Main content

Waiting in Line in America

Benjamen Walker visits airports, amusement parks, roadways and colleges to document how the priority queue is re-ordering American society.

Even though waiting in line is an essential part of the human experience there is no such thing as a universal queue.

Many people now believe that the American queue is shedding its British "first-come, first-served" character and is taking on a new form.

In this Your World documentary for 大象传媒 World Service, Benjamen Walker examines how in the United States, the system is changing to the priority queue.

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's operational management guru "Dr Queue", most priority queues are invisible but Walker spots them in airports, amusement parks, highways and community colleges.

Benjamen questions if the idea of allowing people to buy their way to the front of the line is compatible with traditional American values like equal opportunity and fairness.

He also asks if the priority queue offers freedom of choice or if it creates a two-tiered society.

(Image: A steward holds a sign that says 'end of queue'. Credit: BEN STANSALL/AFP/GettyImages)

Available now

25 minutes

Last on

Mon 24 Sep 2012 01:05GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 22 Sep 2012 08:05GMT
  • Sun 23 Sep 2012 11:05GMT
  • Sun 23 Sep 2012 21:05GMT
  • Mon 24 Sep 2012 01:05GMT