Waiting In Line
As much as we all hate waiting in lines, it's actually a beautiful thing most of us take for granted. Lines/queues are a simple conflict resolution structure that exist as a point of consensus across the individuals who make up a society. They can be formed spontaneously anytime people arrive at a business more quickly than they can be served, and disappear without a trace when no longer needed.
Any functioning society is filled with such consensus systems to resolve conflicts peacefully and efficiently. It has to be, because the only conflict resolution method that requires no consensus is violence. The strength of our ethical consensus on how to resolve simple, everyday conflicts like who will be served next at a business or who decides how a piece of property can be used is what keeps us from degenerating into violence. Violence is an inherently destructive and inefficient method for conflict resolution. The best methods are like the queue: they can be spontaneously invoked when needed, they don't consume any of the resources in conflict, and they leave all participants better off.
Each conflict may be trivial on its own, but cumulatively they are woven together and form the fabric of society. Every seemingly inconsequential interaction serves as a reference point either reinforcing or undermining the trust people have in their neighbors and their willingness to continue supporting the consensus. Ultimately, efficient conflict resolution methods create prosperity, and ignoring them impoverishes us all.
I read this with interest, as being British myself, I am interesting in queues and how they work in different cultures. In Brazil, for example, where I live, queues are very much part of the culture. However, different to the UK, people stand practically on the heels of the person in front and it is common to get "queue jumpers" who are usually put back in their place (literally) by the rest of the queue.
You may be interested in a recent article on the BBC website about queuing:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38990535
From what I've seen and heard, the British are queue experts! Too few others seem to treat them with the seriousness they deserve. I'm glad the Brazilians are on board. I've been in places where the queue seems entirely unrecognized and people just swarm and push. In Texas they're generally well recognized, though I haven't seen them enforced with the level of enthusiasm you describe in Brazil.