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Management should have taken care of the situation immediately once it was brought to their attention. I do agree that it is annoying to be anywhere today and people constantly being on their phone. What happened to going to the theatre to enjoy the performance? Unfortunately, we find this behavior everywhere. I do not think what Kevin Williamson did was the correct thing to do, but I understand and probably would applaud him if I had been in the audience.
I agree..Plus in today's society, Mr. Williamson is lucky all he got was a slap. Doing something like he did (while I do understand his anger but don't endorse his actions) could get one a serious beatdown or worse, shot. If management refused to correct the problem, I personally would have politely asked for a refund.
It's incumbent upon the management of this theater to create an environment where the patrons can have an enjoyable experience. They obviously failed in that regard.
I too understand his anger but what he did was wrong. It's something most of us have probably thought of doing while in that situation. He just actually did it!
And as much as I hate people like the rude cell phone lady in this story, what Kevin Williamson did is WRONG.
He got physical with her first. Maybe he didn't physically assault her, but angrily snatching something out of a stranger's hands is stepping way over the line. You do not have the right to destroy someone's property because they are being an a-hole. This is no different than road rage. You do not have the right to rear end the stupid bastard in front of you for coasting below the speed limit in the left-hand lane and refusing to move over. No matter how much he deserves it and needs to be taught a lesson. It's not your place to teach him a lesson.
And as much as this rude cell phone lady needs to be taught a lesson and deserves to have her phone shoved up her arse, it is no one's right to actually do so.
The problem is cell phones come with no rules of polite usage.
Good manners are a society's lubricant; manners allow all of us a way of slipping around the abrasive elements of living in close proximity to each other.
Theaters are a close. We sit very close to total strangers and tolerate that physical closeness only because everyone is there for the same purpose. Silence is an elemental part of going to a theater and always has been. Visual participation is just as important as aural participation; back when movies had no sound, theater goers had to learn to avoid wearing big hats. Long before cell phones existed, talkers were told to hush up.
The more a performance costs or is anticipated, the less the tolerance is for interrupting behavior. In times past, a person who wanted to talk on the phone had to go to the lobby to do so, and that's the way it should be now. In time, the people who have to learn things the hard way will change.
Last edited by banjomike; 05-20-2013 at 12:40 PM..
I had this ignorant woman in front of me flashing her cell phone in the theater repeatedly. I asked her nicely to please turn it off. She said "Did you ever consider that this might be an emergency?" So I said to her "Well them maybe you should think about getting up instead of disturbing every one around you, but it's just all about you isn't it." In the same theater I had to ask another person a couple of rows down to please stop talking on his cell phone. We actually got a young girl kicked out of another theater because she wouldn't stop her loud conversation on her phone. When the manager confronted her she said but I was talking on my phone. In all of these situations as much as I wanted to throw their phones across the room I wouldn't touch property that belonged to someone else. It's better to get the manager to deal with ignorant customers. We switched to a different theater with an educated demographic. Ah so refreshing dealing with intelligence vs ignorance. Not a cell phone in sight. Sweet.
While I understand the frustration, I don't abide the notion that one can replace one antisocial behavior with another one. The guy's a hotheaded jerk.
Talking on your cellphone while you drive on the freeway as your vehicle weaves back and forth in your lane. Seen it a hundred times. Dangerous. One reason I DON'T own a cell phone.
I don't get this statement. You let bad actions from others decide what you do/do not own?
There are many things about cell phones I don't like as a user of them. That would drive me to make my purchasing decision. Not the actions of others. People act like rude jerks all the time in their cars doing hundreds of different things. That wont stop me from owning a car or force me to act like they do.
If you don't think talking on a cell while driving is safe (which it isn't - absolutely agree that it's dangerous) - then don't do it ..... however, you not owning a cell phone isn't going to make anyone else stop doing it or make you any safer from what others are doing .......... if anything, it may make it easier to call for help/lawyer/insurance once one of those dopes runs into you
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As for the theater - he was absolutley in the wrong ........ while I definitely sympathize with his feelings, still absolutely wrong and he's lucky the outcome wasn't worse for him
The theater should regulate these things ... it's their job .... if they don't then your beef is with both the individual and the theater .... the theater should work to make you feel better about the situation and if they fail you don't need to be a repeat customer of theirs
Now this also allows this lady to justify herself as a victim as opposed to just a general annoyance
While this is something I think we would all love to do, I think it crosses the line. I think that maybe theaters should make patrons check their phones at the door if they bring them.
And this:
Quote:
I had this ignorant woman in front of me flashing her cell phone in the theater repeatedly. I asked her nicely to please turn it off. She said "Did you ever consider that this might be an emergency?"
If there is THAT big of an emergency that you just HAD to answer your phone, you better be running toward the door. Its a wonder anyone ever went out before with all of these "emergencies" that need to be dealt with immediately.
I think that maybe theaters should make patrons check their phones at the door if they bring them.
Stop and think about that. How many people with $500 smartphones are going to entrust a coat check guy to safeguard their device. Not going to happen. Maybe a cell phone jammer like the cops have, but then you may have a shooting and people will sue.
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