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!

[Crowler]

Caitlin it seems I have chose to interpret "turn your phone off" to mean "turn your phone to silent".

[NewtRipley]

There are always people who exaggerate for effect.

[limitedperiodonly]

lilmisssunshine are you a member of any law enforcement agency? Do you have powers of arrest, or a taser?

Or do you just wish you do?

[playavsnow]

Nutters? Nice choice of words.

My straw poll gave opposite results to you, Inspace.

[Crowler]

I find it irritating when people check their phone constantly and I assume they're losers, to be honest (probably some innocents get caught in my crossfire, alas). But how could I be bothered by someone checking the time?

[HaroldTheGoat]

Caitlin there is no difference in turning your phone off and turning it onto silent which I do and keep it in my bag.

When I turn it off it takes ages to come on again and after 2 hours you can imagine I am simply itching to get back onto Facebook.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

Inspace

I would post the article about the woman who had bleach thrown over her by someone who she had asked to stop using their phone in a cinema (it was posted upthread).

Who would you think was the "aggressive nutter" then?

[InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream]

But OP is under no obligation to answer your questions. She isn't on trial for Christ's sake! She didn't even do anything wrong!

[Caitlin17]

Crowler why do you need to check the time in a cinema? If it was vital you had to be out by a certain time, check before you go in and if the end time isn't suitable go to another showing.

Otherwise if film is supposed to end at 5.30 and it hasn't, it won't be 5.30.

[LilMissSunshine9]

I never said it is on par with running red lights my point about that was that you OP said that you interpret a simple instruction telling you to turn off your phone to mean don't text or call so my point was well in that case a simple instruction as a red light telling you to stop means you would then interpret that to mean something other than stop

[Crowler]

If I hate a film I will check the time.

[InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream]

boney I saw your post before it got deleted and had nothing whatsoever to do with this thread so I ignored it

[RandyRudolf]

Oh but she did inspace, the MN jury have said so. Gavel, and all that

[HaroldTheGoat]

Caitlin, sometimes I might be in the cinema and think, crikey I really need a wee. I might have a quick look at the time to see if it is worth crossing my legs, or disturbing the row and missing some of the film.

That's one example.

[Crowler]

I can't see my really old watch in a dark cinema, by the way. I can't be the only one.

[RandyRudolf]

In future harold just piss yourself

[HaroldTheGoat]

I haven't even got a watch.

I've got into the habit of using my phone as a time telling device.

[jacks365]

Years ago I went to the west end for a family night out, adults only leaving my 6 week old with her grandparents I didn't even have a mobile phone then. One family member did, a works one as due to her job she needed to be contactable at all times, she turned it off and had her pager on vibrate in her hand ( it went off so she went to the foyer to call). There are ways round things without flashing phones in peoples eyes. No it's not rude to check your phone but it is rude to do so in a manner that disturbs others. People are very good at showing consideration for the people they are with but only those they are with.

[NewtRipley]

Maryz

I couldn't possibly comment

[Dimittis]

One thing's for sure, I'm enormously encouraged that the vast majority of posters agree the OP and her friend were unreasonable. Hurray - lovely people, I am happy to watch films with you!

I go to the cinema a lot, and disruption from phone users is generally mercifully rare. On one recent occasion it was very distracting and the culprits got ejected.

However, having seen the aggressive self-justification that can be behind this behaviour, I am newly inspired to speak to staff so that people who interpret rules in a 'casual way' (have I got that right, OP?) are chucked out the moment they start to disturb everyone else.

[Crowler]

She said to a complete stranger "I don't really care if you were disturbed by a light during the film or not"

It would have been far more savvy to say "I'm very sorry" and walk away. But people get defensive when confronted by strangers. They just do.