The grocery store was crowded. All the checkout counters had several people waiting in line. I surveyed the lines to see which one would be the quickest. I could not go to the express counter as I had too many items. Should I join the one with the least number of people? Looking at their overflowing baskets, I decided against it. Those who study the psychology of queues (yes, there is such a thing) will tell you this decision making is a bit stressful. Nothing is more irritating than seeing other lines move faster when yours crawls. I don't know about your experience but the other lines always move faster. That's the law of the supermarket. And the other line moves faster until you join it!
I watched the cashier at the next counter gabbing away with a customer while people waiting there were clearly getting annoyed. 'Price check, counter three', blared a voice over the PA. I realized that it was now my turn to get annoyed as this was going to hold up my line. I wondered why the grocery store did not have a single line with multiple counters serving them. It is well established that such a system makes for faster throughput. Having multiple lines also violates that most cardinal principle of the queue - first come first served. I suppose it is a question of space.
A queue can evoke memories of times of shortages and rationing. Even when there are no shortages, the suggestion of limited supplies galvanizes people to rush to the stores. The (in)famous Black Friday sales cause stampedes because the insane discounts may be gone in the first few hours of the store opening. Even online sites may get overwhelmed by the traffic. Amusement parks get crowded and their star attractions have long waiting times to get in. The more popular it is, the more crowd it pulls. You do not want to miss it in the limited hours at your disposal.
The arrival of a new model of smartphone results in people camping out overnight to be the first ones to get their hands on one. I don't understand this though. It's not like Apple going to stop selling the phones after one day. Somewhat paradoxically, it is a competitive urge - wanting to be the first to get the new model of the phone or get that new Harry Potter book or be the first to see a new movie that motivates people here rather than any need for fairness.
When one sees people lining up outside a restaurant, the natural assumption is that it is a popular place to eat. Otherwise, why would people want to wait in line rather than go somewhere where they can satisfy their hunger quickly? I guess the hunger of the affluent is different from that of someone who is unsure where his next meal is going to come from or when.
Regardless of the reason, an orderly queue gives us the confidence that the process will be fair. So any attempt to cut in front is met with a strong collective response from those waiting. People seem capable of self-organization in these situations. Queues work well as long as there is the assurance that there is adequate supply to meet the demand. Absent that, the situation can descend into chaos.
I used to take the bus for a while when I was in Bombay. Everyone had assured me that the queue worked at the bus stops there. However, my experience was different. While there seemed to be a line of sorts waiting for the bus, the moment the bus was spotted, things changed. People surged forward to the front and swarmed the rear entrance. The conductor would then declare how many could get in and blocked any more from getting in. And in an amazing deference to the man in uniform, the crowd would fall back. But clearly, the line discipline was gone since the demand far exceeded the supply.
Long ago (at least it seems that way), before there was online reservation for train tickets, booking a train journey was a project in itself. In Bombay, the approach of the summer vacation meant wending one's way to Victoria Terminus (if you were travelling to the south as I used to) a month in advance and waiting in line to make the reservation. The railways made special arrangements to handle the rush.There was a separate booking hall for certain trains and counters were set up to handle specific trains. Some trains needed two counters because of their popularity - one for odd dates and one for even dates. Extra coaches were added during this time as families wanted go back to their native towns or villages that were usually a day and a half's journey away.
Air travel involves lines at every turn. You may be able to book your ticket online or through an agent but you have to wait in line to check your bags in. Then there is the security check. At the gate again you may have to join a queue for boarding. After all that, during the flight if you want to use the toilet, there is a line for it too. When you get off, you may have to go through immigration counter. A lot of standing and waiting indeed.
