When waiting to use a 'hole in the wall' cashpoint, if you join the queue at the back and there are two or more cashpoints but for some reason everyone is queueing for just the one,
step forward past everyone and see if the other/s work, as far too often everyone just assumes the others aren't working and are too proud or scared of looking silly if they try them anyway.

When this occurs you will more often than not be able to jump the queue and then inform the others who were too proud/scared that they can now half their queueing time, although be warned that they will often then get really pissy with you for having jumped the queue to try it, but fuck em, their fault for being so bloody British.
( ..wil, Sun 26 Oct 2008, 11:25, 5 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

although
most of the time, you will cut the queue to find that the cash machines DONT work hence the reason everyone was queuing to one of the cash points. This then will make you rejoin the queue at the back, where you will notice 3 more people have joined the queue after noticing you.
(Dan dan dan They tik urh jerbs!!!, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 12:18, Reply)

You know, altho occasionally that does happen, the vast majority of times I do this, the other one works just fine,
for whatever reason people started queueing in one line and all the rest became sheep to conformity and did likewise.

If I do look and it's not giving me the service I want (they're rarely completely dead usually just not performing one or more services, if dead they flash red and have a notice on the screen) then as you say 3 others have joined the queue, I'll carry on walking to an actual bank and go for the inside tills (whilst most will join the queue outside!)

This whole British queueing obsession is the same with big supermarkets BTW, folks often head for the queue assuming that means no other till is open, but half the time when I take a look a bit further along there's some teenager with his head down 3 tills on.

Honestly, try it, IME, the odds are definitely presently with you!
( ..wil, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 16:57, Reply)

You can tell if a cash point is working or not form a distance
without being able to see the screen.

They all have a little green rectangle of card, usually above the card slot. If that is red, the machine isn't working.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Mon 27 Oct 2008, 16:55, Reply)

That is true and I'm aware of it, see above, I was typing that whilst you were typing this!
But honest to god so often the machine being left unused is perfectly fine!

Someone should do research and film what goes on 'cos I for one am really curious, my guess is one user has a random problem like a locked account or it isn't providing the service they wanted and so everyone behind assumes it's bust completely and then for as long as a queue remains you get this funny stalemate caused by politess and fear of 'looking silly' if you check.
( ..wil, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 17:01, Reply)

Sometimes ive queued..
.. because I wanted to use my own banks machine. This saves me lots of money (especially here in spain) where you can be charged up to 3 euros to draw out of an atm that isnt your bank.
(Miggyman, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 8:15, Reply)