Cue anger – we just won't stand for it any more
Some blame the culture of "I want it now", others the rise of e-shopping, while many cite a general corrosion of manners. There's also poorly staffed shops, untrained assistants and, of course, shoppers who dither, use a credit card for a 1.50 item or treat any venue as a tourist information centre.
Some shops are notorious for short-fuse queues. A tell-tale sign is a little card on the counter reminding customers that is an offence to assault staff. Many find the Post Office an experience akin to a slow-motion national breakdown. Who relishes being stuck behind someone trying to ascertain the second-class post rate for sending a euphonium to Wagga Wagga, and where should he stick the stamps on the bubble wrapping? At railway stations, we just want a cheap day return, while the backpacker in front with the billy cans dangling from his rucksack seeks an all-points-round-Scotland ticket on a Sunday three weeks hence. And telephone shopping? "Please pick from the following five options …" Best, some days, to stay at home until the mood passes.