Canada In The Minority Of Countries Where Orderly Queues Persist

[MineGoesTo11]

Everyone line up: Canada’s tradition of orderly queuing

When Israeli-born author Ayelet Tsabari first immigrated to Canada in 1998, a strange sight caught her eye on the sidewalks of Vancouver.

Beneath every Canadian bus stop sign, as if commanded by an invisible drill sergeant, citizens young and old automatically formed into neat, ordered lines.

“I was wondering, ‘Why are people standing like that?’” she said.

And the phenomenon is not only baffling to Israelis. Ms. Tsabari described bonding with an Iraqi friend over the “foreign and strange” practice. But from Russia to China to Italy to the entire Middle East, there are billions of people around the world who are genuinely confused by the penchant of English-speaking peoples to constantly form into queues.

“Lining up is seen as a universal sort of truth,” said J.J. McCullough, the Vancouver-based author of J.J.’s Complete Guide to Canada, an online primer for newcomers. “And if someone doesn’t adhere to the protocol then it must be because they’re uncouth or uncivilized, rather that this is a sort of idiosyncratic tradition that we’ve internalized.”

He noted that his own lineup training started in elementary school. “That was such a big thing that they always really drilled into us: Whenever we would leave the classroom we had to line up,” he said.

Yes, we form lines and if you jump ahead, you are scum. This is what separates us from the barbarian hordes.

 

[Comanche]

By height, boy, girl, boy, girl?

 

[guthrij]

 

[S_G_D]

We also don't have conversations with each other in the middle of a doorway. (seriously, why do people do that?)


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[fett]

I just love lines. I have attended lots of big get togethers where they all line up on one side of long tables. The actual workers had already left after the food was there. No lines for me. I just started a line on the other side. They followed. About "Lines" and parking lots. Why is it that the parking lots at my local supermarkets have hundreds of open spaces and it never fails. There is something about having to park right next to another car.

 

[Digger]

Absobloodylootly right!

Same here as were are very polite and queue for everything. Anybody jumping in stands the risk of getting a thick ear! We always say please and thank you too.

I live in a country area and in town smile at everyone and frequently get involved with talking to strangers. You can tell the city folks as they ignore you when you say G'day.

I wouldn't want to live anywhere else~

 

[six-string]

Absobloodylootly right!

Same here as were are very polite and queue for everything. Anybody jumping in stands the risk of getting a thick ear! We always say please and thank you too.

I live in a country area and in town smile at everyone and frequently get involved with talking to strangers. You can tell the city folks as they ignore you when you say G'day.

I wouldn't want to live anywhere else~

how soon can i move there, please?
i'm bloody sick of the ignorant riff-raff around here.
it's all i can do not to hand out knuckle sandwiches on a regular basis to the rude, oblivious, social misfits and miscreants i deal with every day.

 

[Bigfoot410]

Canadians in lines don't have guns. You butt into a line up there and you got all the big boys beating the tar out of you and then plop your disfigured, bloody, beaten mass at the back end of the line where you shoulda been in the first place. Then it's all is good again. Seen it a bunch of times

 

[BuzzHaze]

True. I was at Kettleman's last night at 2am getting a roast beef & bagel and there was a cab driver next to me. The line was tight and I excused myself for crowding him....he didn't say anything or even look at me. hummm...anyway, I order my bagel but ask for it with no pesto. After receiving it, I thanked the cook for doing it without the pesto and he completely ignored me too....I left there feeling quite American.

...but it is odd that I expect social exchanges with strangers. If it doesn't happen then I feel like an "untouchable" or something

I always talk to strangers. It's in my nature. I play in bands, drive fast loud cars and constantly offer my expertise on anything and everything....and I am no expert either. haha....but I like to be heard.

As for the line-up thing, if it gets too slow or long, I have been known to mooo like a cow. It always gets people to smile and some join in. That usually causes the store or bank to open a new line.

 

[NRBQ]

Everyday I get in queue, to get on the bus that takes me to you.

 

[Cruznolfart]

I enjoy the reactions off those in front of me when I'm several spaces from the front and exclaim "I'm in a big hurry here!' It's particularly amusing if the checker's already flummoxed, changing the receipt tape or selling a bunch of lottery tickets or summat. I'd never thought of moo-ing, I like it.

(the checkers usually know me and know I'm BS-ing, the customers usually don't)

 

[BuzzHaze]

I'd never thought of moo-ing, I like it.

I've moo'd and had others join in with different farm animals...not kidding. It was pretty funny. Sounded like Old McDonalds. Everyone thinks they have at least one animal sound mastered.....

Maybe that's why the line didn't seem so bad

 

[Cruznolfart]

I've moo'd and had others join in with different farm animals...not kidding. It was pretty funny. Sounded like Old McDonalds. Everyone thinks they have at least one animal sound mastered.....

Maybe that's why the line didn't seem so bad

Checkers had to get at least a guffaw out of it. Probably made their day.