Citation

Gibson DR. Sociol. Forum 2008; 23(2): 207-233.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Eastern Sociological Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1573-7861.2008.00071.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Waiting lines are spatial configurations of people that store information about time of arrival until it is recapitulated as order of service. Someone joining a line has an interest in assuming a position that will be seen as recognizably “in line,” particularly by those arriving later. When physical constraints are few—such as in 30th Street Station, Philadelphia, the site for this research—this is normally accomplished through conformity with the line’s recent trajectory. However, conflict between normally congruent line-joining rules can occasion a sharp turn; an example is when a self-identifying group joins the line, muddying the geometry and creating uncertainty as to what should happen next. Further, the normal rules for line formation can misfire, giving rise to mutant lines with multiple “tails” and an impaired capacity for encoding time into space. Alternatives to waiting lines are considered and judged less efficient and more likely to be judged unfair, particularly given the expectation that rewards will be proportional to investments.