We're going to continue with our mini posts covering some of those idiosyncrasies that make many of the British so British. One of those idiosyncracies is the apparent obsession with queuing.

The British are often thought of as polite, if not overly so, by many others[i]. Standing in a queue is a British phenomenon often seemingly unheard of in many other European countries where said Brits are frequently appalled by the lack of order and manners on display when waiting for public transport or fairground rides in foreign parts. British people being cynical of themselves will often be heard referring to their compatriots having an in-built desire to stand in a queue if they see one. This could be taken in a positive light, however, as it could reflect a desire to benefit because clearly if there is a queue there must be something worth waiting for at the end of it. Nonetheless, we British like to think that queue-standing, no doubt what others would consider loitering, is another way to be polite, by forming an orderly queue[ii].

So, what do you think? Are the British a "nation of queuers"?  The BBC link below provides some quite interesting further reading. I hope you enjoy it.