Waiting permeates every aspect of our lives. At the bus stop, the train station, the post office, the fast food counter - you have lines everywhere. Fast food eateries often have a 'drive thru' option but then you have a line of cars waiting with their engines running. Even temples are not exempt from this. Some gods it would seem are more popular than others among the devotees. The faithful are willing to stand in line patiently for hours to get the darshan of the deities at such temples. Those that cannot afford to wait are able to take the fast lane if they can afford the requisite fee. It is kind of ironic when you think that a queue is supposed to level the field. I wonder if god discounts the devotion in proportion to the fee!
As I waited for my turn at the checkout, I wondered if queues were not a great symbol of civilization. Somehow at some point in time we human beings decided that we would wait in line to be served on a first-come-first basis instead of letting the fittest survive so to speak. We accept and expect that the queue ensures equity and efficiency. Notwithstanding its limitations, one might say that the queue is the line that elevates us to civilization from barbarism.
I watched the cashier at the next counter gabbing away with a customer while people waiting there were clearly getting annoyed. 'Price check, counter three', blared a voice over the PA. I realized that it was now my turn to get annoyed as this was going to hold up my line. I wondered why the grocery store did not have a single line with multiple counters serving them. It is well established that such a system makes for faster throughput. Having multiple lines also violates that most cardinal principle of the queue - first come first served. I suppose it is a question of space.
The arrival of a new model of smartphone results in people camping out overnight to be the first ones to get their hands on one. I don't understand this though. It's not like Apple going to stop selling the phones after one day. Somewhat paradoxically, it is a competitive urge - wanting to be the first to get the new model of the phone or get that new Harry Potter book or be the first to see a new movie that motivates people here rather than any need for fairness.
When one sees people lining up outside a restaurant, the natural assumption is that it is a popular place to eat. Otherwise, why would people want to wait in line rather than go somewhere where they can satisfy their hunger quickly? I guess the hunger of the affluent is different from that of someone who is unsure where his next meal is going to come from or when.
Regardless of the reason, an orderly queue gives us the confidence that the process will be fair. So any attempt to cut in front is met with a strong collective response from those waiting. People seem capable of self-organization in these situations. Queues work well as long as there is the assurance that there is adequate supply to meet the demand. Absent that, the situation can descend into chaos.
I used to take the bus for a while when I was in Bombay. Everyone had assured me that the queue worked at the bus stops there. However, my experience was different. While there seemed to be a line of sorts waiting for the bus, the moment the bus was spotted, things changed. People surged forward to the front and swarmed the rear entrance. The conductor would then declare how many could get in and blocked any more from getting in. And in an amazing deference to the man in uniform, the crowd would fall back. But clearly, the line discipline was gone since the demand far exceeded the supply.
Long ago (at least it seems that way), before there was online reservation for train tickets, booking a train journey was a project in itself. In Bombay, the approach of the summer vacation meant wending one's way to Victoria Terminus (if you were travelling to the south as I used to) a month in advance and waiting in line to make the reservation. The railways made special arrangements to handle the rush.There was a separate booking hall for certain trains and counters were set up to handle specific trains. Some trains needed two counters because of their popularity - one for odd dates and one for even dates. Extra coaches were added during this time as families wanted go back to their native towns or villages that were usually a day and a half's journey away.
Air travel involves lines at every turn. You may be able to book your ticket online or through an agent but you have to wait in line to check your bags in. Then there is the security check. At the gate again you may have to join a queue for boarding. After all that, during the flight if you want to use the toilet, there is a line for it too. When you get off, you may have to go through immigration counter. A lot of standing and waiting indeed.
Waiting permeates every aspect of our lives. At the bus stop, the train station, the post office, the fast food counter - you have lines everywhere. Fast food eateries often have a 'drive thru' option but then you have a line of cars waiting with their engines running. Even temples are not exempt from this. Some gods it would seem are more popular than others among the devotees. The faithful are willing to stand in line patiently for hours to get the darshan of the deities at such temples. Those that cannot afford to wait are able to take the fast lane if they can afford the requisite fee. It is kind of ironic when you think that a queue is supposed to level the field. I wonder if god discounts the devotion in proportion to the fee!
