THE Italian queuing system...

Surely "Italian Queueing System" is an Oxymoron? .

Well post offices in Italy are known for their long queues ,   It's a place to meet up and gossip for an hour whilst the only person behind the screen attends very very very slowly to the person at the front.   Here's a tip.  Try to avoid the Post Office at the beginning of the month as that's when pensions are paid out.   Most pensions are not paid into a bank account as bank charges are incurred by having an account.  The result???  It's even busier.

Post Offices .... one hour on a good day! Never say YES when someone asks if they can just ask the cashier a quick question! This is just another tactic to "GET IN". Did it once and I don't think the "queuers" have ever forgotten my face!

Don't know if this is in all Post Offices, but in Amandola they have a ticket system, just like some supermarkets. Seems to work very well, as your number is displayed on a board with whichever counter you need to go.

I think that it all depends on the particular date when you go to the Post Office. I must say that it has not been too bad at Bagni di Lucca, 2 people before me at the most, but it is hard to predict how long they will take. Anyway, it is a short walk from home and if I see that the Post Office is too busy, I can always come back at another time. Lunch time it is usually very quiet. 

I've only been to the post office once in Italy to pay my ENEL bill.My Italian friend said it would be a nightmare and I would have to get cash from the bank as I wouldn't be able to us my Bancomat Card.After getting through security (like an Airport) I then had to choose from  3  ticket number machines - I guessed and just took one - hoping for the best. My number came up  quickly - I handed over my ENEL bill and my Bancomat Card - no problem- bill stamped and paid  and out in  less than 5 minutes.Better service than my UK Post Office..but it WAS just the once....Jinty     

First lesson - you must have infinite time available to do anything in Italy!Our village has a shop run by Claudio (who does nothing) and his wife (who looks like death warmed up).  Whenever I go to the shop (to get some bread and a few cases of wine) there are always a couple of old biddies there.  2 people in the queue;surely no problem?But what I don't know is that they're shopping for the whole village! They do one list (6 slices of crudo etc) and the ham is put away.  Then the next list comes out which wants 4 slices of crudo - so back on the slicer the ham goes etc etc.  Is there a law of 'justifiable homicide' (or should that be 'donnacide' or 'nonnacide') in Italy? 

 I've had three surreal experiences in a row in the Post Office.Each of these 3 times, I entered the PO and thought that it was closed. There was not one single customer!In and out within seconds.

Cultivate your post master or in our case post mistress, she/they are so interested in what you are posting that you can have a nice chat about friends you have in France, and come to the front of a very small line of people. but in a supermarket (where I was not know) I did tell the old lady who was pushing in front that actually I was before her. Why not?, I think there is a myth about what is OK here and dont rock the boat, and of course we dont and love our part of Italy, but , acccepting all of that we live here have great neighbours and friends, its OK to be sometimes assertive?A

Our village post office has a park bench in it.....quite reguarly someone dozes off.....if you have a small child and  you get pushed to the front of the queue!! (he might get the bad air while waiting!!)

Tinacara  -  I was in Sainsburys the other day - had taken ages to get through checkout as I had loads of shopping (why I don't know when there's only 2 of us)  Half of the checkouts were closed so long queues.  I am in the middle of paying and said in passing 'oh dear I've forgotten something' No problem said the assistant and rings her bell, gets someone to fetch it for me, I felt really embarrassed and apologised to the queue but the assistant says that is the policy.  Maybe the manager has been shopping in Italy!!!!

I love when a person pushes to the front of the queue because they only want to ask a question. Which usually goes something like “Have you got whatever?”. Then when the assistant says yes, they reel off another 10-20 items they want, pay and stroll out.Then my wife becomes like a brick wall with me trying to reach round her yelling that I only want to tear off one limb. Mark 

I find there are two queue systems - if it is to get into a sagra, festival or generally this sort of outdoor events or grab the dish of whatever delicacy the sagra is about it is every man, woman child for themselves - at which point I step back and the Italians in the group take over and get us through (which usually means roughly maintaining our original positions and not be overtaken too many times while they keep telling me to chill it and no matter how much I throw "angry" stares people could not care less and I will not shame them into retreat). I hate it and get all precious about personal space and old ladies pushing into your ribs. Then you have your post offices, supermarkets, doctors etc where queues are generally kept but it may occasionally mean the odd direct comment (signora, e il mio turno...) . the "trick" there is to realise that if there is a ticket system it means that you can get your number, leave and come back in time for your ticket number to show up. So for example at the doctors you get your number and if you time it right can go away do something else for 30 minutes then come back and you are done. The disaster scenario is when you loose your turn because you were too late to come back at which your ticket is worthless unless you come up with a really good excuse :)