Hacer cola / queue / line up.
The banks in South America are incredibly busy. If you are the first to arrive at the door of a bank before it opens for business, as a foreigner, I can guarantee that when the doors open, one hundred South Americans will have pushed you to the back of the line!
Is this respect for queuing especially British and not followed anywhere else in the world?
2 Answers
In the part of America where I live, I've seen a few tough-looking guys cut in line (this was in high school specifically), I would not have dared challenged them on it. But, by and large, most do respect the line -- even fairly rough people. Though some may "ask for cuts" (ask to take the position ahead of you) and it is generally as rude to deny cuts as it is to ask for it.
I can't speak for the rest of America. I live in a smallish city in Northwest Florida where respect is still more normal than disrespect.
I would hope that respecting those around us is not a cultural attribute, but, likewise, disrespect is probably global also.
