Texting in theater

[dzorn]

I find myself getting anxious if I go somewhere w/o my phone and then I think, really, 2 hours without my phone isn't going to kill me. It's actually nice to go the store & get my groceries without being interrupted.

My problem is that I don't have a landline, so that's the only way for people to reach me on the phone.

That's why they come with voice mail. You will still get texts if you turn your phone off, You would just be allerted that you have them when you it back on.


Going OT--

This thread reminds me of when DD was in the Christmas program at church. She was probably only 9 at the time, and I gave her a reading part. As difficult as it was for her (she is autistic) it was hillarous when someones cell phone started ringing. She looks at me standing off to the side in case she (or anyother child) had trouble, while still having her mouth to the mic and telling me "someones phone is ringing what should I do? Why is someones phone ringing?" I tell her to just keep reading when of course she has now lost her place. Into the mic again with "I guess I'll have to start all over, someone's cell phone is ringing". You could tell how irritated she was. Mind you when she was 3-4 a phone ringing was like nails on a chalk board to her and she would run through the house yell 'the phone the phone.'

I would say it is a safe bet that person remembered to turn her phone off in church from then on out. Nothing like an 9 year old child letting you know how rude you are being.

Denise in MI

 

[Praying Colonel]

I'd go out of my way to patronize a theater that took a hard line like that with texters. Good for them!

 

[DWGal210]

That's why they come with voice mail. You will still get texts if you turn your phone off, You would just be allerted that you have them when you it back on.

Denise in MI

Oh I know, I turn it off when I'm at church, movies, etc. I let the VM get it often. I was just saying it's my only phone so it's not like I can leave it all the time as there's no other # to reach me. But I let that voicemail do its job often, especially when it would be rude to answer.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

You really don't see that your brightly lit phone can be seen by everyone around you in a darkened theatre? It is SO annoying to be distracted from the movie. What I don't get is why your text conversation can't be taken out of the theatre, or better yet, carried on AFTER the movie.

I certainly hope that was a general "you" and not directed at me even though you quoted my post. I never said that I text during a movie. I said I didn't understand what the problem was.

I may be way off here, but are you in your 20's or 30's?

I (in my 40's) am extremely distracted when someone is texting near me in a theater - it's not just the light aspect, but also the action/movement of keying - sorta like if someone is constantly fidgeting in front of you at the movies.

But I would venture to say younger generations are not bothered because it has become a normal everday activity like drining or eating.

I'm 39....

And it's probably because I'm so into the movie that I don't notice. I'm a HUGE movie buff and I think the place could probably fall apart around me and I wouldn't notice.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I have ZERO issues addressing the issue with the people directly.

Just two weeks ago we went and saw Thor and I approached four kids. I walked over to them (they were towards the end of the row with no one around us), crouched down and said for them to stop using their phones or they would be escorted out. They gave me an attitude (typical) and I sat back down, 5 minutes later they were texting again, so I walked back down and walked by them, out the door, to the manager and they were escorted out.

To add to it, one of the kids had his feet on the seat in front of him (stadium seating) and as I walked by, he didn't move his feet, so I just pushed through him. He copped an attitude again and said show some respect. Really, you want me to respect you when you and your friends are being total douche bags?

 

[Abbie]

Unfortunately movie theater etiquette is a lost art. There needs to be a re-education program built into elementary schools about how to behave in a movie theater. The importance of this program should rival that of D.A.R.E.

Take your seat, turn your phones off, turn your dvd players off, put your Iphone away, turn off your IPAD, take off your headphones and put your IPOD away, plant your feet firmly on the ground, and shut your mouths!

Can we add in "everybody stays in their own seat"?? I don't go often but went with DD's last week to see Bridesmaids. Theater was not particularly crowded but a couple came in last minute, sat directly in front and to right of us. He spent the whole freaking movie sucking her face off and his hands were all over. He was more in her seat than his. When he came up for air, he whispered non-stop AND kept flipping his cell open, lighting things up. Really distracting and annoying!

 

[Abbie]

haha well the making out thing.. that's what kids do when they go to movies.. that's one of the few places where they can get away from the folks for a few hours.. God knows I did my fair share of that when I was a teen

Yes that probably would have made it amusing but I should have mentioned that the guy was nearly bald, had to be close to 50. Didn't really notice how old the woman was, but these were not young kids. Doubly gross.

 

[BillSears]

Everyone knows the BACK row is the designated make out spot. Geeze, what's wrong with people now a days?!?!?!

 

[gregokdisney]

That's so stupid. Why is texting going to bother someone? Put the phone on silent so there aren't any beeps, what's the big deal?

The phone lights up and it's very distracting. I say Bravo to the theater!

 

[agnes!]

I'm no lawyer, but I don't think she can sue for invasion of privacy, etc. or for any part of (possible) royalties because this "brain-surgeon" herself left the message on the theatre's answering-system and therefore she knew she was being recorded.

agnes!

 

[declansdad]

Good for the theater!

What would some of these people do on a long flight? Would they stare at the black screen and pretend to text?

 

[JEmaryland]

I have ZERO issues addressing the issue with the people directly.

Just two weeks ago we went and saw Thor and I approached four kids. I walked over to them (they were towards the end of the row with no one around us), crouched down and said for them to stop using their phones or they would be escorted out. They gave me an attitude (typical) and I sat back down, 5 minutes later they were texting again, so I walked back down and walked by them, out the door, to the manager and they were escorted out.

To add to it, one of the kids had his feet on the seat in front of him (stadium seating) and as I walked by, he didn't move his feet, so I just pushed through him. He copped an attitude again and said show some respect. Really, you want me to respect you when you and your friends are being total douche bags?

Thank you!! Maybe if more of us stood up to this awful behavior instead of stewing away silently to ourselves, we could finally put it to an end! I will never hesitate to say something to texters.

For the record, I'm 26.

 

[sajetto]

The light is very distracting and annoying in a darkened theater.

I agree 100%. I quit going to the movies because of the number of people that feel the need to text, surf the web, etc on their phones during a film.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Everyone knows the BACK row is the designated make out spot. Geeze, what's wrong with people now a days?!?!?!

This harks back to the post suggesting theater etiquette lessons. People growing up attached to their cell phones don't seem to be aware it exists...and from some other posts in this thread, some older patrons need a refresher course

 

[agnes!]

DD & I went to see "Bridesmaids" and I thought we were going to have trouble with this person who was playing games on their phone and talking a LOT to their friend before the movie started?...

But it was a GREAT audience. I actually turned around and told all the people around me what fun I had being in the audience with them!

agnes!

 

[mrodgers]

Oh I know, I turn it off when I'm at church, movies, etc. I let the VM get it often. I was just saying it's my only phone so it's not like I can leave it all the time as there's no other # to reach me. But I let that voicemail do its job often, especially when it would be rude to answer.

It's your only phone and you can't leave it? What did you do before you had a cell phone and only had a landline? Take the landline phone with you and expect it to work?

 

[sjaakie]

Texting annoying?


What about people ordering food in a service theater,what about people that are obviously there to do strange things I even can't describe here,what about annoying children that can't shut up for a moment,what about all those loud bag eaters whit there chips and other junkfood, what about children that keep hitting and pulling on your chair, what about people that fart,what about people sitting next to you that showered a year ago,what about people that are so big they need half you're chair and space?

Texting annoying? Well sorry but I prefer a texter.