DigitalGhost

I like how Canadians in the service sector are often more relaxed and open though. The service sector in the UK tends to be very rigid and a lot of service sector employees seem quite cold and robotic.

Shard

Usually quite efficient though.

DigitalGhost

I think they're a hit and miss at best and usually completely useless when it comes to anything outside of their ordinary day to day script.

scrubbedexpat133

I think this describes most Canadians

BristolUK

Not sure if this counts as 'polite' but it's probably the most recent suitable thread...

CP strike starts.
CP strike ends before 24 hours are up

Gozit

So quick I didn't even notice...lol. Did they not just strike in 2016?

BristolUK

2012 I saw. Maybe they flexed muscles in 2016. Politely of course.

scrubbedexpat091

Might have been CN or Via Rail in 2016, I think both of those railroads had some labor disputes that year, not sure if it ever led to a strike though, can't remember...

Partially discharged

It doesn't compare to the now 13 week old strike at York University which our daughter is caught up in. Most self entitled academics I've ever run into. Buried in all of the ra ra sentiment that the provincial NDP are getting is the fact that they wouldn't engage in back to work legislation.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/cana...-liberals-ndp/

BristolUK

Went for my quarterly blood work this morning. I have to fast so I like to get it done early but I usually try to avoid the early crowd first thing.

But today I got there 10 minutes before opening, wanting to be home before it got too hot and humid for the walk back.

The ticket machine hadn't been set up. I was third there with a few more arriving immediately after. A couple of staff arrived and set up their computers.

By now there were a dozen of us including a woman who stood right where the machine would be and when it got set up, she brazenly took the first ticket.

The two ahead of me spoke up with a "hey, there are people before you" and there was much discontent as she ignored everyone and went to one of the registration desks to be first in.

Everyone else took their tickets according to their arrival, with the guy who came just after me gently pushing me ahead of him as I was making doubly sure there hadn't been someone ahead of me around a corner.

Having finished registering, this woman then had to walk through us across the hall to the phlebotomists so a few whinged at her again. She just ignored everyone again and then she got it again when the next ones caught up with her there.

Still ignoring everyone.

I suppose if you're going to be so brazen, completely ignoring any objections is the way to go to avoid confrontation.

Polite even.

Almost Canadian

She was probably a Brit!

scrubbedexpat091

A person did that to me once at the walk in clinic, I got there 1/2 hour before opening and was first, then about 20 more showed up and waited behind me, this person was hovering around the door, as soon as it was unlocked she rushed in, but everyone else in line told on her, so the front desk person sent her to the end of the line, by the time they got to the person who cut, the wait was over 2 hours........sometimes line cutters do get caught.

caretaker

If you're ahead of me at the 16 item Express grocery check-out and you have 19 items, you'd better be prepared to eat 3 of them right there.

MillieF

spouse of scouse

Depends on the Canadian, depends on the Brit.

I like this comment on the Guardian article 'Sorry seems to be the hardest word'