#HealthyDebate: Are People Correct To Get Outraged When Someone Moves Down The Line At The Supermarket While You Are Still Bagging Your Groceries?

Mirror - No one likes heading to the supermarket on a Saturday afternoon when the aisles are packed with other families doing the same thing. All you want to do is get in, get your food, and get out - but it's never that easy. Countless things can send our stress levels through the roof as we wander the aisles, but one "unspoken" rule in particular has got people ranting on social media, as it shows a distinct lack of respect for the "personal space" of those around you.

The issue was first raised in the Hemel Online group on Facebook, where one man expressed his annoyance at shoppers who encroach on his personal space when he's trying to pack and pay for his shopping. He said he often finds that the next person in line will move up to where the card machine is instead of remaining further back next to the conveyor belt, and this can make paying for shopping rather awkward.

He wrote: "If I'm in the packing area of the supermarket checkout, then you, fellow shopper, have to stand by the conveyer belt. You can't come and wait by the card machine, as I'm going to need to come back to that area once everything is scanned. Just back off. Don't make me use the cattle prod. And facing/staring directly at me will not make me pack and pay any quicker."

And although the rule isn't talked about often, it seems many others shared the same views as the original poster - as several shared comments backing him up. One person wrote: "Hate this! I've told people to get outta my space many a time, and people who lean over me to reach something … either f***ing wait or say excuse me."

The way it's written is a little confusing but here's the crux of it the way I understand it. When you are online at a grocery store, the natural progression is stand at the conveyor belt … load the conveyor belt with your products, moves past the cashier/card machine and then move to the "packing area" where you put your stuff in paper or plastic bags (I can't even keep up with what's what now in NYC and which type of bags are banned). 

The issue at hand is that the person NEXT in line moves up to the face of the cashier or card machine while the person is still packing. This causes an issue because the person packing their stuff has to come back to the cashier/ card machine to pay and they will bump into each other etc. 

If that's still confusing … I wrote out a diagram. 

So basically if you are the next person in line, you should stay in the back of the belt. If you move anywhere towards the ATM part of the belt, you are going to cause an issue because the person bagging their stuff has to come BACK to the cashier to pay. This will cause a log jam. Don't believe me … I did another diagram. 

Clear as day. Shoutout all my art teachers … you the best! 

So it's very clear here. If this happens, like they describe in the article, the person who is bagging their groceries owns the lane and all of the space until they are done paying. Period. Done. I don't think there is even ANY debate here. The people who move up the line are selfish, self centered, morons. You want to say to them … "WHERE THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?" 

What do you think is going to happen by moving up MAYBE 2 feet? What the hell does that accomplish? My 12 pack of soda and rotisserie chicken is still on the belt, and my bags and cart are blocking any exit point you could even think about having. Just stand in the back and wait your fucking turn. Moving up causes a log jam, and you'll only have to move back anyway when the person tries to pay so just don't fucking do it. 

I know this is a hard stance for me, the once upon a time non cart returner, to take but I'll die on this hill. Wait your damn turn, and stop causing delays. If you move up you are not part of the problem … YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.