Sharp Elbows necessary in this hobby?

[steve B]

Somehow I just can't imagine interrupting a deal. I can usually wait to make my small purchase, especially if the deal seems big. Eyes and ears open, I learn a bit. I had one dealer break off a deal and ask if I needed help, and I told him I just wanted one small thing and to help the guy spending real money since I wasn't in a rush. After he'd made the deal, we talked a tiny bit, along the lines of thanks for being patient and that's ok, besides while I was waiting I spotted something else I want. Worked out well all around.

I'm a big fan of train wreck behavior though. Not much better spectator events than card arguments or bar fights.

Industrial etiquette is similar. I was always taught that if someone was running a machine you didn't startle them, just found a spot inside peripheral vision and wait to be noticed. Old machinists seemed to appreciate it, younger guys often found it unsettling.

Steve B