Should the man have let me go ahead?

[debodun]

I had 12 empty soda bottles to take back to the recycling center at the grocery. They only allow one person at a time in the cubicle. When I got there the was an older woman already there and a man after her, then me. The man had like 10 huge bags full for bottles to return, so it was going to take him a while to feed the glass, plastic and metal containers through the various receptacles. He did see me and could see I only has a few. I though he would offer to let me go ahead of him, but he didn't. He took about 20 minutes while I had to stand there or lose my place in line. If the situation was reversed, I would have let him go ahead.

 

[hollydolly]

I understand you, I would have expected him to have allowed you through with just a few items, like we do at the checkout in the supermarket if someone only has a couple of items ... however, there's always a possibility that he'd already let the lady in front go first and maybe had to wait a long time for her to go through

 

[Pinky]

If I were that man, I would have told you to go ahead of me. On the other hand, if there were more of a lineup, I wouldn't have, as chances are most people would have had far less than I did.

 

[debodun]

A gentleman would have, but maybe he wasn't one. When he came out I said, "You could start a ticker tape parade with all those bottle receipts." He just brushed on by.

 

[macgeek]

some people would have done that, others may not have thought of it.

 

[Gary O']

Should the man have let me go ahead?

He's prolly yer neighbor, and too tired from staying up all night, shrieking, shouting, burning wood in their fire pit, to notice you.

....aaaaaand, he prolly didn't recognize you without yer binoculars

 

[debodun]

Of course, he filled up two bins, then we had to wait for the attendant to come and empty them. That added to the time.

 

[Gary O']

Of course, he filled up two bins, then we had to wait for the attendant to come and empty them. That added to the time.

If it were me
...and I saw a guy with so many cans/bottles in front
I'd have taken my 12 bottles and gone home

Of course there's the pressing issue of missing out, and not getting that $1.20 in my grubby little hands until tomorrow........

 

[RadishRose]

Life goes on.......

 

[Aunt Bea]

It would have been nice if he offered to let you go ahead of him but IMO it's wrong to expect it or to judge him for not offering.

I wouldn't stand in line for twenty minutes to get a sixty cent bottle deposit.

I would have handed the man my 12 bottles and continued with my shopping.

 

[Gary O']

I would have handed the man my 12 bottles and continued with my shopping.

Yup

but


there's all that money.....some even coins

 

[JustBonee]

IMO ... there are too many important things to worry about these days, without getting upset over little petty stuff.

 

[raybar]

Was the dollar or two you got for your 12 bottles worth 20 minutes of your time? Would it even have been worth two minutes?

We used to recycle at a company near our previous house. That was quick and easy, but building up enough bottles and cans to make it worthwhile took many weeks, during which we had to save all that junk, and keep different materials (aluminum, glass, plastic) in separate containers so we didn't have to sort it before recycling.

Now that it's not nearby, we would need a truck load of bottles and cans to justify the time and effort, so we just toss it all into the city recycling barrel.

 

[debodun]

It isn't about the money as much as it is about courtesy.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Yup

but


there's all that money.....some even coins

 

[Gary O']

It isn't about the money as much as it is about courtesy.

On the flip side, the courtesy would have been handing the 12 bottles to the gentleman that probably needed the money more than you.
He may've gathered all those cans/bottles the hard way

 

[Geezerette]

Gary O sure knows how to “put the bell on the cat”
Yesterday I was in line To check out at the grocery with my usual big shopping bag hanging on my walker, and several people with full carts offered to let me go ahead of them, but I graciously declined because I know how folks feel about “line jumpers” these days. Then a store employee took me over to the self check out where there were empty ones & did them for me.
These days , unless somebody runs over my foot or tries to shove me out of the way or something, I don’t fault them for being preoccupied with getting their stuff done.

 

[raybar]

It isn't about the money as much as it is about courtesy.

Understood. But my question remains: do you get enough money for your recycling to justify the time and effort involved?

 

[Aunt Marg]

I had 12 empty soda bottles to take back to the recycling center at the grocery. They only allow one person at a time in the cubicle. When I got there the was an older woman already there and a man after her, then me. The man had like 10 huge bags full for bottles to return, so it was going to take him a while to feed the glass, plastic and metal containers through the various receptacles. He did see me and could see I only has a few. I though he would offer to let me go ahead of him, but he didn't. He took about 20 minutes while I had to stand there or lose my place in line. If the situation was reversed, I would have let him go ahead.

Unfortunately, Deb, this is the new wave of conducting oneself in today's day and age.

Had I been in line ahead of you with the same, I would have extended an offer to you to bump ahead. In my view that's the courteous thing to do.

Things I remember from yesteryear that are seldom extended to others today...

- Holding doors open for others
- Saying please and thank you
- Referring to people by their name
- Being courteous and allowing others to step ahead when ones order is much larger and will take additional time to process
- Extending a polite and simple "excuse me please" when walking in front of others, particularly when pushing a shopping cart

 

[Becky1951]

You don't know how long he had waited in line and maybe he has problems standing very long. I cannot stand for long periods of time.

 

[Nathan]

I would have handed the man my 12 bottles and continued with my shopping.

I do save and recycle aluminum cans, don't use much that comes in recyclable plastic or glass. I wouldn't have the patience for standing in line to redeem 12 bottles.

 

[Keesha]

Was the dollar or two you got for your 12 bottles worth 20 minutes of your time?

Of course. It’s ‘money’ and the more money you have stashed away the better off you are. And YES it’s sarcasm.

 

[Jules]

Good manners would have had him offer to let you go ahead. If there were several others behind you that he’d have to do the same for, then he can maybe he can be excused.

Once you chose to stay in the line for a dozen bottles, you can’t complain about the wait. You could have gone on with your day or even donated them to someone else behind you.

 

[Knight]

I had to stand there or lose my place in line.

At what point does that man quit letting others ahead? Let you and deny the others in line?

As has been posted why not give the 12 empty soda bottle to the man, feel good about yourself then go about the rest of your day?

 

[twinkles]

i agree with hollydolly--he might of let the other lady go first that was in front of him--and if their were other ladies behind you they may have expected the same--and that poor man would of been standing there till bed time