It’d be a better analogy if ringing cellphones in theaters caused asthmatic attacks or predisposed to cancer in employees and patrons.
But who knows what research may show? 
Well, considering some theaters have to pay for security to escort unruly cell users, I’d say there’s a danger of injury due to asthma kicking in through stress, or a broken nose from some douchebag. Point is, you can choose whether or not to go to the place you know may have a ringing cellphone. If the establishment doesn’t allow it, or can’t allow it, what the hell is there to bitch about? Personal choise? Not anymore. Cell phone blocking for all.
Here’s the funny thing. As of now, a theater can declare that no cell phones are allowed. If people don’t like that rule, they can go to another theater. A theater that doesn’t have that rule. It’s the same thing. Choice. Don’t bring the second-hand smoke bullshit into it. The owner sets the rule. Unless the city or state says different.
Amen.
Theaters could say, “We’re blocking cell phones on Saturdays and Sundays only.” They could say, “We’ve got King Kong on two screens; one is cell-phone jammed and one is not.” And then watch what happens with their net profit, and determine the best allocation of resources.
This is exactly the kind of issue that a free market can best resolve. Either people will stop going to theaters, or theaters will do something to keep cell phones from ringing, or nothing will change and we’ll all sit here bitching on the Internet about it forever. People can affect change by voting with their dollars, but only if they have options.
Not directly related to the theater issue, but I was thinking about just this kind of thread after it happened.
Two weeks ago was the national Japanese Proficiency Exam, a test intended for foreigners in Japan which is given only once a year. Many of the people taking the test, particularly the higher levels (level 1 and 2), are doing so in order to qualify for college admission or entry-level business positions, so the test can have a big effect on visa status and future careers. I was taking it mostly for my own curiosity and amusement.
On the registration sheet, the rules were explained in five different langauges; the test would use a yellow card / red card system for violations: 2 yellow cards or 1 red, and your exam sheet is taken away, you are escorted out of the room, and your test is not scored. It was explained in writing on the registration sheet, and verbally before every section of the exam, that “If your phone rings, you get a red card. If your phone vibrates and the examiners can hear it (i.e. it’s loud enough to be a disturbance), you get a red card. If your phone’s alarm rings, you get a red card.” For comparison, trying to read someone else’s answer sheet was a yellow card (and a paddlin’).
Through the first 95% of the test, there were no problems. Then, after about five hours, with only five minutes to go in the last part of the test, a phone started ringing. Even though the guy had it stuffed in his backpack, it was still loud enough for the entire classroom to hear. The test proctors were all over the guy in seconds: two were holding out red cards like they were reffing the World Cup, a third took away his test booklet and answer sheet (he looked like he’d already finished), and a fourth picked up his coat and bag and carried it outside. He sat there for a moment looking wide-eyed and stunned, and then silently got up and was led out.
I felt a little sorry for the guy (though I wish I could have heard that phone conversation. “Hello dear, it’s your mother. Just wanted to know how you did on your test.”), but I was very happy to see that all the warnings and instructions weren’t just empty threats that weren’t going to be followed through.
Actually I’m kind of happy that wasn’t linked to a lawsuit filed on the dumb-ass’s lawyers. Japan really is a foreign land.
Refreshing, really.
After it was over, I actually heard the “but what if I’m too important?” whine running through my head, and it just didn’t hold water. If the test is so vital to your future that you absolutely need to take it, then you’re not so important that you can’t be out of touch for five hours, and vice-versa.
It doesn’t piss me off, but it bugs me. Most grown ups know they should go before the movie starts. If you can’t hold your water, sit near the door or wear “Opps I crapped my pants” undergarments.
I understand you are super-duper important and need to take calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I feel very sorry for you. I think it is great you put your mobile on vibrate but you’ll still have to walk in front of me twice to take your super important call. Being super important I’d suspect you might even get 2 calls. That’s four times you’ll be disrupting my show. When I go to a movie I pay to see the movie not your ass or crotch in my face because you are too rude to just shut off a phone for 90 to 120 minutes. Just turn off the damn thing. It won’t kill you.
You COULD leave a message on your voicemail that says "I’m in a movie. The movie will be over at X time. I’m not an asshole so I’ve turned my phone off so as not to disrupt everyone else. If this is a REAL emergency please contact the theatre management at X number and tell them I am at the X screening of X movie. "
In any case if theatres start jamming mobile phones, I just might start going to theatres again.
While I appreciate you not wanting to be interruppted in your movie watching, if theaters block cell phones I will not be able to go to a movie. My job is one where I am on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I don’t like it particularly but it is re
While I appreciate you not wanting to be interruppted in your movie watching, if theaters block cell phones I will not be able to go to a movie. My job is one where I am on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I don’t like it particularly but it is required of me to to be available. I put the phone on vibrate and if it does go off, tell the caller quietly to hold on while I exit. I DON"T sit and talk and DON’T make calls from my seat. Please don’t ban me from seeing a movie except at home.
I had a similar experience this summer. I took an EMT class, and during our practical final (where we act out trauma and medical scenarios) we were told we could not have our cell phones in the exam rooms. We also could not use them while waiting our turn - thye were to be off or on vibrate. If we needed to make a call, an examiner would accompany us outside and wait with us while we made our call. Seemed a little extreme, but apparently they’d had a lot of trouble with people trying to cheat - calling each other and comparing notes.
(We were also not allowed to talk to each other about what happened during our practicals while waiting, either)
Just curious - what sort of job do you have that requires you to be in constant contact, if you don’t mind me asking? What would you have done 25 or 30 years ago, before cell phones and beepers? Are you able to go on vacation?
What is it?
What are these magical jobs where people can’t be out of touch for ANY two hours during the week? I’d like to know.
