Brits are stereotypically staunch practitioners of strict queueing etiquette. Almost by birth-right, they naturally follow a fair system of "first come, first served". It's quite nice to be able to count on this when it comes time to wait for something. Jumping the queue is worse than farting in an elevator or perhaps even worse than murder. The system seems to work quite flawlessly... until it comes to train travel.
Everyone has a price. For the Brits, in this particular situation, the price is the ability to get a seat on a crowded train. For that they will outright deny their natural tendency for fair queueing practices.
An example: I take a direct train to London every weekday. This service originates at Southampton or Poole, so it is usually quite full when it arrives at Winchester. My fellow travellers form queues spaced along the platform according to where the carriage doors usually end up when the train stops. What starts as three or four people queueing in roughly two rows of two, quickly turns into an amorphous clump of ten or more people with a seat-yearning lust in the eyes. When the train arrives, the clump starts to flex and move. Suddenly, a person who arrived at the station one minute before the train arrives is able to get on before someone who has put in the extra effort to get up earlier so as to get to the station five or ten minutes before the train is due. These queue-jumpers do it with no remorse. And no one says anything! Brits will very quickly correct a queueing infraction in any other situation, so why not on the platform? Because deep down, they know they'd take the same opportunity as the queue-jumper did because they just might get a seat on the train.
My challenge to you, Britain, is to uphold your usual queueing etiquette in all situations. Can you do it?
-RP-
-RP-
1 comment:
Alright Richard,
Hows things? Hope they are well. Just thought I'd fire off a quick missive to your blog 'challenge'.
There are four reasons why we Brits don't queue for trains:
1. Historical -trains were a luxury, for rich dudes. Rich dudes definitely don't stand. They want to relax. You also exert less energy seated (fact)(see 'Kiss in the Tunnel' silent film, and numerous other sources!)
2. It's a train journey, not a short journey for many people. Standing up is hard work first thing in the morning, and there might be more of to do on the tube. Ergo, it is vitally important you get a seat - the prosperity not only of the rest of your day, but of the rest of your life, is directly linked to whether or not you get that seat, and relax, which (as already outlined in point 1.) is much healthier and less energy-consuming.
3. Someone else started not queueing, and no one complained, and so the tradition has gone on, and long may it do so!
4. This one -fresh off the top of my head- The train will leave sooner if everybody gets on it quicker. If it leaves sooner, it means the carbon emissions and/or electricity used- from the train will be less.
Therefore, there are no queues because we are all vitally concerned with reducing our energy consumption and greenhouse gases. That explains the life-threatening urgency with which we scramble for the train. It's all for the brotherhood of man and mother earth! (fact).
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