Today, I had to make a visa run. I’m on a multi entry visa in Oman, but I have to leave and re enter the country every 21 days. So today is the day.

It’s not really a big deal, I’m used to it. But what I’m not used to is how incredibly impatient some people can be.

This is not the first time that I have experienced this phenomenon. There are even signs posted in some areas. They say ‘Please keep the queue’.

What this means (if you can’t understand the British spelling) is simply put as ‘Get in line. Stay in line. Don’t push your way to the front of the line.’ One occurrence, I was standing at a ticket counter in the Dubai airport, along with another gentleman. We were waiting for the ticket agents to show up and open the counter. The other gent wandered off for a moment and I, having nothing better to do, turned and watched the people in the airport.

That was a big mistake. No more than I turned around, the ticket agent (yes, singular) came and stood at the counter. One Indian national got up and went to the counter with his trolly of bags (6 bags I believe) and stood in front of the ticket agent. I turned and tried to stem in behind him. Another mistake. 45 additional Indian nationals followed the first and I was repeatedly shuffled to the back of the queue. Even though I was standing behind the first gent, the others started squeezing in front of me with their trollys and baggage. I was somewhat put out by this and came very close to saying something, when I noticed the gent that had wandered off over at the Business Class check in.

Being one to take full advantage is it’s presented, I walked over to the Business Class check in and handed them my ticket. After a couple of minutes I was on my way with boarding pass in hand, sneering at 45 Indian nationals still in the one line.

As I said, this is only one instance of not ‘Keeping the Queue’. Another was just today as we landed in Dubai. An Indian national unbuckled his seat belt a mere nanosecond after we touched down. As we taxied to the jetway, I noticed his hands propped on the armrests ready to spring into action when he thought the moment was right. Before we stopped, he was out of his seat and up to the door waiting to get out of the plane.

I really want to know, are you people really in that big of a rush?

How about this… Next time, keep the queue.