When you queue up in a supermarket for half an hour while the woman (not being sexist but my recent survey has always discovered a woman in the context of this gripe) in front of you buys the weekly shop for her family of 174. Then the checkout person (note PC there) announces the total and holds out an expectant palm. Then and only then does said woman start to rake around for her purse. This is normally in conjunction with stupid little giggles and unwelcome snippets like "Oh it's in here somewhere" and then produces a cheque book and starts to write "Who is it payable to?" The name that is in 10 feet high letters above the door and on every flat surface in the shop you idiot !!
Why don't they get prepared to pay? Do they think it's "Get your groceries free day" or something - "Oh how kind of you I'll just walk out with my hundred pounds worth of food - thanks very much"
Leesie's note:
Martyn, this is a good observation. I too have done some research, not so much in the supermarket, but more concentrated on ATM's or bank machines. I find the following to be a reasonable assessment of my time spent at the ATM:
0.6 seconds - insert card 2.3 seconds - type in PIN 9.4 seconds - wait for machine to think 2.6 seconds - type in that I need twenty quid 7.3 seconds - wait for cash 0.7 seconds - take cash 1.2 seconds - hit the "no I don't want another transaction" button 0.5 seconds - take card
That's 24.6 seconds, give or take a few (a crap machine and hinder your pace). Never more than a minute. Why then do I get stuck behind some woman who decides to LOOK FOR her card when the machine asks her to stick it in? Who are these people who then proceed to forget their PINs? And PLEASE tell me, what the hell are these people doing that takes five minutes from inserting card to getting cash? It's like its the first time they've ever done it. "Ooh look, dear. Money comes out of the wall...."
