>>18831693These idiots, it's so the next person can put their stuff down, nothing more.
Typically if you are the one to place the divider it is because you have a large amount of things taking up a decent portion of the checkout lane, the divider itself is somewhere across the middle of that row of your stuff.
The next person would have to reach across that entire row of things, it is a courtesy to the next person if you place the divider, and a convenience to the cashier, not a slight.
Placing the divider indicates to the next person that you are indeed done and do not need any more space, and the next person can start loading up the lane as it empties. It is not "ew I don't want someone to take these things" it is "there are a lot of things here, it would easy for them to be confused without a divider and in the way of placing it, so I will get it I'm next to it anyway."
If the lane was mostly empty and the divider was convenient for them to grab, then yes they could just grab it themselves.
So everyone gets done with what they need to do as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Simple as that.
I am amazed I even have to give second thoughts toward this bullshit.
