To Find this Woman in the Cinema Rude

[LessMissAbs]

Me and my friend were watching a film in the cinema tonight. She doesn't wear a watch and must have been checking her phone for the time - its a habit of hers to do this, or to ask people the time. I was sitting next to her and I didn't notice it.

There was an empty seat to her other side between her and a woman. The woman suddenly boomed out in the middle of the film, "If you want to play your phone, you can go outside and do it instead of in here".

It was mortifying, and she interrupted the film for me. I was really embarrassed for my friend, but we didn't say anything.

At the end of the film, as we were standing up to leave, I said to the woman "I don't really care if you were disturbed by a light during the film or not, I don't want to have to the film interrupted by your booming voice". She then started arguing back (she said something like "Oh you'd like to be a cheeky one, wouldn't you, and some other stuff) but we turned our backs towards her and her husband so that she was talking to ourselves, put on our coats and left.

Kind of ruined the film for both of us. Normally I find going to the cinema relaxing!

I can't believe the lengths some people will go to to get offended.

11 pages!! About nothing.

During Gravity I didn't move a muscle - I held a sweet in my hand the whole duration of the film because I was rigid with tension and so utterly engrossed I forgot about it (unheard of!). It definitely wasn't a case of going to the cinema to relax!

The problem with just checking your phone for a second is that if lots of people do it, it will be annoying and distracting. I get seized with panic at the start of the film being uncontactable lest my pfb unexpectedly explodes in my absence but I recognise this is irrational and get absorbed in the film. I don't think it's too much to ask to put it away for a couple of hours.

Op. Friend was rude to have phone on full stop. End of. For those saying re child related problems phones have only been around a few years what do. People do in the 1920 1950. Or 1970s without them. I often forget to take my old phone with me. Its a lovely feeling, being free. Try it everyone....

Ha ha ha. OP, I think the offended lot are professional at being offended. If you are all such upstanding and righteous etiquette observers, please focus your energies on something properly worthwhile. Checking the time is not a crime. Ooh, a catchphrase?

One last thing to add re the phone in pocket on vibrate comments; my clothes don't usually have deep enough pockets to keep a phone from slipping out, especially when sitting down. I therefore keep my phone in my bag.

And in the years before mobile phones, my parents or people I babysat for always left the name and phone number of the pub or restaurant in case of a problem.

Personally I find light much more distracting than noise in a cinema, as it draws my attention away from the screen, even if just momentarily.

If it had happened several times then I'm sure the woman was getting more and more irritated by it, hence the loud voice.

I find it interesting, op, that you know she wasn't playing with it or texting, when you also admit you didn't notice it. How then would you know how much she was messing with her phone?

Using a phone in a cinema is not on. Your friend was in the wrong. The woman dealt with it poorly, but if there were people sitting behind your friend they probably felt like applauding her. I find it most obvious about two or three rows behind, and to the side. And it is REALLY distracting.

Jengr I couldn't believe it had reached 11 pages either.

I must be odd because it wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

a quick summation of this thread:

AIBU?

Majority of people YABU!

But, but, but, but, but.........

ThisHasBeenAPublicServiceAnnouncementTiggaxx

yanbu, I really don't understand the umbrage. A phone that rang or chirped constantly annoys for sure, but that's not remotely what OP describes.

If it was just once, then the other woman was being unreasonable.

Your mate needs a watch.

You and your friend were both completely rude, and YABU. I'm surprised you're still trying to argue that you and your friend were in the right.

Sadly, you're giving us a wonderful insight into the way that ignorant and bad mannered people think.

Agree with everyone, the glare from phones in cinemas is odious.

I took my son to the cinema for the first time yesterday, with a bit of popcorn and a drink each, it cost £51 for three of us.

I would definitely had said something if a person had disturbed me.

lordy what a mad bunch of people, a small light from a phone would hardly spoil the enjoyment of a film to me.

people slurping massive sodas and munching on popcorn seems to be okay though

'mad people' lol!

i have checked my watch to see the time at some usually (as films are these days) boring flick that has gone on for hours and i can't see it! there used to be clocks in cinemas in my day i am sure :D

geckos 51 pounds???
Did you go to the Queens own cinema and eat gold sprinkled popcorn and sip iced pims from a silver chalice?

dh and i take it in turns to take the dds to the cinema, i do check my phone (as does dh) and have texted before, i do it inside my bag so hopefully it doesn't disturb someone. sometimes people do have to check on their children, i is just the way it is.

op, your friend wouldn't disturb me, shouty woman would.

for those of you defending phone use: there are actual films made and shown before the feature to say using your phone is distracting and antisocial. The vast majority of people here tell you it's distracting and ruins the film for them. However because it doesn't bother you those that don't like it are uptight and should stay home and watch DVDs. Do you not know how arrogant that makes you sound?

No I went to the fucking odeon in salisbury and sat in a tiny cold room with lots of other people.

if it had of been the queens own cinema I might not be so pissed off by the price!