People who abuse the "10 items or less" checkout lines

[Nebbers]

The point he's making is that the people correcting them aren't being artistic. His point is that there is so much to love about language that focusing on nit picking and whining is highly annoying. It's like constantly pointing out every shitty piece of music you hear to each passerby by on the street. It's like going to the Louvre and only commenting on how long the lineups are and how rude the staff is. It's missing the forest for the trees.

Not all language is art...

There's a big difference between E.E. Cummings and someone who simply doesn't understand the difference between a semicolon and a comma.

Instructions on a checkout sign have nothing to do with the artistic use of language, so where does that enter the picture here? I'm not especially interested in poetry or fiction. I find errors with basic word usage on something mass-produced like that annoying. I don't often comment on it to anyone, but when I see it I really can't help but notice it.

Why stop at "less" v.s. "fewer"? Would you still think it's minor if the signs read "If U Ain't Got Less Then 10 Things, U cant use!"

Yeah, using "less" instead of "fewer" is relatively minor but if nobody gives a shit, the process never ends. Listen to the way some people talk these days. I have no problem with so-called "bad words" but when someone uses "fuckin" between every pause in speech it's grating to listen to.

 

[Locut0s]

Not all language is art...

There's a big difference between E.E. Cummings and someone who simply doesn't understand the difference between a semicolon and a comma.

Instructions on a checkout sign have nothing to do with the artistic use of language, so where does that enter the picture here? I'm not especially interested in poetry or fiction. I find errors with basic word usage on something mass-produced like that annoying. I don't often comment on it to anyone, but when I see it I really can't help but notice it.

Why stop at "less" v.s. "fewer"? Would you still think it's minor if the signs read "If U Ain't Got Less Then 10 Things, U cant use!"

Yeah, using "less" instead of "fewer" is relatively minor but if nobody gives a shit, the process never ends. Listen to the way some people talk these days. I have no problem with so-called "bad words" but when someone uses "fuckin" between every pause in speech it's grating to listen to.

Okay certainly there comes a point. But where that point is isn't necessarily where the "rules" are set down in the OED. And the use of less vs fewer actually becomes "correct" if enough people use it. The rules of language are plastic and change over time. That which was incorrect and unacceptable 30 or 40 years ago may not be anymore. And both everyday AND artistic usage drives this slow evolution.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

at the stop&shop near me - self checkout lanes. charge me more, get rid of the cashier and bagger leaving me to pay more for doing it myself, stupid register shits the bed until some kid scans his employee card, repeat after 5 items.....fuck that.

and then, if you're in there just before closing...
"sir, the store is closing."
"i don't think you want me to leave. why would you close all but 1 register, even the self-checkout lanes, when there's about a dozen customers and a dozen employees?"

 

[Locut0s]

snip

and then, if you're in there just before closing...
"sir, the store is closing."
"i don't think you want me to leave. why would you close all but 1 register, even the self-checkout lanes, when there's about a dozen customers and a dozen employees?"

Cashout and closing procedures. Otherwise they would have to extend their shifts an extra hour more, which they don't want to pay for if the store isn't open.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Cashout and closing procedures. Otherwise they would have to extend their shifts an extra hour more, which they don't want to pay for if the store isn't open.

then leave the computer lanes open so we can gtfo???

 

[midnight growler]

Checkout lane with a lighted sign = open

Checkout lane with a sign that is not lit = closed

You can't explain that.

 

[Locut0s]

then leave the computer lanes open so we can gtfo???

I would expect an extra weight at any store I visit just before closing.

 

[Via]

yeah, I hate those fuckers. My solution:

Cut off register at 20 items.

Put up sign that says "Register will only accept 20 items".

Problem solved (hopefully).

 

[Fayd]

Wal-mart worst 10 items of less abusers:

Those buying 100 cans of cat food in the 10 items of less, there response I'm buy 10 each of the same type of cat food.

Those buying 10 items or less buy paying by check and then taking forever to write the damn check

Those buying 10 items or less buy paying with a welfare check, these take forever to validate or the cashier is clueless how to process it.

Once seen a family with 2 shopping carts packed with stuff on the 10 items or less line. They even had cases of soda under the cart.

i've gone through the 15 item aisle at the grocery store with ~20 items before. 10 of which were all bottles of the same soda.

which i pull out of the cart and explain that there's 10.

never met a cashier that seemed to mind.

 

[Zebo]

Not nearly as annoying as eliminating fast lanes altogether for self checkout where you're expected to check yourself out with just a few items.

 

[rh71]

20 items is express?! Even 15 is a stretch.

 

[shortylickens]

20 items is express?! Even 15 is a stretch.

I have seen a few places with 10, 15, and 20 item lanes. As if the average walmart customer could count up to 20 just by looking at their cart.

Having speed lanes would be OK if the store was super busy and there were plenty of each type of lane open at once. Thats about the only time you'd see a real advantage. If I go in during the middle of the day (my preferred time) most stores only have one lane open anyhow and they make everybody get in that until people start to grumble and the shift manager gets scared & opens up 5 more (after I've already been waiting).

 

[Veliko]

I abuse the lines by queuing up naked.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Me and the roommates shop at Wegmans - we buy food for 2 weeks and there are four of us, so it's usually 2 carts full of stuff.

A few weeks ago we were in line next to the express line, which was empty. The cashier waved us over so we wound up going through the express line with an enormous amount of food. Of course by the time we were through a few people had lined up behind us, and we got all sorts of dirty looks.

 

[IronWing]

Pick out your <=10 items. Get in line. Watch the person in line behind you. You can tell when they are silently counting your items. When they are satisfied that you indeed have 10 or fewer items, grab a couple candy bars or packs of gum to bring your total to >10. Watch the anger build.

For extra fun, carry an expired coupon in your wallet and present it even if you aren't buying the appropriate item.

 

[dyna]

Back when I was a checker, I did turn people away if they violated the 10 items or less rule. I did give some room for error but when there was blatant disregard, I simply redirected them to another line. They would simply sigh in frustration. Some would play dumb or speak in a foreign language and they were turned away as well. Never got in trouble with management, I suppose I would have caved in if they told me to act differently.