted problems.

All of the above.

This is called Socialization. Usually, a kid does something like this in elementary or middle school, and the teacher or classmates call attention to it, the person feels (or is made to feel) embarrassed from their discourteous behavior, and they know next time to not do something like that.

Well, when "self esteem" is more important than teaching proper behavior and saying something to correct the person is villainized as "shaming"... this is what you get when these kids get older. Similarly, they have no idea how to handle it when they are corrected by others because they have not had to do it in the past, so they lash out and seek to minimize the impact of their behavior through cognitive dissonance such as blaming the victim and saying something like "You were not moving fast enough." They have no sense of proper social etiquette.

And by the way, i'm not some cranky old man... I'm 33!

[vjallen75]

All of the above.

This is called Socialization. Usually, a kid does something like this in elementary or middle school, and the teacher or classmates call attention to it, the person feels (or is made to feel) embarrassed from their discourteous behavior, and they know next time to not do something like that.

Well, when "self esteem" is more important than teaching proper behavior and saying something to correct the person is villainized as "shaming"... this is what you get when these kids get older. Similarly, they have no idea how to handle it when they are corrected by others because they have not had to do it in the past, so they lash out and seek to minimize the impact of their behavior through cognitive dissonance such as blaming the victim and saying something like "You were not moving fast enough." They have no sense of proper social etiquette.

And by the way, i'm not some cranky old man... I'm 33!

I agree, and by the way I'm 27

[howdy]

Sam's has "10 items or less" self checkout lines. I got behind a lady that had 2 baskets full of stuff in that line. I told the Sam's employee in charge of these lines that she needed to control this type of situation and she just shrugged her shoulders. I said it loud enough so the Lady breaking the rules could hear me. Total waste of my breath.

[Jusme]

Sam's has "10 items or less" self checkout lines. I got behind a lady that had 2 baskets full of stuff in that line. I told the Sam's employee in charge of these lines that she needed to control this type of situation and she just shrugged her shoulders. I said it loud enough so the Lady breaking the rules could hear me. Total waste of my breath.

You can't fix stupid and you can't fix rude

[The Annoyed Man]

The cashier didn't need to say a thing. She (I'm assuming a "she") could have just ignored the rude young lady's purchase and started processing the other customers' purchases. That would have made the point, without requiring her to enter the argument. My guess is that the rude one would have gotten the point soon enough that being a d.......being rude doesn't pay.

[mojo84]

Most good cashiers are trained to approach the next person in line and invite that person to the newly opened register. Costco does a good job with this by stepping over and inviting the next two to the over to the newly opened register. I've even had a manger approach me to let me know quietly a register is about to be opened and if I'd like to go over to it.

There is a way to manage the situation if the cashier and manager want to do what's right. However, I think laziness overrides what's right too often.

[ScottDLS]

[Snip]

I would probably have just shaken my head and resolved again to teach my kids what this lady's parents failed to teach her.

[Snip]

This I would use any situation to teach my kids what to do and not to do. If it embarrasses the person of interest then so be it.

I would have done what you did even if I weren't carrying. You can't teach the whole world manners. But given that you were carrying, I think your reluctance to interject yourself into the dispute was wise.

It was wise of you to stay silent. One slip of showing your concealed status could cause unwanted problems.

This is why there will be blood in the streets when Texas allows concealed carry. CC cowboys will get so enraged by rude shoppers, they'll shoot them on the spot. And any slight against a concealed carrier on the road will turn into an immediate road rage shooting....

Oh, never mind, we've had it for 20 years and still no dead shoppers.

[Mxrdad]

That's when its priceless to have kids with you when these sorta things happen. Same thing happened when I was waiting in line at a grocery store not long ago. I happened to have my 5 year old Grand Daughter with me and when the other lane opened up, we were next in line and guess what? Yep, the woman behind me rushed to the open lane. My Grand Daughter immediately said, Hey, she just cut in line! The woman heard, the cashiers heard and the other patrons heard it. It was a great time to capitalize on that and I told my GD (loud enough for others close by to hear) and very calmly said, Yep, she sure did; she must be in a bigger hurry than the rest of us. Not a word from the woman, or cashier, or the other folks. The woman didn't even look up, or make any kind of acknowledgment whatsoever, she just kept digging around in her purse. The other patrons did look at us but didn't say anything, just looked and nodded in agreement.

But, while it is rude and I agree with others that these folks are unlikely to change, I just chalk it up to "choose your battles" and not worth getting all riled up about it. A rude person cutting in line? Disgusting. A kid calling them out on it? Priceless.