Only the Dis Community board can determine...proper drive through etiquette ;)

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I go through the same drive-through every morning and this morning there was quite the throw down so I thought I have to take it to the only place I know that can settle any etiquette question on the table, the Dis community board.

This particular drive through can have some issues because there isn’t a designated entrance. Most commonly, 90ish % of the time, the line forms to the left, it seems like an unspoken rule.

Occasionally there won’t be enough room for a car to get into the actual drive-through from the left, but a car coming from the right can slide in. I’ve witnessed several incidents of screaming and horn honking over this. I’ve had somebody do that to me and it’s annoying because I’ve been waiting but I just wait.

So, Dis people, would it annoy you if somebody swooped from the right? Would you yourself swoop from the right? Is all fair because there’s no single entrance? Does the right turn technically still have right of way even though there is a queue?

I’m just really curious what others think is the proper protocol because I’ve seen enough honking, screaming confrontations that it has piqued my curiosity.

Edited to remove extra info and hopefully make the scenario easier to follow.

 

[Lori74]

I go through the same drive-through every morning and this morning there was quite the throw down so I thought I have to take it to the only place I know that can settle any etiquette question on the table, the Dis community board.

This particular drive through can have some issues because there isn’t a designated entrance. Most commonly, 90ish % of the time, the line forms to the left because 1) that’s the main entrance into the shopping center and 2) there’s space for cars to actually form a line (sometimes people annoyingly block the enter/exit to the parking rows but that’s a whole different etiquette blunder).

Occasionally as people are lined up 7-8 cars deep there won’t be enough room for a car to get into the actual drive-through without their rear sticking out blocking traffic, but a car coming from the right can slide in. I’ve witnessed several incidents of screaming and horn honking over this. I’ve had somebody do that to me and it’s annoying because I’ve been waiting but I just wait.

So, Dis people, would it annoy you if somebody swooped from the right? Would you yourself swoop from the right? Is all fair because there’s no single entrance? Does the right turn technically still have right of way even though there is a queue?

I’m just really curious what others think is the proper protocol because I’ve seen enough honking, screaming confrontations that it has piqued my curiosity.

I wish i could help, but ya lost me!

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

Haha fair enough, I thought as I was writing it that I needed a diagram

Basically, the line for this drive through usually forms to the left of the entrance. It’s like an unspoken rule, but there’s no signage from the actual business. Occasionally people swoop in and jump the line from the right and people get angry.

Was just curious what other people thought or if they would consider it line jumping.

 

[Neesy228]

I feel like I need diagrams!

I will say, after reading your description, that I blame the business for poor traffic control in their drive thru more than anything else. What a mess!

 

[jojo9610]

I know exactly the type of drive thru you're referring to. We have one like that at our Starbucks. Most of the time people are polite and wait their turn but once in a while you get the jerk who swoops in when they have that small opening when you're not wanting to block traffic. I'm expecting to see a fight one of these days.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I’d just walk inside, with a line in the drive thru I’m usually in and out before the people in the drive up.

But if you really want an answer to your query I’d go total Towanda

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I know exactly the type of drive thru you're referring to. We have one like that at our Starbucks. Most of the time people are polite and wait their turn but once in a while you get the jerk who swoops in when they have that small opening when you're not wanting to block traffic. I'm expecting to see a fight one of these days.

Is this a Starbucks issue?!? I didn’t want to say where because I figured I’d get a lot of comments about Starbucks coffee instead of my very important drive through curiosity. New conspiracy theory-Starbucks hosts secret drive through fight betting rings.

 

[kimblebee]

I can’t picture it, sorry.

I’m not a line cutter and I’d be ticked if someone cut in front. But, maybe they’re just passing through town and don’t know the unwritten rule.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Can you maybe post a picture or draw something? I'm having a hard time understanding how this particular place works.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I will say, after reading your description, that I blame the business for poor traffic control in their drive thru more than anything else. What a mess!

It really depends on the issue:

Is it the way the lanes were made for the drive through? Or is it the way the road was done? Is there an ordinance/rule the place of business was following to make their line the way it is? Is the issue only right by the building or is it an issue that stems from not having enough space between the place of business and the roads leading into the business? etc.

