Queuing

 

The bus stop outside East Finchley station heading north is where I always catch the 263 bus home. It is not like other London bus stops of which there must be thousands. Here, passengers waiting for the bus queue in a civilised order. Even having grown up in a very ‘English’ household where manners mean everything, the sight of patient London commuters is both out of place and comedic. Many times friends coming to visit comment on the peculiar behaviour and are amused that this unspoken etiquette happens and they wonder if there was an instigator. At the moment, I am very interested in analysing things with the view that they happen due to special circumstances and unique contributing factors and conditions.

The first time I saw the queuing, I considered the possibility that it was a localised tradition, demonstrating the towns history of being home to the rich and old upper class and all the social graces usually associated (and East Finchley’s claim to fame as the home of Margaret Thatcher). People are creatures of habit and sometimes repeated behaviour become the norm. Of course we shouldn’t think of politeness as this antiquated behaviour but in that setting it just seems very odd.

Then I considered it was to do with the geography of the way the pavement and the road and the way the cars drive very fast up past the station making it safer to stand in an orderly fashion. Other strange the behaviours include running in the road. Due to the drop-down from the station to the bus-stop being the perfect route to run down the road in front of the bus to stop it from pulling away so you don’t miss it. I can freely admit that this is learnt behaviour thatI have copied. You feel silly and people see you doing it but you internally rationalise that no bus driver is going to pull away with you in sight because they will run you over and its worth a little embarrassment to save waiting 12 minutes for a bus (in London!)

Sometimes you get people who are not aware that this is a queuing bus stop and push right to the front. You can then identify the locals who will passive aggressively show them the ‘proper’ way by not letting them push in. And now and again there is anarchy, especially when the approaching bus is looking rather full. The decision to go for it and ignore the cue is fraught with conflict as very often you see the same faces each day. Its not like behaving rudely on holiday when its unlikely your paths will cross again.