THE TELEGRAPH: Queuing, along with warm beer and afternoon tea, was once a quintessential British trait. But it would seem we are no longer prepared to wait in line.
Two minutes is the longest many British consumers are prepared to queue, down from five minutes just six years ago.
Two-thirds of us have walked away from buying something in a shop because we were so fed up with queuing, the survey also found.
Queuing patiently was once considered a typically British trait, fostered during the era of rationing. It was deemed a sign of civility that consumers were prepared to wait a long time, sometimes only to discover the shop had run out of butter or meat.
British buses, with only one place to hop on, are also believed to be a key reason why we have been more prepared to queue than our European cousins – where the predominant form of public transport was the tram, with multiple doors, which discouraged the single, disciplined line. >>> Harry Wallop, Consumer Affairs Editor | Wednesday, August 04, 2010
