Hmmmm now I'm wondering if my road rage has spilled over to cart rage I'll know for sure when I actually start swearing at the other people in the grocery store for their poor cart driving ability!

Oh... and you gotta check the receipts! Tuesday night at Target I bought a new CD and they charged me twice! I thought my bill seemed high and sure enough, first item scanned twice! Then I was a line staller

Does anyone else do the mental calculation of what your going to spend? I have this one down pretty well and can usually figure it out within 1-2 bucks

Always! It helps me to know if the receipt is accurate or not. I've had a few times were my estimate was way off, so checked the receipt, and voila! I was charged incorrectly.

My DH and I actually make a game of it when we go to Costco to see who gets the closest.

I have actually told a cashier and the friend she was chatting with that they could plan their next international coffee bonding moment on their own time.

My biggest gripe regarding shopping is those people who go shopping with family and children, not because they need to but because they are bored have nothing better to do and treat it like a field trip. It's the field trippers that drive me insane.

I like male shoppers because I can usually get them to grab items for me that I can't reach while flattering their egos on how tall and strong they are.

Yes, always check the reciepts! Recently I bought a magazine with my groceries, and I was charged $88.00 instead of $8.00! I thought $100.00 was a bit much for the few items I had in my cart!

Being a male single parent who sometimes has no other choice but to go shopping with my 2 kids, I find some of the intolerance vented he a little disturbing. Fortunately, most of the people in my part of the world tend to be friendly and understanding. When I see large groups interacting, parents with their kids, older people still able to take care of theirself, it gives me a great feeling inside. Even if a cashier is having a conservation with someone in front of me, I see that as a sign of a friendly person whom I will have a pleasant interaction with. Intolerant people need to lighten up.

Your point is really good Catfish. I get concerned about elderly people in stores because people just don't see them and aren't careful of them. They're rushing around all self-absorbed and resentful of anything in their way and they don't realize how poor an elderly person's balance is and how devastating a fall can be to them.

I've got elderly parents that has made me a lot more sensitive to those folks who walk at a snail's pace and take forever to count out their exact change.

When did we go from being a society where people looked out for one another, smiled and said "hello", to just resenting everyone that might slow us down a few seconds?

I have to apply that criticism to myself too because I get caught up in it just like everyone else.

Catfishghj:
I think that people who want to interact with one another, families that want to bond and spend time together can do so on their own time, not mine, and in a more appropriate venue, such as a park, their living room, their back yard. When I go shopping, it's something that I have to do and I leave my friends, neighbours and family out of it and get it over and done with as fast as possible so that I can spend "Quality" time with my family and friends.

No one said that there is no time to smile and treat people with care and respect, but knowing how long to hold a friendly conversation is an art form. When it extends for too long a period of time than is warranted, it then becomes an insensitive slight to those standing around waiting for it to end.

And by the way, I am one of those slow, decrepid, elderly people and I do take my time shopping as well, I just don't get in anyone's way and don't want anyone to get in mine.

I didn't realize that they were specifically shopping on your time. Sometimes in peoples hectic lives, running from work, picking up the kids from daycare, etc. they have to stop at the grocery store and they may all be together to get groceries. It's something that has to be done and many times has to be done together. They shop on their time and if it coincides with your time, well then it does.

I dont take large groups shopping with me, but I dont understand hostility towards people having friendly conversations in public places. You can call me wierd, but I enjoy shopping and try to make all of lifes situations "Quality" time. I have had some great conservations in grocery stores about the low carb way of life. I have very little free time, but waiting for someone in front of me in the grocery store may cost me 30 seconds of my life. I dont know what the people are like where you live, but people here, when they realise they are in your way, are very nice and try to get out of your way and usually appoligise for being in your way. It must have something to do with southern hospitality.

Nope, catfish... I find the same thing up here too for the most part. There are days when it's a zoo, and it's easy to get frazzled, but for the most part, we're all just doing what needs to be done. I think the truly inconsiderate ARE around, but life's too short...

Oops.. I forgot to call you "weird"....you weirdo.

I don't mind people having friendly conversations anywhere at anytime with however many people they want for as long as they want, smiling endlessly and joking and laughing. But if I am waiting at a check out counter at a store and the lady (customer) in front of me and the cashier are engaged in an endless conversation for over 5 minutes and I have to interject so that they can remember that where they are, am I being insensitive or are they? Besides I talk to people all the time but I also know when to quit, when they are not interested, when it embarrasses them, when they are in a hurry, etc. I also know how to smile and be friendly, but not overbearing. Intolerance has nothing to do with it.

Well, I think I can safely state as a woman (despite my blue avatar up there...) that this behavior makes me nuts too! I use my credit card to pay for groceries (pay it off every month) and I have the sucker out and I'm READY to swipe it when its time to swipe it in the card read. And I don't take 13 years to jam it back in my purse.

I am a super-model of efficiency... unfortunately I'd like to just be a super-model period, but that one eludes me still.

Bless you Nancy LC!
For the record, I didn't mean to imply that all women exhibit this weird checkout behavior, but the people I do see doing this are always women.

'cause it's a pretty darned true stereotype...