Line Waiting Etiquette

[queasy27]

I'm curious what you would do in this situation.

You enter the waiting room of a doctor's office and there is one person at the window speaking to the receptionist. Do you:

1. Wait your turn to sign in.

2. Say "excuse me" and reach across the man speaking to the receptionist in order to take the sign-in clipboard off the shelf in front of him.

Meanwhile, a third person has entered and that guy waits for the first one to finish and leave the line before signing in.

Was the first person rude for blocking access to the sign-in sheet or was the second one rude for reaching across someone to take it? Or neither?

[Bogie Shooter]

What's the hurry? Wait your turn!

[missypie]

When going to the Doctors if I am perhaps nervous about my situation I may forget "manners". Just wait until the receptionist is finished with the person in front of you. They know that you are there to sign in.

[billybye]

Neither. Do whatever you want. Wait or reach across.

[jnieman]

I would either wait until the person is finished speaking then sign in or if the sheet is almost accessible just say excuse me and sign in. If you sit down to wait before signing in then someone else will sign in before you. Sometimes at the doctor's office they like you to stand back so you don't overhear the conversation going on. I've been told to do that before also.

[Avista]

Could always go,to Villages Health. No sign in sheet.

[DonH57]

Were you about to be late for a tee time?

[Barefoot]

I'm curious what you would do in this situation.

I wouldn't sweat the small stuff. I'd step back to give some privacy and wait.
If someone gets ahead of you, it may give you an opportunity to make a new friend, or read a great article in a magazine.

[Uptown Girl]

In my opinion, it is the receptionist's job to discern and handle. If he/she is good, they will see you waiting to sign in, give you some acknowledgement and get you signed in as soon as possible.... even if the person ahead of you is clueless and engaging the receptionist for entertainment.

[ugotme]

What's the hurry? Wait your turn!

No disrespect Bogie but I am really tired of people saying "What's your rush?"
Not everyone takes the attitude of I am retired and have nothing else to do.

It also depends on where you come from. Now I will get bashed, but I am from New York. Basically lived on Long Island but for a time worked in Manhattan. You can't help but RUSH! You don't drive 55 on the LIE. That's just the way it is.

I, personally, have very little tolerance for waiting. I am patient to a point. In this case, I would politely say excuse me, I just need to sign in, get the sheet and do so.

But please, I have calmed down a lot, but I will ALWAYS be in some kind of a rush!

[DougB]

I would be polite and wait my turn.

[Junior]

Agree

[zcaveman]

I usually say excuse me and ask for the sign-in sheet.

IF I am the one doing the talking to the receptionist, I will move the sign-in sheet to the side so that it is available for those behind me.

Z

[kcrazorbackfan]

In my opinion, it is the receptionist's job to discern and handle. If he/she is good, they will see you waiting to sign in, give you some acknowledgement and get you signed in as soon as possible.... even if the person ahead of you is clueless and engaging the receptionist for entertainment.

This happened to me today when I went to get an MRI done; the elderly person in front of me was 15 minutes late and just droned on and on about being on the road for 2 hrs. and her caregiver getting lost and driving round and round and round. To the people who say "what's the rush, you're retired", some of plan more that ONE thing a day (rather than just go to a Doctor's appt. then home to sleep), so sometimes we are in a bit of a rush. It happens.

[onslowe]

Bogie and Zcaveman's answers are sensible and I agree with them.

I too worked many,many years in Manhattan. Yes, rush rush and more rush. Then I moved and worked in eastern Long Island, less rush but still rush. Now I am retired. I don't want people to think that the New York rush 'syndrome' is some kind of irreversible condition. It's not. It's gone.

I too often have more than one or two items on the daily schedule….but if I have to go for an MD appointment I plan or schedule nothing - repeat nothing - else. Why be a slave to others' calendars or schedules? Been there, done that, and now I have Villages Hospital cardio post surgery tee shirt. Nuff said. YMMV.

[queasy27]

Interesting range of opinions, as usual. :)

As I was watching this, I just didn't understand why the second woman was in such a hurry to sign in. It's not like it's first come, first served -- people have specific appointments. The sign-in sheet notifies staff that you're there, but signing in before someone else doesn't mean you'll be seen first. The second person in all likelihood is seeing a different doctor, anyway.

[CarolSells]

///

[Bogie Shooter]

This happened to me today when I went to get an MRI done; the elderly person in front of me was 15 minutes late and just droned on and on about being on the road for 2 hrs. and her caregiver getting lost and driving round and round and round. To the people who say "what's the rush, you're retired", some of plan more that ONE thing a day (rather than just go to a Doctor's appt. then home to sleep), so sometimes we are in a bit of a rush. It happens.

