If you've lived in Nigeria you've waited in a line, either at the ATM, Church, Mosque, Offices, during your University days and at any other point in your life — if not many — someone has jumped into the queue and made you wait longer.
There are a variety of "queue jumpers", some with good reasons and others without, but it's whether good or bad it is generally infuriating all the same. Here's how to deal with people who jump the queue, regardless of the situation.

OBSERVE THE QUEUE

When people wait in a queue, in essence they're gathering one behind the other in single file — or at least that's how it's supposed to work. Unfortunately, not every line is created equal. Some curve because there's not enough room for a straight line in the store, and some waiting areas are larger than others.

CREATE RULES

It's in situations lacking this organisation that the problems tend to occur most often, but these are also the type of situations that require the most sympathy. If the rules aren't clear-cut, it's very, very easy for any person to misinterpret the rules of the queue and then try to out smart others.
Such rules, may involve making people write down their names in first come first basis or giving every queue member tally numbers

RESISTING THE JUMPER

Before you make any decisions about what to do, know what kind of queue you're in. If the instructions are clear, you can point them out. If they're not, you may just want to let the issue go. In the event you do want to say something to the jumper, however, tread carefully. It may have been an honest mistake.
Learn to treat them with respect, cos they are human too… don’t curse or abuse them, make them see reasons to obey the rules.

RESIST THE URGE TO GET ANGRY

People make mistakes often, so you don't want to bite their heads off. Back in my days in Delta State University Abraka, I was waiting in line for more than 1 hour to make a withdrawal at the school ATM. It always had a ridiculous single-file line, sometime curvy, sometime rough such that you don’t even know who is who on the queue, with the scorching sun some sitting while some standing but it was a long way to the next ATM. Another student pulled a chat-and-cut in front of us and we didn't say anything because we felt he was talking to his friends. When he tried to use the ATM, We built up so much anger that we lashed out at him. The entire queue then got mad, because he played the victim. In retrospect, I think he honestly had no idea I was in line. I tend to be quiet and easy to miss if I don't intend to be heard.

To avoid such raucous situations

Ask someone near by — preferably behind you — if they saw that person jump the queue. If they did, you now have an ally who has a vested interest in the outcome of the situation.
Confront the offender politely as soon as possible. You'll lose your chance if you wait.

In other news…

When you confront the queue jumper, be polite. It's possible they made a mistake and you'll feel like an idiot and a jerk if you overreact to something that's ultimately not a big deal. A simple sentence like, "Excuse me, but there is a queue" is forceful enough to get your point across while still remaining open to the possibility that you could be wrong and they were simply joining their friend to wait with them in solidarity. In the event that they argue and things get out of hand, you either need to let it go (if the intruder is willing to drop the issue, too) or find a manager/person of authority and ask them to handle the problem for you. But something as unimportant as a person jumping the queue should really never escalate to that level. The important thing to remember is that while it's rude for people to queue jump, you can't fight every battle and there are few circumstances where this situation isn't a tiny blip of a battle. Most of the time, it's simply not worth fighting. Stay strong, and just try to let things go whenever you can.



state some of your queue experiences too

lautech