Latecomers to screenings and other cinema nuisances

[Beate]

I can imagine that this was a frightening situation but you stood up to them and you got them ejected and that's a good thing. Did you get some vouchers for the film they disturbed you from seeing?

[McG]

I'm so sorry to hear what a dreadful situation you found yourself in because your boyfriend rightly asked people to be quiet during the film, Clare. I regularly do this and even more, wth regards to phones as the Glasgow Fmukers will testify. It sounds as though these girls had a real pack mentality and possibly even been drinking/drugs. I'm glad the police were called though I'm not sure if they got to speak to these girls.
Like Beate, I sincerely hope that you and your group are compensated for missing your film and get free tickets to see it again. If you didn't get them, I would make a point of contacting the manager and asking for them. I agree that the whole situation has been a nightmare but you are completely in the right!

[The Sparrow]

I was once in a similar situation and had suffered a man constantly phone fiddling during the first of a triple bill. During the first break I informed staff but he started again as the second film started. I ran over and asked him to stop but he got up and reported me to staff. He lied about me threatening him and wanted cinema to call the Police which they refused to do. Shame they didn't ask me to come out as I would have rung the Police so he could hear them laugh down the phone!

After the three films ended, he and his large group of friends started to abuse me verbally and it carried on as we left the building. What did scare me was that I was standing on the road away from the cinema in the early hours of the morning awaiting a taxi when they came back and surrounded me. Threatened me with all kinds but I stood my ground and pointed out they were on cctv so they left.

It did shake me up but I would still do the same again and have done.

I'm surprised that Vue let the girls carry on disturbing people the way they did. Surely they have security?

[ClareBarr]

Thanks all. & what a scary situation for you too, The Sparrow. Yes the 2 staff did get the girls ejected from the screen (which was shortly after we left the screen ourselves). I do think they need more security there, but the staff who helped us were brill & I'll be taking in a box of chocolates to thank them when I go in next

Years ago, I remember cinemas used to have a member of staff in each screen, near the entrance, watching the film & the audience for any trouble. I guess they're too short staffed nowadays to do this. I miss those days - it did make me feel a lot safer!! 
 
I asked for the staff to return our free vouchers, which they did, but of course the most important thing was our safety so I'm glad the police escorted us to our cab outside. I'm also glad we stayed in the cinema, rather than being alone with the girls on the street-I too thought about the CCTV & that we'd be safer to stay put.

I don't want this to put me off from going to the cinema again - as I've been so many times before & this was the first time ever that this kind of thing has happened to me. I'm sure it was an isolated incident, and, because they never saw my face (I didn't give them the time of day), I doubt they'd recognise me on the street.

Just pleased it's all over & today is a new day!

[stuartboy]

What a horrid experience ClareBear. Well impressed with how you dealt with it.

My feeling with regards compensation is in fact similar to when a free screening doesn't show or is over full. Not only should you get a voucher to see the film another time, but you should also get another to compensate for the fact that you'll be shelling out 2 sets of travel expense to see the one film through no fault of your own. I know the cinema staff were nice to you, but it is the cinema that should be giving you chocolates for your ordeal.

[ejwrank]

Really sorry to hear about this ClareBarr and I am glad to read your latest post when you sound positive and able to go back to the cinema. I must say there are a lot of dreadful people out and about who seem intent on making everyone else's lives a misery with their appalling behaviour. I too tell people to behave in the cinema and it drives me mad when people seem to think it OK to turn on their phones umpteen times during screenings or chat aloud as if they are on the sofa back home. The lack of security inside cinemas is a real worry and I am glad you were not alone during the ordeal.

[ClareBarr]

Thanks ejwrank & stuartboy. I'm just pleased that no one was hurt & that I wasn't on my own. Feels good to be able to share the experience on here!

[The Sparrow]

After reading how rude a woman was to one of our members after being asked to turn her phone off, it made me wonder if anyone encounters the following and not just in cinemas either.

When I need to walk in front of people to get to my seat in cinema or theatre, I always say "excuse me" and "thank you" as I pass by.
Equally, when I am on a bus or train and I need to get off, I say "excuse me please" to the person in the aisle seat.

Yet time and time again, I find people just try and either step over me (God help them if they touch my bad knee) or push through me!

It's not even a youth thing, people who should know better do exactly the same thing. Are manners a thing of the past?

[McG]

Sadly, I think they are, The Sparrow! That's not to say that everyone is "bad" just that people sometimes only see what they want and "go for it!"

[stuartboy]

It's the ones in the cinema seats that don't actually move out of the way (their legs, feet, handbags, umbrellas) when you have said excuse me. And these are the very ones who have sat in the first few seats of the aisle (which is fair enough if they were there first and specifically wish to sit there) but should then expect to have people needing to get passed them.
Worse still are those who decide they need to leave during a film, don't excuse themselves and just attempt to walk through you before you've even become aware of them in the dark let alone had a chance to move your legs for them.

Should one stand up to allow someone to pass by? Or attempt to retract ones legs to allow a path? And what of bags, coats (and even a small rucksack that I had no choice but to have with me on one occasion)? It is hard enough to stow these under ones seat without then having to clear a path for a latecomer.