When the iPad2 was launched recently in Malaysia, the Apple fans in this part of the world went crazy. I know of many who had been waiting impatiently for news of the launch date and once the date was announced, there was a scramble to get into queues to be the first ones to own the iPad2.
Actually, "scramble" is just a mild description... "mad rush" would be more apt. Apple fans started queuing the night before, just to ensure they are in the first group of buyers certain of getting the iPad2. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the crowds queuing up for the iPad2 were pretty organised, thanks to well-placed stanchions and barriers around the area leading to the shop. I didn't hear of any bad incident of people fighting or jumping lines!
I would say generally the Malaysian public does a good job when queuing up in lines, especially at airports, supermarkets, banks, stadiums... most indoor places. In such indoor venues, usually velvet ropes would be sufficient to keep the lines in check and most people are well-behaved enough to line up accordingly.
For outdoor places like bus stations or stadiums, the crowds can get a bit unruly at times. I have personally seen some rude people pushing and jostling and trying to jump queues. Besides getting these people brain-fried on a course of public courtesy or just to be plain civic-minded, stronger crowd control equipment is called for. Velvet ropes and simple stanchions just won't work here - probably things like rigid rail barricades may work? You know, those tough-looking barriers they put up at high-security places - perhaps those may work. I never think about this much, but having seen how a rough-looking stout fella trying to elbow his way through a queue recently, crowd control equipment is still a necessity no matter how "civilized" a crowd may seem!
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