I’d also like to know if
- these jobs didn’t exist in the time before cell phones
OR if
- people with these jobs in the time before cell phones/beepers just had to sit next to their phone all day.
Are you not allowed to go hiking? Are you not allowed to go for a bike ride? Are you not allowed to travel anywhere that cell phone service might not be available? Can you go to the beach and go swimming?
You mean you actually ANSWER it and ask the caller to hold?
In the theater?
And you’re willingly admitting this?
You’re banned. Tough crap. See the movie at home.
Often jobs in the medical field, law enforcement and fire fighting. We have to have folks on call to respond to radioactive spills, not that we’ve ever had one.
More people died. But it was worth it. Heck, even if a few people die in the theater because no one could call 911 because of a jammed phone, it’d be worth it because more people could enjoy the movie. :rolleyes:
Not when you’re on call in some cases. It blows at times.
:rolleyes: right back atcha.
Sorry Charlie, if you’re in a position where someone’s life depends on you being rude to hundreds of other people, don’t go to the fucking movie. And if you do bring your vibrator, get up and leave to answer it. Don’t answer it sitting in your seat. And if you do get up and leave, don’t come back. Because I hope the distraction you’re causing is a reason you really have to leave, and not because the baby sitter can’t find the remote.
Someone says, “Hold on a sec…” and gets up to leave, and you get that pissed off?
Christ on a crutch, man. You need to relax a little.
I tend to think of it as a death by a thousand cuts, myself. If one person does it, no big deal…but too often there are a dozen or so of these incidents during a movie, and it gets ridiculous.
I am truly sorry for those of you that are on call 24/7, 365 days a year. Hopefully, you bank the sort of salary that will allow you to put in a really kick-ass home theater. But, as a father of 3, I don’t have much sympathy, given the limits put upon my by my ‘little blessings.’ But then again, it’s my own twisted sense of right and wrong that keeps me from inflicting my kids on other people in venues like this. That’s a whole 'nuther thread right there.
Yeah but most of Tulare county are cousins in some way shape or form so we expect cretins when we are in the area.
Yes, I find it annoying if you have to interrupt the movie for any reason. Bathroom breaks included! But I understand and sympathize with bathroom breaks more.
Around here, the movies are almost $10 apiece now. So we pick and choose the movies very carefully. And you know, there’s only the one chance to see it on the big screen; rarely will I go again! So you’re ruining my only experience of it with your silly cell phones and your damn Chatty Cathy. I don’t even like people who eat LOUDLY in the theatres - I don’t mind you eating, but try not to do the *rustle-rustle-rustle * thing during the quietest most serious part of the movie, please.
And kids. I don’t mind you bringing your kid to Narnia, or Harry Potter. I do very much mind you bringing your horrible little rugrat to LOTR! It is a scary movie and lots of head-chopping, plus it’s very serious and the little kid is going to cry.
One more thing: keep your damn editorial comments to yourself. I don’t want to hear comments about Frodo being gay or snorts of laughter when he got stabbed by Shelob (both things that really happened). In other words, why is it so hard to expect you to shut the fuck up for two hours?
I do believe that with a movie that’s three hours there should be an Intermission in the middle, like in India. Let everybody out for 15 minutes, you can go pee, call everybody you need, get some more food, then come in and sit down and shut up!
Honestly, it’s as though asking for a modicum of respect is somehow too much.
I read what kidchameleon was saying as suggesting that if you were in a theater that blocked cell phones and someone had a heart attack and you needed to call 911 right then, the person having the heart attack would be SOL. Which strikes me as a very good reason not to have jamming in theaters.
I can, however, live with someone quietly answering a phone set to vibrate and saying, “Hold on,” then going outside to talk. Since my husband is on call 24/7 every other weekend, we have learned to deal with such things; it’s possible to do it so unobtrusively nobody around you even notices. Especially if it’s a loud theater, which it usually is. But at least we sit by an aisle so if he needs to leave to take a call, he can without climbing over anybody. I’m sorry he can’t plan the timing of when the hospital computer crashes to fit perfectly around the theater schedule, but just because he may have to respond in an emergency doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve to have a life, too.
It’s the ones who are loud, rude, and obnoxious I’d like to see have their phones pounded to bits. There’s no excuse for it.
Why do you care about their lunch?
My SO has a position where he is frequently on call. (He oversees snow removal in winter and other highway contracts throughout the year) No it isn’t an immediate life or death call, but the people who want the roads clear so they can go places I’d say they think his job is pretty important. Before cellphones he would have had to be on-site damn near 24/7 in order to take care of any issues which would have meant less time with us. Now instead of having to be at the office for a conference call with the NWS he can take it from home. Instead of having to be at the office to take questions about relatively minor issues we can go have dinner or go christmas shopping.
If it’s ok with me that he’s taking a phone call - why should it bother you?
Wow, I bet you’re glad they’ve managed to eliminate all disasters in your area. No fires that rage out of control, no venting of nature’s fury upon the land, no nasty spills. Or perhaps people that look out for others should just never go to the movie, lest a ring disturb you. Are you really delicate? Can you wear clothes that have been laundered by a machine?
Well that’s what I do.
Fuck that shit. If I want to pee, get more popcorn, throw up or just stretch my legs I’m going to. If you don’t want to be bothered by others, I suggest you stay at home. Because I’m going to use my half of the arm rest, I’m going to move around in my seat, I’m going to laugh at the parts I think are funny and I’m going to get up and take a piss during a Peter Jackson movie. I like being hydrated.
Some folks are just on call for a week or two. Others just for emergancies.
On preview **Tiger Mama ** has gotten the point I was :rolleyes: ing about. 