Indian Queue Logic: Why We Never Really Stand in Line

Mayank Singhal
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šŸ”„ In India, queues aren't lines. They're flows - constantly shifting based on urgency, awareness, and instinct. You don't stand still. You calculate. You adjust. You survive.
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⚔ When things feel scarce- - Train tickets - Temple darshan - Sale at Big Bazaar Patience feels dangerous. So the elbow economy takes over. You don't wait. You edge in.
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šŸ—£ļø What the West calls "line-cutting"… We call: "Bas poochhne aaya tha" "Uncle mujhe pehle jana hai" "Just two minutes, bhaiya!" It's not rude. It's tactical. You're negotiating access in real time.
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šŸ‘„ Queues in India are governed by entitlement, not order. Age. Authority. Locality. Someone always knows someone. There's no system stronger than: "Mere bhai ka dost hai andar."
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šŸŽ­ This isn't chaos. It's choreographed crowdwork. Each person is calculating: 🧠 Who's distracted? šŸ‘€ Can I slip through? šŸ‘£ How close is too close? It's human Tetris and everyone's playing.
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ā†”ļø Not all queues are vertical. Some are horizontal surges. Boarding a bus? Grabbing prasad? It's not "next", it's "nearest." Claim your space. Or lose your chance.
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šŸ’» Even tech didn't fix it. IRCTC? Mash refresh. Passport Seva? Book at 2 AM. WhatsApp deliveries? "Bhaiya bas ek dal dena." Digital India still queues like Analog India, just with faster fingers.
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šŸŽÆ So no, we don't "stand in line." We improvise. We adapt. We optimize. Our queues don't follow rules. They reflect realities.