Queue-cutting at DMart Nandanvan: Why do people think basic public etiquette doesn’t apply to them?
Today at DMart Nandanvan, I went to pick up some cheese popcorn and was second in the queue.
A partially bald man appeared behind me and tried his luck at breaking the queue. Then a 45–50-year-old woman tried doing the same. I called both of them out.
The woman immediately started throwing a tantrum about how there should be a separate queue for women. I told her, “Please speak to DMart management and get one made. I’m not the person running this store.”
She then came around from the other side and started physically pressing against me from my left, while trying to get ahead. When I pointed out that she was doing exactly what I had objected to, she got even more aggressive and started playing the woman card.
Fortunately, my wife was right there. She immediately called her out, and the woman backed off.
Then, at the popcorn counter, the same bald guy appeared out of nowhere, squeezed his hand through the queue and tried to get his popcorn before everyone else. I told the counter staff that they should enforce the queue instead of encouraging people to break it by randomly accepting tokens.
That apparently triggered him.
He started arguing with me and somehow blamed me for letting him squeeze his hand through and hand his coupon to the attendant. I asked him, “What exactly was I supposed to do? Twist your wrist to stop you?”
He then started creating a scene.
I told him that maintaining a queue in a public place is basic etiquette. People generally don't try this nonsense inside DMart because if they create a ruckus, security will throw them out.
At one point, I told him, “Aisa pelunga jitne baal hain, utne bhi sar pe nahi bachenge.”
That, unsurprisingly, made him suddenly very conscious about his hair. He started protesting, “Mere baalon ke baare mein mat bolo.”
I also told them that if necessary, CCTV footage could easily establish exactly who was trying to break the queue and who started creating a scene after being called out.
But the bigger question is: Do you really need education, privilege or social status to understand basic public etiquette?
Standing in a queue. Waiting for your turn. Not physically pushing your way ahead. Not creating a scene when someone calls you out.
These aren't complicated concepts. They are basic manners.
And honestly, the most irritating part isn't even someone trying to break the queue. It's the entitlement that follows when you stop them.