'Nerd-vana: important maths of supermarket self-service queue speed' blog discussion

Former_MSE_Debs

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "Nerd-vana: The important maths of supermarket self-service checkout queue speed" blog.

Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.

Errata

Dear me, do you not think you're carrying things too far sometimes when you find yourself compelled to blog, twit and faffbook about who's in front of you in the supermarket queue?
Sometimes I worry about you

Raksha

using self service tills isn't always about getting served quickly, it can be about unwillingness to engage in cashier 'chit chat'.

danothy

"Some people may want to queue longer."

This is an unlikely theory, I agree, however I misread it the first time as "Some people may want to queue together." which seems more likely.

Did people look like they knew each other?

luxor4t

If I'm in a queue for a self-service till (well, it may happen) join the other queue, even if it has 20 people in it.
First, I'm clumsy anyway,
second my hands don't work well - grip, ability to lift etc
third, I inevitably put my bag in the wrong place, and then drop something vital ... did I say i was clumsy?
Next, factor in the Luxor-effect which causes every electrical item to malfunction.
Then, of course, things don't scan and /or register twice.
Inevitably, I can't get my cash-card out of the stupid shrinking purse and I also struggle with the reward card.
I have a unique attraction for officious would-be-helpful staff too. It's quite a sight.
And I'd better not start on about trying to bag items ... in fact, just leave the store if I'm in it. It's safer, honestly, it's just safer.

JimmyTheWig

I like the "queuing together" theory, danthony. If the queues were split 6/3 then three friends may have (only slightly incorrectly) joined the shorter queue together.

@MSE Martin, I think you have missed the point about "old or stupid" people ahead. I think you can have a good guess about who is likely to take longer at the till. For example (without questioning his theoretical physics power) I would guess by looking that Sheldon would take longer to scan the same basket of shopping than Penny would. Equally I could quite reasonably guess that "old" people would take longer than younger people.

Alternatively, over what time period did the queues form?
You described, correctly, the damaging effect of a "doofus" at the bank of two queues. Maybe the queues had already (correctly) formed with 9 people at the bank of 2 and 18 people at the bank of 4. A "doofus" blocks one of the bank of 2 tills, meaning only 1 person goes through the bank of 2 for every 4 that go through the bank of 4. By the time it takes 3 people to go through a till, the queue of 9 has reduced to a queue of 6 and the queue of 18 has reduced to a queue of 6.


But, I think in reality, many people don't think to check how many tills there are at the end of the queue.

meher

nerdvana i liked it

mumf

I wouldn't use a self service till in any circumstance- the more people use them , the more likely, long term, folks will lose jobs

JimmyTheWig

mumf wrote: »

I wouldn't use a self service till in any circumstance- the more people use them , the more likely, long term, folks will lose jobs

Or their time could be better spent doing work that couldn't be computerised. Such as being on hand on the shop floor to help customers find the Marmite or gravy. [I can never find Marmite, in any supermarket. Don't know why!]
It's not our fault if the supermarket decides to reduce their staff.

Takeaway_Addict

mumf wrote: »

I wouldn't use a self service till in any circumstance- the more people use them , the more likely, long term, folks will lose jobs

Progression! I love them and willingly use them where possible!

Squirel

New Scientist looked at supermarket queuing theory a while back, see "Escape from the supermarket", New Scientist 08-Oct-1987:

h t t p /books.google.co.uk/books?id=CErFjxeDHT4C&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=%22Escape+from+the+supermarket%22+New+Scientist&source=bl&ots=aGlCJ3NcKa&sig=58q5WaF_N28t0I9Z9NnbXfUWujc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=H3YiUNvAB6jF0QWi44GADA&ved=0CFwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Escape%20from%20the%20supermarket%22%20New%20Scientist&f=false

My spouse and I still assess the "lol" factor of each participant in each queue before joining a particular queue.