ExXB - Women in supermarkets! They will watch every item of a full trolley shop checked and bagged and only when the total is announced will they start rummaging in their copious handbags for an equally copious purse full of discount coupons and at least one credit card that won't work! ;)

How very true Para,had one yesterday do exactly that. Two or three of the coupons were either out of date or not valid for the day, she even insisted on wasting time to check them herself. When that was eventually finished she started to pack her stuff. I doubt if she even realised that she was causing a delay..:ugh:

As one who from time to time works at Silverstone, I can pick out the Italians a mile away. Usually on small scooters, which arrive without number plates as cargo on the large lorries, they will invariably have another Italian clinging onto them - themselves carrying some vital piece of equipment - as they break the speed limit on the wrong side of the road, whilst at the time attempting to keep a dangling cigarette alight. If you do manage to catch their attention the standard reply of course is, "No speekee Inglish"

generally I agree, however I do allow much more slack in what I call a congenial cocktail atmosphere in a lounge.

If you use a particular lounge frequently, you do have to be patient. I know where the food and liquids are that I want and which corner is quietest ... I have to remind myself to 'chill'.

My comment above was about queues in general, not just lounge queues.

But in cultures where queuing is less common, the phaphers seem to disappear.

Theirs is dear. Very dear.

Sounds like the lack of boarding manners.

You follow someone down the aisle and then wait while they slowly take off their jacket,rummage around in their carry on,have a chat to their friend about which of their 2 seats each one wants etc.

They seem to be oblivious to the 70 people they're holding up. I take everything I need out before boarding and hold it in my hand,so I am ready to chuck my bag into the overhead locker and sit down quickly.

Is a 'phapher' the same thing as a 'faffer'? Just interested.

C'est la même chose, en latin

The old DDR East Berlin border guards had the queuing of travel groups down to a fine art. The tour guide had to present a list of all the members, in precisely alphabetical surname order (and these were the days before computer sorted lists), and the group had to then present themselves single file in the same order.