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Do British people queue at the bus stop?

I've been taking the bus to work about 6 times a week for the past month. But to my surprise on Tuesday morning, a lady stopped me from getting in the bus was like "Excuse me? There is a queue" and proceeded to enter first. We were literally only 4 people at the bus stop. I didn't wanna argue with her as I have been living in the UK for only a year and therefore she might be right. I've taken the bus numerous times in London, which is way busier than Coventry, and no one ever talked about no queue. I mean I've queued before to take the National Express bus to another city but never in a bus stop. Do British people really queue at the bus stop or was that lady being a *****? Im sincerely curious because after that, she was glaring at me in the bus as if I insulted her when I didn't even say anything when she said there was a queue.
(edited 5 years ago)

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Reply 1
Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
Yes. Queues are a thing. Always.

Even if there's only two of you, if they got there first, you're the queue.
yes! we definitely do queue, even if it isn't obvious you take a note of who is there when you get there and enter the bus accordingly!
Original post by sofia.dmtr
Do British people really queue at the bus stop or was that lady being a *****?


We queue for the bus. It is part of our national identity. Failure to adhere to such social norms may result in a pensioner knifing you.
Original post by Violet Femme
We queue for the bus. It is part of our national identity. Failure to adhere to such social norms may result in a pensioner knifing you.

I remember the 1970s when the country was plagued by strikes. The bread strike when we had to queue for bread for hours. You jumped the queue, you took your life in your hands - literally.
Yes it's stupid isn't it.
Reply 6
Avatar for Bogotá
Bogotá
13
Depends, f there’s like 20 people you can’t keep track of, the queue willsort of form gradually as the bus comes, but like an old person might be made the front of the queue by everyone else etc
Reply 7
Avatar for Tootles
Tootles
21
Original post by Seamus123
I remember the 1970s when the country was plagued by strikes. The bread strike when we had to queue for bread for hours. You jumped the queue, you took your life in your hands - literally.
Ah the unions.
Some people have no concept of queuing and just push. Apparently, having a baby in a pushchair means you don't need to queue.
Original post by Tootles
Ah the unions.

Yeah. When I think about it now, with a 5 year old and a 1 year old in tow, standing there for hours, people moan now if the bus is 5 minutes late.
Well, yeah. Whoever arrives at the bus stop first gets to board the bus first.

Older people or those with disabilities are generally allowed on first out of courtesy.
That's just reminded me of something that happened when I was in sixth form once. I was getting the bus into town after college, and there isn't a huge amount of space to wait as the bus stop is just on the road and there's a wall to one side (if you can visualise that). There were already some people queuing up to the wall when I got there, so my only option was to stand to the other side, near the person who got there first. A middle aged woman was at the front, and she immediately told me to get to the back of the queue, so I said look there's no room, they're all the way up to the wall, but I'll wait until everyone else has got on don't worry (and I genuinely would have). When the bus came she stood with her back to me and beckoned everyone else on and then got on herself, turning round to me and saying I can't stand when people have no respect for other people, don't try and queue jump next time.

I promise, I've never wanted to slap another woman so much. She went out of her way, and ended up without a seat just so that I had to wait until last. Cow.
Yes. It’s called having respect. You wouldn’t just stand at the front of a queue in Sainsbury’s, why should a bus be any different?
Loool I live in North London, and I've never heard of queuing for the bus
Another thing that pisses me off is when people get on the tube at rush hour without letting people off first. Wait your ****ing turn, it won’t go any quicker.
of course there is a queue, and you pushed in front of her and by the sounds of things she was also older than you. it's a very important thing here, it's extremely rude to get on the bus before the people who have been waiting longer than you (unless you are much older or unless they motion for you to get on first). it's precisely because london is busier that it's different. everyone is rushing and cramming to get on so no -one can keep up with who was there first and you can naturally get pushed in front or behind by the crowd of people. everyone just wants to manage to actually get on the bus. london and the rest of england are like two different countries.
Original post by UnKoWn_AdventurE
Loool I live in North London, and I've never heard of queuing for the bus


classic london
Original post by UnKoWn_AdventurE
Loool I live in North London, and I've never heard of queuing for the bus

How depressing - it used to be part of Britain in the dim and distant past.
Original post by sofia.dmtr
I've been taking the bus to work about 6 times a week for the past month. But to my surprise on Tuesday morning, a lady stopped me from getting in the bus was like "Excuse me? There is a queue" and proceeded to enter first. We were literally only 4 people at the bus stop. I didn't wanna argue with her as I have been living in the UK for only a year and therefore she might be right. I've taken the bus numerous times in London, which is way busier than Coventry, and no one ever talked about no queue. I mean I've queued before to take the National Express bus to another city but never in a bus stop. Do British people really queue at the bus stop or was that lady being a *****? Im sincerely curious because after that, she was glaring at me in the bus as if I insulted her when I didn't even say anything when she said there was a queue.

If there is one person before you at a counter, till, bus-stop, waiting room etc then you, as the second person to arrive, are in a queue.

We like queues. Queues mean that the fabric of society hasn't broken down.
Original post by sofia.dmtr
I've been taking the bus to work about 6 times a week for the past month. But to my surprise on Tuesday morning, a lady stopped me from getting in the bus was like "Excuse me? There is a queue" and proceeded to enter first. We were literally only 4 people at the bus stop. I didn't wanna argue with her as I have been living in the UK for only a year and therefore she might be rightv. I've taken the bus numerous times in London, which is way busier than Coventry, and no one ever talked about no queue. I mean I've queued before to take the National Express bus to another city but never in a bus stop. Do British people really queue at the bus stop or was that lady being a *****? Im sincerely curious because after that, she was glaring at me on the bus as if I insulted her when I didn't even say anything when she said there was a queue.


Yes! definitely, do in a queue.

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