The Russian queue is as much part of life in Russia as breathing and walking. The Russian expects to stand in queue. They have protocol for standing in queue.
1. You may ask someone to save your place in queue while you go stand in another queue!(I have seen people occupy three queues)
2. All members of a family spread out to all queues, then the member that gets to the cashier first lets all the others in queue.
3. People can cheat the system by being sneaky in a queue and its not considered cheating, just being smart and aggressive.
4. Babushkas have priority.
5. You must be Russian to decipher a queue, the queues are always mixed together. Russians somehow know where to stand. (I do not, my Sweetie does).
6. Queues are acceptable and expected for: government paperwork, government events, government anything 🙂 Queues are acceptable and expected on the Metro, and waiting at bus stops.
7. Queues are not acceptable when driving: Russians, will drive over it, under it, around it, through it, by it and will chart new territories to miss it! Queues are not acceptable to wait in line to buy cellphones and such!
There are more rules that I do not understand yet, But my Wife knows them and she keeps me in Queue. 🙂
Windows to Russia!