It's called a queue!

I don't care what you call it - a line or a queue - as a bus user I've noticed that some people just do not get it.  Here in America, we are pretty good at it - we form fairly organized queues for basically everything.  Though it is my understanding that many countries around the world just don't 'do' queues - they just kind of mob up, fighting and pushing to be the first at something. 

Though I can't find an article to link to, I know the paper of record (for those of you who aren't aware, it is The New York Times) mentioned in a few articles about teaching the Chinese people to form lines before the Olympics.  It seems fairly foreign to me that certain cultures do not form queues, but I guess they just don't want to - which I guess is okay.  It makes things a bit disorganized in my opinion, but I am not really one to judge - so they should do as they please.  Though it is nice of the Olympic organizers to take into account that the Chinese people should learn to form lines so as to not anger tourists at the Olympics.

So ... we form queues everywhere - for everything.  Sometimes things get a bit out of control, but for the most part we respect the idea of a pecking order.  Yet, for some reason this system completely fails when we get to a bus stop.  Why are lines impossible at bus stops? -- they aren't!  Yet for some reason, if you are the first person at the bus stop - you likely will not be the first person on the bus.  Part of the problem has to do with the fact that bus drivers don't stop in the same place every time - which bothers me even more, but that's a tale for another time.

The other evening, I was waiting patiently for the 42 (link to a great blog regarding the 42 - check it out) in the direction of Mt. Pleasant at Q Street.  I arrived at the stop just as another bus was pulling away, but decided not to run for that bus because I was in no rush.  As two buses passed the stop because the driver had deemed they were too full, I was beginning to wish that I had ran for the first bus.  Finally a third bus arrived and the driver was kind enough to stop for us...

Now, being the first one waiting for the bus logic would say that I should be the first one on.  Of course I knew that wouldn't be the case, but I was a bit pushier than usual as I did not want to get locked out of this bus.  I was probably the fifth person on the bus, after dealing with the shoving and groans from people as a maneuvered in front of them.  I'm all about giving up my seat on a bus to basically anyone else (women, elderly, someone carrying a lot), but if you people aren't going to bother forming lines - I'm not giving you preference in getting on the bus.  I usually concede this harsh stance when it is an elderly person - but otherwise, I don't really care who you are -- just because you are a woman doesn't mean you get to board before me, sorry.

That is my rant about that - It is just something that is really starting to bother me.  Sorry if I sound like an evil person, but the facts are the facts.