# Aussie woman tries to deal with movie idiot **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 13, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271 "2006-02-13T14:36:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271/21 "2006-02-14T01:08:56Z")
I’m glad this thread exists. The Australian news bulletins were taking what I fear is a rather unforunate take on this. It wasn’t quite US bashing, but there was an element of cultural superiority in it - they made much of the woman saying in court, “in Australia, you can touch somebody and it isn’t assault”. Well, actually it can be. Even back in 1988 when I worked in retail I was told that you cannot even tap a suspected shoplifter on the shoulder as it is assault. So, anyway, it’s good to see so many US dopers annoyed at this cell phone idiot. Not that I’m surprised at this reaction, but it’d be nice for some of the Australian news outlets to read this thread - but “Americans are violent, unstable, selfish hicks” does sell, and they know it. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271/22 "2006-02-14T01:41:39Z")
> [@The Sydney Morning Herald](#): > > An enjoyable trip to a Texas cinema to watch **Health** Ledger in Brokeback Mountain ended badly for an Australian woman who had the nerve to shush a fellow movie-goer who was talking on her mobile phone. And when did Heath change his name to Health? [sub](Bolding is mine.)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271/23 "2006-02-14T01:50:18Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > Well, actually it can be. Even back in 1988 when I worked in retail I was told that you cannot even tap a suspected shoplifter on the shoulder as it is assault. That happens in the US too. I know a woman who was trying to get an loud,unruly obnoxious customer to leave the store. She made the mistake of taking his arm. He had her arrested. She lost her job, and the company got sued over it. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271/24 "2006-02-14T02:57:33Z")
> [@Large Marge](#): > > And when did Heath change his name to Health? > > [sub](Bolding is mine.)[/sub] Right after his last physical exam? -rimshot- :eek: 😃 ( I am going to Hell for that. I know it. And yet… ) Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271/25 "2006-02-16T02:38:05Z")
She got a fine. > [@SMH](#): > > Aussie fined after touching US moviegoer > February 16, 2006 - 12:20PM > > An Australian woman charged with assault after trying to shush an American moviegoer who was on a mobile phone has been fined $176… > > \ > > Seven showed vision of a smiling Ms Clayton leaving what appeared to be a court building but it was unclear whether she had paid the fine. > > “If I don’t have a traffic violation or touch anyone again in 90 days, there’s no conviction,” she said. I’m glad to see that justice has been served and this vicious shusher has been punished. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271/26 "2006-02-16T02:46:58Z")
> [@TommyTutone](#): > > It’s Texas, she’ll probably get the death penalty. :rolleyes: And if it was Atlanta, she’d kill 4 people in a daring escape. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271/27 "2006-02-16T05:02:43Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > I didn’t realize that I could force the police to arrest someone just because I asked them to. > > In any event, remember the bitch who sued two teens for frightening her when they rang the doorbell to anonymously drop off chocolate chip cookies? She, too, insisted that “justice” be served. In the end it was she who begged for mercy from the public. What finally happened to that noxious bitch? I remember that story circulating in The Pit last year, but I missed the outcome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-woman-tries-to-deal-with-movie-idiot/344271.md?page=1)