Am 15.02.2012 23:03, schrieb Colin Youngs:

: queuing in a line, you take a number from a machine for the type of
: service that you require and approach a counter when your number is
: called.

The queue ticket system is common in many European countries, including
Belgium, in all kinds of offices and businesses.

The other method is to ask (aloud) "Who is last?" and then look for
that person, and replying to the next arrival asking "who is last?".



Cheers,
L.W.

Lüko Willms wrote:

The other method is to ask (aloud) "Who is last?" and then look for
that person, and replying to the next arrival asking "who is last?".


That's too simple, Lüko, and in any case, we don't talk to strangers!

--
Alex

On Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:58:04 +0000, Alex Potter
wrote:
That's too simple, Lüko, and in any case, we don't talk to
strangers!

There is the similar barber shop variant, in which you are expected
to work out who is before you without a visible queue or asking.

Neil

--
Neil Williams, Milton Keynes, UK

On 18/02/2012 00:50, Neil Williams wrote:
On Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:58:04 +0000, Alex Potter
wrote:
That's too simple, Lüko, and in any case, we don't talk to
strangers!

There is the similar barber shop variant, in which you are expected to
work out who is before you without a visible queue or asking.

Or doctors, where you do that but while feeling ill, and often with a
language/comprehension barrier (until they started fitting LED screens,
hurrah).


--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

In message , at
00:50:46 on Sat, 18 Feb 2012, Neil Williams
remarked:
There is the similar barber shop variant, in which you are expected to
work out who is before you without a visible queue or asking.

No, you don't need to know anything about the people who arrived before
you. All that's necessary is to know is that of all the people still
waiting, you were first to arrive (and therefore saw all the others
arrive after you).

The same is true at pubs where the staff are too incompetent to note the
order of arrivals, and ask the customers "who is next".
--
Roland Perry

Neil Williams wrote:
On Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:58:04 +0000, Alex Potter
wrote:
That's too simple, Lüko, and in any case, we don't talk to
strangers!

There is the similar barber shop variant, in which you are expected
to work out who is before you without a visible queue or asking.


That's easy; everyone is before you except those who came after you.

;-)

"Neil Williams" wrote in message
.net...
On Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:58:04 +0000, Alex Potter
wrote:
That's too simple, Lüko, and in any case, we don't talk to
strangers!

There is the similar barber shop variant, in which you are expected to
work out who is before you without a visible queue or asking.

I just do a quick count at my local one man operated place...

Paul

"Neil Williams" wrote in message
.net...
On Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:58:04 +0000, Alex Potter
wrote:
That's too simple, Lüko, and in any case, we don't talk to
strangers!

There is the similar barber shop variant, in which you are expected to
work out who is before you without a visible queue or asking.

Is there a rule about (not) asking?

I break that every time!

tim