All the area HDs understaff their checkout counters, the Mira Mesa location being the absolute worst of them. Self-checkout alleviates this by giving a means for 'leet people like myself to tear through and get the fuck out of there. Being all cool and high tech, most folks are too intimidated to mess with them, so there's always at least one free.
Maybe one of them is in use by someone old or technically inadequate (Was that redundant to say, since the latter almost universally includes the former category?) which serves as a warning to the rest of them that J00 AR3 N0T 31337 ENUF 2 US3 TH15 SH1ZN1T!!!1!
As shocking as it may be, I'm actually packed and ready to go for tomorrow's trip. (Save the couple of items I need to get dressed in the morning, which I have listed so I remember to grab them.) One last time through Williamsport before I go back to work this winter...