The following question was presented:
I flew to San Diego this week and on the way out, I was quite pleased when one of the security folks asked me if he could help me carry my stuff off the conveyor belt (after it had gone through the x-ray machine) so that I could gather my things and put my shoes on whilst on a seat. Very nice and very helpful I thought. Then it happened to me on the way home. Now, the cynical side of me just doesn't believe in coincidences even less so than the fact that there is more than one genuinely helpful security guard. It occurred to me that there is a possibility that someone has done a study and found that having disabled people backing up the line is slowing the whole process down and that this “help” is merely just a side effect of efficiency. What do you think - why were the airport security staff helpful to me?
Results:
For efficiency to get the handicapped out of the line was the clear winner with 60% of the votes selected from the following:
- Because they are genuinly helpful (20%)
- Because the odd one is helpful and I happened to find them (20%)
- For efficiency to get the handicapped out of the line (60%)
Graphic of Results:
Analysis:
The majority of answers here falling into the skeptical category that nobody does anything genuinely helpful without some underlying reason behind it. I'll keep watching this one, but it just seems too coincidental that I had two people do the same thing in the space of a day. They certainly asked me the question in the same way around helping me that makes me think that it's at least an edict that's come down from on top that they need to be nicer even if there isn't a hidden reason around efficiency.
Now, all this said, I should probably shut up as I did find it very helpful and I would welcome this service again - regardless of the motive. So I do at least want to make sure my thanks is known to either the coincidental two people I saw or for the decision to be more helpful in general. Regardless of what's causing it, it's a good thing and it would be great to see more of it.