Do you find this rude?

[Shellie]

Last night, my husband and I went to the movies. We arrived early, as we always do, purposely to pick our seat. As the movie is starting and even later, ushers came in and asked the patrons on the outside seats to move over so the late comers can sit down.

I find this incredibly rude. I feel that the late comers should take last choice. Am I the only one that finds this rude?

Do you believe that the rudeness comes from those that don't wish to scoot over or from the late arrivals that expect someone to accommodate them?

[Mike Vande]

As big of a drag as it might be, I think a Christian is obligated to give up his seat if asked to, as much he/she/it is obligated to give up their shirt as well as their coat if asked.

Makes a good argument for wearing more extensive undergarments than Janet Jackson, don't it?

Vande

[Brenda]

My opinion is they should take whats left.

If you took the time and made sure you arrived early in order to get the seat of your choosing, I don't think a person coming in after you should have the nerve nor the usher should have the nerve (or rights) to have you move and take another seat.
Its not like the ticket was bought with a certain seat number on it.

[rough_rider]

What are ya doing in a movie house in the first place!.....Kiddding.
In the perfect world the late comers should take what is left, but in the real world smile and give the seat up....

[Doug]

As the movie is starting and even later, ushers came in and asked the patrons on the outside seats to move over so the late comers can sit down.

Maybe you should come over here and stake your claim to an outside seat. You wouldn't be accosted by ushers or late arriving patrons to move over,.............no way! The late arrivals just shuffle past you in the dark.
Hint: wear a rain coat, steel capped work boots and no nylons.
Doug

[Pastor Gary]

...ushers came in...

Ushers??? Man, I wish we HAD some ushers in the theaters here to confiscate the flashing lights cell phones from people taking 5 or 6 calls during a movie and talking out loud as if we weren't there. Our local mall 10-screen is seriously understaffed... people jump screens and nobody seems to notice.

But as to your question: CHRISTIAN does not equal DOORMAT.
I would politely, but firmly, suggest to the usher that you'd be glad to stand up and allow the latecomers to cross past you to get to a seat, but that you came early specifically to select the seats you did.

Out of curiosity, why outside seats? I go early to sit DEAD CENTER, top row (back.) Nobody sits behind you and kicks your seat, in stadium seating theaters your view isn't blocked, and the last row typically has a few inches of extra leg room. The sound is pretty good there, too, as all those surround sound speakers kind of come together there.

[Tim Elston]

I've always thought it inconsiderate of people who, both in church and in a theater, sit down at the end and block others rather than scooting into the middle of a row to allow others to sit down in the row comfortably. I don't think it is rude for an usher (in church, too) to ask politely for people to move in to allow others to sit. It becomes rude only when the usher insists that you vacate your seats after you have stated a preference for them. If you offer to move out of the way to allow others to take seats in the middle and the usher honors your preference, neither you nor the ushers (nor the other patrons) have been rude, in my opinion.

It sounds like a pet peeve of yours, so you are the one on whom the burden lies to deal with it constructively instead of letting your peeve elicit any rude behavior from you. But, no, an usher is only doing his or her job to try to make room for people, and until you express that you have a preference for the seats you are in, it is perfectly exceptable for him or her to ask you to move over.

Tim (not always known for perfect manners)

[James]

IF the usher in the theater asks me to move, I will be polite about it. However, if the usher in question TELLS me to move, I will be rude back to him/her. Personally, I find it ruder for people to come in late and crawl all over me to get to a seat. I like to do as Pr. Gary and get a good back center seat (dead center of the screen), so I really don't have either problem except in a small center aisle theater (not many left around Dallas/Fort Worth), where I do prefer the center aisle seat. In church, I usually sit on the outer aisle end of the pew. The ushers always ask if I will make room for someone, giving me the choice of moving down or stepping out of their way and allow them to pass on through. I haven't yet decided about "my" spot when we move into our new sanctuary since the seating will be "fan shaped". Anyone else with a favorite spot?

[Shellie]

Pastor Gary asked

Out of curiosity, why outside seats?

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I prefer inside, middle seats also. That is why I arrive early. However, the movie was a crowded one and there were SEVERAL older couples on the outside aisle seats even before I arrived.

I would assume that those that chose the outer aisle tend to be bathroom runners or people on call (with vibrating phones hopefully) who would take the outside aisle for easy exit.


Let me say this too. I've always found it rude to ask a patron to move for someone late. I guess the reason it burned me this time more so was that the older couples were moving for much younger couples that were arriving after the previews and even after the movie started. DOUBLE rude.

[Paully_44]

Squatters rights, first come - first pick.

I would politely say no thank you and keep my seat...

unless of course, they comp you tickets to another movie or concessions for asking you to move.