Man, I went to see Harry Potter on Sunday night with a bunch of friends. On the way there, this bus full of orphans overturns on the highway and catches fire. We jump out and were able to save all the orphans from death, and still managed to make it to the theater during the previews. We got banged up pretty good climbing in and out of the burning bus, so we wanted to sit in the front row of the balcony so we could rest our feet on the railing, but these assholes wouldn’t move. What’s up with people?
Hey, if you want to get seats where you can rest your feet, then you need to learn how to get people out of a burning bus quicker than that.
I think you were okay, OP. Like you say, if there were seats available all around, they can come earlier next time to get the good ones, not dislodge people already there to sit together in the good ones. It would have irritated me a bit, too, because it’s another example of the entitlement mentality that we deal with so often already.
Yeah, and wow, you didn’t even offer to take the orphans along to see the film? You guys are harsh! “Ha-ha, you nearly got burned to death in a bus, but you know what? We’re going to see Harry Potter! And you don’t get to go! So there!”
I would have moved over. I’d be annoyed, but I’d move. What’s really the big deal? Unless you live inside an episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, not every slight annoyance with other people needs to turn into an enormous battle.
Also - If your spouse was ok shifting over, but you weren’t, why not just have them move to your other side which would make room for the latecomers (and if they were there before the movie started, they weren’t late) and allow you to remain in your preciously perfect seat.
I don’t really understand why you’re being snarky about this (“preciously perfect seat”). The fact is, the spouse and I made a point to get to the theater early because we liked these particular seats. Why should we have to move because somebody else (and particularly somebody with a large group) decide they like the seats too? Especially in a theater where there were a lot of empty seats (including several in the row behind us, which is where they ended up sitting)?
Please keep in mind a couple of things: 1. Nobody asked us directly to move (not that I necessarily would have even if asked) and nobody was being nasty or pushy (not them, not us). Possibly a little passive-aggressive on both parts (them muttering, us avoiding eye contact) but this really wasn’t a big deal as far as how things ended up.
Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I believe that if you make the effort to gain something you want (such as arriving early to ensure you get the seat you like at the movies), then you shouldn’t have to step aside for someone who didn’t make the effort (assuming that a large group would be able to walk in as the movie started and get primo seats all together). They were lucky they got the seats they did, which were still some pretty darn good ones.
There were plenty of seats right behind them - I ain’t sitting right next to a stranger so you don’t have to sit one row down.
I’d rather someone sit next to me than right behind me. The person next to me won’t be kicking the back of my seat.
But yeah, they were rude. I always find it amusing (in a “wow what a dumbass” type way) when a large group arrives in a crowded theater after the lights have gone down and seem utterly shocked and appalled that they can’t find 7 seats together except in the very front.
Dude, they’re orphans…it’s not like anyone cares about them!
I wouldn’t have moved. It’s a movie, a place where you know you have two choices: show up early or take whatever seats are left.
Now, if it’s a full theater, I have no problem moving over one seat so that people can sit in pairs (except if I’m on an aisle – some places I need the extra leg room so that my knees don’t end up throbbing by the end of the show), but beyond that, I have no sympathy for the large groups that want people to move down multiple seats so they can all sit together. But in a relatively lightly-packed theater? You shoulda showed up earlier.
Like I said, I’d have been annoyed but I likely would have accomodated them by moving over one. A change in seat isn’t going to affect my movie-going experience as much as being confrontational and letting a few strangers get under my skin would. That’s the kind of thing that would ruin a movie for me. Better to just acquiesce and forget about it.
Hell to the fuck no.
I wouldn’t have a problem moving over, especially if it’s a movie I’d already seen. WTF? It simply is not a big deal to be just a teensy weensy bit a nice to people, even if one feels “they don’t deserve it”. No you’re not obligated to move, but it wouldn’t kill you either to be the better man.
It is indeed.
I feel good when I do nice things, especially if said nice things require near zero effort on my part and don’t disadvantage me in any meaningful way. So I would have moved. End result: everybody’s happy.
And how is arriving 5 minutes before the movie starts not “on time”?
I’m having a really difficult time understanding the people who say that the OP should have just moved. Here’s how I understand this scenario:
There are three groups of people in this story, generally speaking.
- The OP and companion
- Other early-arriving theater-goers
- The larger, later-arriving group
Group #1 arrived earliest, chose the desired seats, and caused zero inconvenience to anyone in doing so. I see nothing wrong with this.
Group #2 arrived later, chose the desired seats or as close to them as was possible given the location of Group #1, and caused zero inconvenience to anyone in doing so. I see nothing wrong with this.
Group #3 arrived latest and, as far as we can tell, chose the desired seats or as close to them as was possible. However, Group #3 caused both inconvenience to Group #2 and potentially to Group #1 in two ways. First, they wanted at least one group, and possibly both groups, to relocate in order to accomodate their most-desired seating arrangement despite the fact that many other seating options were available to them. Second, this process likely caused disruption to both Group #1 and Group #2 in that both were already watching previews at this point.
As has been pointed out several times already, Group #3’s decision to act on its desire was both inconsiderate to others AND completely unnecessary (unless someone believes there was actually a good reason they all needed to be sitting in that specific row together). Regardless, at least one group had to end up (mildly) annoyed ultimately by not getting exactly what it wanted.
So what reason is there for either Group #1 or Group #2 to take on that annoyance? Why is it any bigger a deal for Group #3 to re-arrange itself to fit into already-empty seats than it is for the other groups to scoot over?
Previews had started, the previews are a part of the show. The lights had already went down.
I might have moved for Gryffindors. Definitely not for Slytherins.
Years ago I went to a summer block buster, took a book, got there early to get a good seat. Just as the movie started a family came in and, not finding a group of seats together, asked me to move so that they could sit together.
I thought about it, I really did. But in the end I decided that I had paid for my seat both with money *and *time and I said, sorry, no.
The guy called me an asshole and they wandered off.
Bottom line is that the seat becomes yours when you put your ass in it, no one else has any right to it.
Someone may ask you to move, as a favour. You are free to oblige or deny that favour and not be an asshole.
You’re not obligated to move. Sure, it’s nice to move for them, but you shouldn’t feel obligated to do so.
I wouldn’t have moved. It only encourages the late group to be late. Maybe not getting the seats they wanted will teach them to arrive before the lights go down next time.