Sometimes it is ok to Not be Polite

This morning I made a choice. I chose to be polite and it wasn’t the right thing to do.

I dropped my car off at the local Toyota Dealership. Thinking it would be an easy process, I arrived on time for my appointment. However, there were several cars in front of me without an appointment. The owner of these cars looked far more impatient and frustrated than I did, so I allowed them to meet with a Service Representative even though I could have gone first, as I had an appointment.

After being patient, it was time for everyone to get on the shuttle. When the driver called for anyone needing a ride, I quickly did a head count and realized there were more of us needing a ride than there were seats. Again, I chose to let the hurried, grumpy looking people go first. That meant I would have to wait for the next shuttle, which of course was delayed by about 15 minutes because of the sheer number of people in the first one.

I ended up getting some work done while I was waiting, but not near the amount I could have and wanted to accomplish had I made it on the first shuttle. This is about when I realized that sometimes being polite isn’t worth the eventual frustration. That sometimes it is ok to claim your rightful place in line. Had I done that, my morning would have gone as I had planned and I wouldn’t have been excessively late or behind in my tasks.

Are there other instances when being polite is the wrong thing to do?

UPDATE: Patience might have paid off. All the work even the recalled part was done a mere two hours after I dropped it off.