To ask people to move seats at the theatre

[Homemoans]

My 6-year son really wants to see a play of one of David Walliams on Saturday, the only seats they have left are on the front row but they are 5 seats apart. WIBU to buy the two tickets and ask the 5 people sat in between us to either move up or move down?

You can but ask. I think most people are pretty decent and will budge considering that budging one seat across wont affect their viewing pleasure. But of course if they may not.

I don't think the OP cares - she posted and pissed off leaving everyone else to argue

Livia I don't hesitate if someone asks me to do something that's reasonably easy for me to do and will make a big difference to them, absolutely.

I assume most people are friendly and helpful and I try to behave in the same way.

User that doesn't work. Who's assuming anything? OP was asking if it would be unreasonable to ask people if they would mind moving. That doesn't imply that she has assumed they will say yes. No brass neck about it. The debating going on here is about who would/wouldn't move if asked, not who would/wouldn't ask.

So you would ask them to help you if you needed it too?

I don't recognise a world where people ask others for help all the time, which is a relief. I honestly try to be as little bother as possible - it baffles me why others can't do the same

Asking is taking the piss. You don't know how the asker will react if you say no, so you say yes and are inconvenienced, the person who asks gets their own way

I'd definitely move without hesitation but would expect to be moved more centrally rather than out. However, what would you do if they won't move?

I haven't called anyone miserable. I said that not helping others was mean spirited and miserable. That's very different to being "snarky" and name calling.

I haven't called anyone miserable. I said that not helping others was mean spirited and miserable. That's very different to being "snarky" and name calling.

I honestly think if you asked 100 strangers in the street if they'd move in this situation that most would say yes. I really don't believe that people are that stubborn and mean

I agree. My point was, from the OPs point of view, I wouldn't book those two separate seats and cross my fingers that somebody would move. I think it's a bit cheeky to assume strangers will accommodate my requirement. I'd move if asked, but I'd never dream of booking unsuitable seats and then expect others to move.

If I needed help, I would ask for it, yes. I hope if anyone needed my help they would ask for it.

That doesn't mean everyone's asking each other for help 'all the time'. But with the state of the world as it is at the moment I find it absolutely baffling that anyone wants to live so shut off and unwilling to lend each other a hand.

And asking people is entitled and rude. Presumably that isn't name calling or snarky either

I wouldn't mind someone asking me, I wouldn't mind asking and I wouldn't be offended if they said no.

I didn't imagine the poster who said she would tell the OP she was rude and entitled would be smiling when she did that so not really being ironic to say hatchet faced.

Asking people isn't rude and entitled, expecting it and demanding it would be rude and entitled.

There was a thread a while back in which someone said they would go up to a stranger in the street and ask for a tampon - that truly boggled my mind. Outside of MN world, people aren't like that.

Hmm partly it would depend on how you asked me but I'd think it was pretty entitled that you'd obviously booked knowing you weren't seated together then expected me to move anyway. I probably would but it would piss me off

I wouldn't go up to someone and ask them for a favour. I would be concerned that I was taking the piss

Asking people for help if you need it is NOT entitled and rude. It really is not.

Aaahhh this phone app. Sorry for the double posts.

I can't see the problem myself if you're moving people towards centre stage . How big is he? My 5 year old DD always sits on my lap in theatre / cinema anyway . I'd book them.

If you need it then fine, as in your arm is falling off and you need an ambulance.

If you want it because you cba to book the right seats or whatever, that's totally different

You don't even need to move the entire row. You could ask the seat next to the one you plan to book nearest the aisle to swap with the other seat you book

If it's not a group of 5 people, it means that person will be sitting away from their group, and inbetween 2 people they don't know.

No. I have to check theatremonkey to rate my seat before I book. It tells you view, how reasonable the price is, how much leg room and other tips before you book. There's no way I'd do all that research only to have someone ask me to move because they couldn't be bothered to put the work in themselves.

You'll need a booster in the front row.

A young woman passed my car today, I was sitting waiting for someone else.
The young woman came back and asked if I had any change to get a sandwich with, I didn't have any and said so, I didn't think she was rude or even entitled, she asked, I said sorry I didn't have any, she smiled and carried on walking.