Generally, there are two types of queuing: one assisted by machines, where you can take a ticket with a number, which is simple and fair; the second is manual, which requires a certain level of self-awareness.
It can be said that during my years living in Spain, I have hardly encountered situations where everyone rushes at once. It seems queuing has become a part of their daily lives, and they have become so accustomed to it that it feels like a leisurely affair. Sometimes I wonder if queuing has already become an integral part of their lives?
On my way to drop my child off at school, I pass a suburban road with two lanes going in opposite directions. Due to some intersections along the way, sometimes the cars in front need to turn left. According to traffic regulations, vehicles on the main road yield to those turning from the secondary road. This road sees many cars in the morning as parents drop off their children at school. If a car in front needs to turn, it may take some time to wait, as there are also many cars returning from dropping off their children. At this point, a long queue forms behind the waiting cars. In this situation, the Spanish people still obediently queue up, with no one attempting to overtake on the right. In fact, although this road has only two lanes, each lane can easily accommodate two cars side by side, so overtaking on the right would not be a problem at all. Yet, very few people do this; everyone quietly waits behind. Initially, I tried to overtake several times to save time, but later I felt embarrassed and patiently waited. During that time, I often thought of those 'warriors' back home who would not miss any opportunity to squeeze through.
Additionally, there are some 'unwritten rules' about queuing.
In a bank, there were already quite a few people inside, but some were standing while others were sitting, and not many were actually queuing. Do not think this is a disordered line; in fact, everyone knows their position. When you enter, just ask, 'Who is the last one?' and someone will tell you. Your position is right behind that person. If someone else comes in and asks the same question, it becomes your responsibility to inform them that you are the last one at that moment, and the newcomers will understand. This way, everyone just needs to remember the person in front of them. If at any point you feel you have time to step out for a smoke or a stroll, feel free to do so. When you come back, you need not worry about being misunderstood as cutting in line; there will naturally be two people in front and behind you to vouch for you. If someone makes a mistake, there will also be plenty of witnesses to correct it on the spot.
When we queue, we often do not know which line will be better. Often, after choosing one line, we feel that the others are moving faster. Here, in some places, although there are several counters, there is often only one line. When one counter finishes, the first person in line goes to that counter. This way, even if some counters are slower, it does not affect the entire queue, which is actually fair to everyone.