How coronavirus could change queuing culture in Norway
Norwegians are not famous for their queuing skills, but social distancing may have forced a change in habits.
Coronavirus restrictions may end up having the unforeseen side effect of making Norwegians more polite when it comes to queuing, according to a report by NRK.
As well as queue culture itself, the pandemic has invited people to be a little more patient, one expert on manners said.
“My clear impression is that most people have become better at waiting in line. Much of this may be down to the many reminders we are being given about how to behave. There are posters and stickers everywhere,” Reidar Helliesen told NRK.
The broadcaster reports that staff at shops, museums and schools all said they had observed a “night and day” difference in queuing etiquette before and after corona, although there were always some exceptions.
“Before, they stood shoulder-to-shoulder and almost on top of each other, but now the students respect being allowed in in groups,” Gina Strømmen, the manager of a school canteen in Skien, said to NRK.
In addition to reminders as well as social distancing rules, the situation with the virus may have encouraged people to be more considerate towards each other in general.
That could make a difference to outlast the pandemic, according to Helliesen.
“The new queuing culture creates more fairness and I think people are nicer to each other. It does something for the harmony in our bodies,” he said.
“We are basically behaving better and have a lower heart rate. The exception must be the queue at Vinmonopolet on Friday afternoons,” he added.
READ ALSO: The Norwegian habits foreigners might find strange
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Coronavirus restrictions may end up having the unforeseen side effect of making Norwegians more polite when it comes to queuing, according to a report by NRK.
As well as queue culture itself, the pandemic has invited people to be a little more patient, one expert on manners said.
“My clear impression is that most people have become better at waiting in line. Much of this may be down to the many reminders we are being given about how to behave. There are posters and stickers everywhere,” Reidar Helliesen told NRK.
The broadcaster reports that staff at shops, museums and schools all said they had observed a “night and day” difference in queuing etiquette before and after corona, although there were always some exceptions.
“Before, they stood shoulder-to-shoulder and almost on top of each other, but now the students respect being allowed in in groups,” Gina Strømmen, the manager of a school canteen in Skien, said to NRK.
In addition to reminders as well as social distancing rules, the situation with the virus may have encouraged people to be more considerate towards each other in general.
That could make a difference to outlast the pandemic, according to Helliesen.
“The new queuing culture creates more fairness and I think people are nicer to each other. It does something for the harmony in our bodies,” he said.
“We are basically behaving better and have a lower heart rate. The exception must be the queue at Vinmonopolet on Friday afternoons,” he added.
READ ALSO: The Norwegian habits foreigners might find strange
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