What does that mean?

[red tail]

This happened to me today when I went to get an MRI done; the elderly person in front of me was 15 minutes late and just droned on and on about being on the road for 2 hrs. and her caregiver getting lost and driving round and round and round. To the people who say "what's the rush, you're retired", some of plan more that ONE thing a day (rather than just go to a Doctor's appt. then home to sleep), so sometimes we are in a bit of a rush. It happens.

elderly...: old or rather old : past middle age is the definition. what does that make you?

[TheVillageChicken]

What does that mean?

This is a two step process. Might need to write it down.

1. Put on your bifocals
2. Read you own signature line.

[Topspinmo]

Usually more than one doctor at the clinics. IMO it makes no difference, either your doctor with another patient or he's reviewing records. IMO your wait we'll be the same reguadless when you sign in on the sign in sheet.

If it bothers you why not go around the person standing in front of the window to the side the sign in sheet on and wait till conversation through. If some one else come up say excuses me I am next if they don't form line behind you.

[blueash]

If this really bothered the OP and (s)he wants to be sure that the third person does not get taken ahead of OP, just say to the receptionist when signing in that you got to the office before that name just above yours but chose to wait patiently to sign in rather than possibly interfere with a private conversation. The receptionist knows you were standing there. That third person who came after you may even have thought you were with the other person in line. So we all need to know, who got called back first?

[Villager Joyce]

We went to Villages Health Specialty Care this morning. There were two greeters to check patients in and one to check out. One patient was checking in when we arrived. The second greeter immediately acknowledged my husband. When a third patient came in, the checkout person immediately said I can check you in. By then, the first greeter was available again. No one was rushed. It's all in the staff. This was a great well oiled fighting machine staff.

[CFrance]

Just say Excuse me, reach for the sign-in sheet, and sign in. I can't stand for too long due to back problems. That's what I would do.

[sunnyatlast]

I would do what Cfrance just said. Say "excuse me" and reach for the sign-in sheet, not because of back problems, but because I don't want to hear the conversation between the not-too-observant receptionist and the patient standing and droning ahead of me.

I, too, get tired of hearing "What's the rush? We're retired!" Retired or not, there are lots of people who are just plain SLOWPOKES about everything, and they are not senior citizens!

Two (very bright) slowpokes I have in mind would not walk at a faster pace if they were escaping a burning building. It's always the same, s-l-o-w pace of walking, talking and getting things done.

And then there are those of us who are driven mad by their s-l-o-w pace…..and they are driven mad by our racing pace.

It takes all kinds to make a world.

[rubicon]

Well I wish someone had sent this thread to Miss Manners. We have one train of thought on "we are retired what is the rush"and another with the emphasis on "I" exclaiming that retired or not time is of the essence.

We all have had people who have gone right to the head of the line. sometimes they get away with it sometimes not. It can be irritating and you wonder just what this person is thinking or perhaps is simply not thinking.

How you choose to react says a lot about you and I long ago decided that I wanted to show the self control and self restraint and intelligent enough to not let someone control my emotions . So in the scenario presented by the OP I would have simply told myself intentionally or unintentionally this person has no idea of the problem she is creating and acting up only creates tension for the people involved or seated, etc And in a few seconds or minutes it will have been already forgotten.

[Polar Bear]

I think I would have said "excuse me" and signed in, barely thinking about it let alone having to forget about it.

[kcrazorbackfan]

What does that mean?

Obviously older than me.

[CFrance]

Well I wish someone had sent this thread to Miss Manners. We have one train of thought on "we are retired what is the rush"and another with the emphasis on "I" exclaiming that retired or not time is of the essence.

We all have had people who have gone right to the head of the line. sometimes they get away with it sometimes not. It can be irritating and you wonder just what this person is thinking or perhaps is simply not thinking.

How you choose to react says a lot about you and I long ago decided that I wanted to show the self control and self restraint and intelligent enough to not let someone control my emotions . So in the scenario presented by the OP I would have simply told myself intentionally or unintentionally this person has no idea of the problem she is creating and acting up only creates tension for the people involved or seated, etc And in a few seconds or minutes it will have been already forgotten.
I think there is a third train of thought, and that is to politely keep traffic moving. If someone is in the way and you need to sign in, I don't consider it impolite to say Excuse me and just reach for the sign-in clipboard.

And then move on.

[Wandatime]

Just say Excuse me, reach for the sign-in sheet, and sign in.

Exactly.