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I recently went to the movies when a woman sitting one seat away took out her knitting. I don’t think I would have had such a problem, if she hadn’t kept raising her arm to pull the yarn! I wanted to say something, but felt like I was on uncertain ground... she wasn’t being noisy, just pesty. How would you have recommended we approach the knitting knucklehead?
We love knitting, but we think certainly think it is inappropriate to knit - or to do anything that could be distracting to others - during a film.
We think people who are doing something that bothers those around them often don't realize that they are annoying others. So saying something politely would not be out of line, such as, "Excuse me, I'm really sorry to bother you, but I'm finding that a little bit distracting right now. Would you mind putting that away until the film is over?"
Of course, in some situations the offending person may be well aware that they are annoying others and just not care. If the person refuses to stop, or you're not able to say something to him or her, the only recourse you have is to change your own reaction to the annoying person. We're reading a book now called Just Add Buddha by Franz Metcalf, and there is an entire chapter called "Dealing with Troublesome Types (a.k.a., All Living Things.)." Mr. Metcalf advises us to "humanize the troublesome person. Humanizing them works because most of us are decent people, so when we see other people's humanity we relax, we open up to them, we might even begin to care about them. In any case, we let go of our reactive, negative mindsets." Who knows... perhaps the woman was knitting in the movie theater because she was trying to finish making Christmas presents for homeless children, and she didn't realize that she was bothering anyone.
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Why are many people so afraid to confront someone in a situation like this? Stand up for your rights, for goodness sakes! And I don't really believe that the woman was completely unaware she might be annoying anyone. If the annoyance continues after you speak to the offender then get up and speak to the manager and they will do something.
Switch seats, she wasn't making any noise.
This is why knitters need their own showtimes! London knitters have the right idea (and hopefully Chicago knitters will be following their lead shortly).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4028619.stm
http://knitchicks.co.uk/2004/12/knitting_at_the.html
People don't speak up for a few reasons, once of which being that they know that the offending person is not likely to stop what they're doing, so why bother saying anything? That happened to me a few times on the train -- I've asked people to turn down their really loud music (emanating from their headphones). At first people did it, but maybe that was just "beginner's luck." After that, I got a few refusals, and I stopped asking. As for changing seats, sometimes there aren't other seats. And, in the case of someone constantly checking their cellphone or light-up watch in the movie theater, the glow can often be seen from no matter where you're sitting, and it's distracting.
I find a quick gunshot to the temple usually does the trick. Don't forget to use a silencer so you can continue to enjoy the movie.
The knitting woman was obviously undercover and any violent attempts to stop her would have been met with a knitted brow.
I'm just saying, other people are hard to control. You have to create a place in yourself where it's always 68 degrees inside your head, if you know what I mean.
apropos of almost nothing I had a situation durring RENT a few years ago where the young lady in the seat next to me started BAWLING and sniveling into her boyfriend's shoulder during some of the more sad scenes. Unable to switch seats I had to sit through this embarasing show of emotion (gawd help this girl if she ever has children) doubly angered by the fact that anything I said would be regarded as callous not to mention the management wouldn't have sympathised if I asked for my money back.
In sum, people suck and you should avoid them at all costs.
People may suck but 68 degrees inside my head is just a little too cool for me. But I get the point and it's a good one.
Knitters are vicious people. Damn them all to hell.
What I don't understand is why anyone would pay $10 to go to a movie that she's not going to devote her full attention to.
i love the people who talk during the movie (usually repeating what was just said in the movie or, my favorite, trying to interact with the characters). I've tried on several occasions to politely ask them to stop but I always get an earful of protest in response. You know who these people are, right? I don't have to spell it out.