Dislike waiting in line, but not because of impatience

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I was waiting in line at the bank a couple of weeks ago. I really dislike standing in line, and I get very twitchy while I'm waiting. Until a couple of weeks ago, I had thought that this was due to impatience. I realised then, however, that the problem wasn't impatience, it was that I had no idea how long I'd be waiting. If I knew how long I'd have to wait, even if it was a long time, I would have had no problems. It's not knowing what to expect that causes issues for me while waiting in line, not lack of patience.

Can anyone relate?

I am uncomfortable waiting in line, but it's because of the crowdiness and not knowing when it's my turn. But tehn again, I am also a bit impatient, so that does contribute in my case.

Same here.

Actually I can relate to the openendedness of the wait as being a major problem! I am pretty self-sufficient with magazines, my iPod with recorded books, etc., for medical appointments with an expected wait. But I do get twitchy when I don't know the source of the delay or the potential length, such as traffic snarls or unexpected long lines that just don't seem to move. You're right--it's not that I feel so special that I shouldn't have to wait, but that not being privy to the cause of the delay leaves me feeling helpless.

My son is exactly the same way. If you tell him how many "minutes" it will take he is totally fine waiting, or if you can illustrate why I don't have an answer. For example, he is into NASCAR, and one time we ended up in a full stop traffic Jam for 2 hours. I told him that we were black flagged and we can move when they clear the accident. He was totally fine with that because he knows that black flags can take a while. If he doesn't know how long, and I can't give him any information it drives him crazy and he has a hard time.

My son is like this for a lot of things. He seems fine with whatever he has to do as long as he knows what is going on ahead of time.

I get twitchy in lines too. I tend to flex my leg muscles and curl my hands. I feel exposed if I'm in one place too long. At the grocery store, there are these automated checkouts, whether one clerk runs a block of 4 units. I feel mildly irritated when there's a long line and one of the two blocks is switched off. Great idea, but like any technology, it only works if you switch it ON! I hate traffic jams too, because I don't know how long it is or how long I'll be waiting. Thoughts occur along the lines of "..need more tigers..". When I find these on the expressway, I will sometimes just take the exit and not bother to find out. On a camping trip, there was an accident 1/2 mile or so up ahead and and we took a vote about taking the exit, and I voted yes because "these cars aren't moving, we could be here all night". Take the length of the backup, divide by zero, and that's how long you'll be sitting there. So I take the exit, and I don't care where it goes or even if I'm going the right direction, I'll figure it out now that I have a GPS.

I do like to know how long I'll be waiting, but it usually makes no difference to my conduct in line.

What usually happens is the line will remain long length-wise due to me only moving forward every other customer or so, followed by trailing off with my mind. This will then be ended by the cashier saying "Sir, it's your turn." breaking my stare at the wall and causing minor embarrassment.

I get uncomfortable waiting where we all have to keep track of who came first. Like at a deli counter that doesn't use numbers. It makes me nervous when new people come up who don't know where I am in line. It gets worse if they mill around or place themselves somewhat in front of me.

I hate waiting at the barber. He has chairs to wait in, but no set order. I know who is in front of me, but these new comers...well all I can say is you're all after me.

I can't stand lines and I can't stand waiting at a red light. You are not alone.

I don't like waiting in line because there's other things I'd rather be doing, and it makes my legs sore.

My inclination in lines is to space out until I have to move, but I figure it would be bad to look like I'm on drugs. OTOH, having to look here, then there, then oops-almost-eye-contact-with-that-random-person-over-there-look somewhere-else, etc. is kind of annoying to have to do.

The OCD and its associated germ phobia are what bother me in lines, rather than anything to do with the ASD (there's always someone coughing or sneezing).

Sorry for the bump but this topic interests me. I've read about and have experienced aspies not liking standing in a queue - not because of the wait or tiredness or anything but becaue of sensory issues and general irritation. Does anyone else have this problem? I have trouble getting my head around it to be honest. I can't seem to relate it to other traits and it even seems to contradict, in an abstract way, the trait of aspie children lining up or stacking their toys.

I'm not very fond of waiting in line either. I can wait for quite a while for someone else to show up, but waiting in line is somehow much different.

For example, if I walk into a restaurant by myself and see that it will take a while to get a table, I just turn around and leave rather than wait in line.

I can't stand waiting in line, even at the drive thru. I'll go inside rather than go through the drive thru.
Yesterday I stopped by a sandwich shop and there was a long line. I went to the shop 45min further into my drive (actually, it was about 10 min. out of the way) to avoid the line. Avoiding the indeterminate wait and standing there with all those people was worth going out of my way.
I can stand a line when it's absolutely necessary, but I'll avoid them if at all possible. It doesn't make a lot of sense though, as avoiding the line often takes longer than standing in it would have.
To me, no irritation/wait>time spent.