I mention these things since the OP mentioned "car to get into the actual drive-through without their rear sticking out blocking traffic,"

 

[tarheelmjfan]

A few years ago, I would have said you wait your turn. That's what I've always done. Now that I live in an area where waiting your turn is a foreign concept, I realize that's a pipe dream. People will expect to alternate, between the left & right "lanes". In your case, you'd be better off entering from the right. The answer is to get enough people together to talk to management & convince them to mark off a single lane from a main entrance or open two lanes for orders. Only the management can fix this problem, but they need to know it's a problem.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I go through the same drive-through every morning and this morning there was quite the throw down so I thought I have to take it to the only place I know that can settle any etiquette question on the table, the Dis community board.

This particular drive through can have some issues because there isn’t a designated entrance. Most commonly, 90ish % of the time, the line forms to the left, it seems like an unspoken rule.

Occasionally there won’t be enough room for a car to get into the actual drive-through from the left, but a car coming from the right can slide in. I’ve witnessed several incidents of screaming and horn honking over this. I’ve had somebody do that to me and it’s annoying because I’ve been waiting but I just wait.

So, Dis people, would it annoy you if somebody swooped from the right? Would you yourself swoop from the right? Is all fair because there’s no single entrance? Does the right turn technically still have right of way even though there is a queue?

I’m just really curious what others think is the proper protocol because I’ve seen enough honking, screaming confrontations that it has piqued my curiosity.

Edited to remove extra info and hopefully make the scenario easier to follow.

Just remember to give enough money to cover your plate.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I never use the drive throughs. It's faster just to walk in.

 

[Wubar]

I despise swoopers, just like I despise drivers who will wait to merge at the last possible second even though everybody else has already merged a ways back. I will drive in the middle of the lanes to try and prevent that, they can swerve onto the shoulder if they want to pass everyone. Same with those who jackrabbit start at a turning lane so they can cut in front of those already lined up in the straight Lane.

 

[ashley0139]

I despise swoopers, just like I despise drivers who will wait to merge at the last possible second even though everybody else has already merged a ways back. I will drive in the middle of the lanes to try and prevent that, they can swerve onto the shoulder if they want to pass everyone. Same with those who jackrabbit start at a turning lane so they can cut in front of those already lined up in the straight Lane.

This is the correct and more efficient way to do it. As long as they are not driving on the shoulder to skip people, you are the rude one in this case.

 

[Wubar]

This is the correct and more efficient way to do it. As long as they are not driving on the shoulder to skip people, you are the rude one in this case.

I should have been more clear - in the situation where a double Lane road is slowly turning into a single Lane road, I would agree with you. I was referring to instances where a double lane road is actually a left hand turning Lane next to a straight/right turn lane, and there are always those who zoom up the left turn lane just to swerve back into the next opening in the straight lane because they can't possibly wait back at the end of the line. But we can disagree.

 

[ashley0139]

I should have been more clear - in the situation where a double Lane road is slowly turning into a single Lane road, I would agree with you. I was referring to instances where a double lane road is actually a left hand turning Lane next to a straight/right turn lane, and there are always those who zoom up the left turn lane just to swerve back into the next opening in the straight lane because they can't possibly wait back at the end of the line. But we can disagree.

Okay, that makes much more sense, and I agree with you there! I was thinking you meant two lane turning to one lane or merging onto a highway from the ramp.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I dislike people who cut in line, with a car or otherwise.

However, except in cases in which someone in the car is ill (like a sick kid, or heading home with someone after wisdom teeth removal, etc) I do not use drive throughs. They are terrible for the enviornment.

 

[paisleys]

I know the type of drive ups you are talking about and I'm surprised no one has been beaten to death over them! Yes, it would bother me if someone swooped in from the right. There are two kind of swoopers--the genuinely clueless and the more prevalent extreme rude. The older I get, the more I avoid situations like this. School car line is a travesty. My kids get early sports dismissal and that early line can be ferocious. People will wait patiently on the right, but then out of nowhere a bunch of giant SUVs show up right as the bell rings and swoop in on the left. Kids will be walking between the cars and it's scary. My way to deal with it is to show up 5 minutes after the bell rings--within that 5 minutes the line has completely evaporated and I pull right up. It has lessened my stress. And I don't do fast food drive ups. EVER. I pre order my Starbucks then walk inside to get it. Usually by the time I walk in and out the drive up line has not even budged.

 

[Disney Doll]

It’s rude. Don’t tell me that when someone drives up to an establishment that has a drive thru (even if it’s not clearly marked) and there’s a line of cars waiting that they don’t know it’s the drive thru line.