Why your queue is crawling

One way to cut queuing time is to pick the line with the most men, according to experts at the University of Surrey. Photo / iStock

If you always find other checkout queues move faster than yours, you're not alone.

But it is not that you are making the wrong choice on each occasion. One expert argues that the problem lies elsewhere - in how your brain perceives time.

According to a new book, Why Does the Other Line Always Move Faster?, we experience time differently when engaged in a task, as opposed to waiting.

So, when shoppers pick the fastest line, they fail to notice because they are busy packing bags and paying. But while waiting to be served, they spot other lines moving faster.

Author David Andrews said: "Our minds are rigged against us. Regardless of time actually spent, the 'slowest' line will always be the one we are standing in."

He added that probability also plays a part; if there are three queues, there is a two-in-three chance that the others will move faster than yours.

One way to cut queuing time is to pick the line with the most men, according to experts at the University of Surrey. They found men were more impatient than women and more likely to give up on a queue if it was too slow.

Other tips include picking a line on the left, because most people are right-handed and will naturally veer to the right.