[wylie]

I've been socialized to think that cutting lines of any sort (especially of the kind mentioned in the article) is rude, both to the other customers in line and to the shopkeeper. If I try, someone will usually speak up and try to enforce the "order" of the line. Is this different in other cultures?

[Renaud]

It's extremely different in other cultures.

Take China and Hong Kong, parts of the same country. In mainland China, queueing isn't a well respected practice. If you're at a counter, people will just come next to you and start talking to the clerk as if you didn't exist.

Try that in Hong Kong and you're going to get an earful at best and will probably get refused service.

Mainlanders visiting Hong Kong who don't realise these subtle differences in social norms end-up facing angry crowds and, sometimes, the altercations end-up on youtube, fuelling the rather prevalent local sentiment that people from China have no manners.

When you've been educated to respect queueing, visits to countries that have no concept for it can lead to unnerving experiences.

[primitivesuave]

In many African and Asian cultures, the culture is to swarm around the vendor and let them process requests in the order and manner they decide. In a couple countries I've seen, the order of the line only holds when there are physical line barriers and "no bargaining" signs in place.

[anirudhtom]

Well back here in India, you can get a little pushy and people won't say anything. Another thing is "There are absolutely no Queues here". In my whole life so far, I have never been to a Grocery shop where people were standing in a queue, it is always a swarm of people around the counter. Isn't the same in supermarkets though. Shouldn't write more, other Indian folks here will reprimand me for giving a negative image ;)

[calvinbhai]

It works here in US too. Wave a few $ bills at a packed bar, you'll get to order your drinks quickly. (usually those dollar $ bills go as tip).

In India its almost always like this at most of the local grocery shops, vegetable vendors and bakeries. Often the customer holding up is oblivious of others waiting, and the shopkeeper cannot just cut a conversation to serve the new customer in line (unless he'd risk being considered rude).