How Much Patience Do You Have?

[PowerPlayoffs06]

So last night I took the fiancée to see Phantom of the Opera. I love going to the theatre and was totally into the performance. It was a phenomenal evening except for us being plagued by the people seated behind us.

If you've ever been to the Jubilee Auditorium, you'll know what I mean when I say there's even less foot room in the aisles than at a movie theater. Yet for some reason the women behind us feel the need to try and cross their legs to get comfortable. Of course they're constantly kicking the backs of our seats switching legs back and forth or trying to get blood flowing to their feet again.

Halfway or so through the first act one of them whips out a package of gum. Of course it's not a quiet pack of stick gum, it's one of the annoying over sized Chiclet type packs. She proceeds to start popping out pieces of gum for her and her friends, rattling the plastic and foil and everything and generally causing a racket to the dismay of everybody sitting within 15 rows. What makes this even better is when she decides that her and her pals need to freshen their breath - in the middle of title song of the play. The biggest, most well-known piece in the show.

If we'd been at a movie I would have turned around and told them off after about three seat kicks but I didn't want to be a disturbance and was going to have words with them at the intermission. I finally lost my patience though after one of their cell-phones started ringing and turned around and whispered loudly that if they so much as coughed again we'd have them kicked out at intermission.

It seems like anytime we try and go out we always, without fail, get people who wanna put their feet up on the backs of our seats, the seat kickers, the talkers or the general **** disturbers behind us. We can go to an all-but-empty theater and someone will come in, sit behind us and start up with the annoyances. I used to have a reservoir of patience but it's so common now I have no hesitation with shoving somebodies shoe off the back of my chair or turning around and telling them to shut the hell up.

How much patience do you guys have when it comes to this kinda stuff? Any good stories to share about how you put the verbal smack-down on some annoying jerk?

[Cheese]

Im ok...but like you I would say something sooner or later.
So what did the woman have to say after you told her to shutup?

[PowerPlayoffs06]

She just gave me a snide look that pretty much said "You have the audacity to talk to me like that?" Then at the intermission was telling her friends in a tone of voice that was obviously meant for everybody near us to hear that she had her phone on silent but it was her cell-phones alarm that went off. I have my doubts about that, though.

Everybody around us sorta turned and gave me a complimentary nod or smile at the time or at intermission. Either my speaking up worked or somebody else talked to an usher who gave them a warning or something, because the whole second act it was like they weren't even there.

[HelloHockeyFans]

I have an extremely low tolerance for inconsiderate/rude people.

The worst thing I've ever done was one time at the movies. Some ###### bag was sitting one seat to the left of the one directly behind me. He was sitting extremely low in his seat with his legs spread wide open and his right foot resting on the top of my chair.

This wouldn't have been a big deal to me, except that because of how low he was sitting, his foot slid and knocked me in the shoulder.

So I turned around and said, "get your foot off my chair, don't make me ask you again."

Being the asshat that he is, he promptly put it back after a few minutes, so I grabbed his foot and threw it back. More could have developed, but cooler heads prevailed.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I haven't had the pleasure of attending a theatre in over 20 years, but I do go to the movies. I love going to the movies. What kills me is that in the beautiful new theatres we have here in town there are things called cry rooms. Cry rooms, for those that don't know, are where parents who have children who are crying or making noise can go for a sound proof environment where they can still view the film. They spare everyone else the displeasure that comes with a crying baby in a movie theatre.

It never fails, everytime we go to the movies there are at least 2 people in the theatre who just let their babies cry.

That ticks me off.

[jolinar of malkshor]

I have zero patiences. I will give one look at the dick head and if they don't smarten up I will confront them.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Today I was getting quite impatient with people on the C-train.
Why do people feel the need to leave the stampede on the train during rush hour?
The train is already packed beyond capacity and then we have to wait like 5 min at each stampede stop because people try to cram in and won't let the doors shut.
Then there's all these people with giant stuffed animals and strollers giving everyone else on the train bad looks because they can't get on.

Is it really that difficult for these people to plan their trip to the stampede away from rush hour? That way them and their giant stuffed monkeys can each have as many seats as they want.

People going to work, don't have much say on when they must travel. People at the stampede could easily adjust a half our either way to save everyone a lot of hastle.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Being the asshat that he is, he promptly put it back after a few minutes, so I grabbed his foot and threw it back. More could have developed, but cooler heads prevailed.

It amazes me that people are either that ignorant or so stupid that they think putting their feet up on the back of a seat somebody is sitting in isn't going to disturb them. Even better when they get mad at being told off about it, like it's okay for them to be pricks but not you.

Babies in the theater is something that doesn't seem to happen often here, usually only at kiddie movies. I've never seen one of these 'cry rooms' before, but I know in Calgary that some theaters have special shows for parents with babies where you can bring your kid and not have to worry about ruining the movie for others if it starts crying because the place is full of other folks with their own infants.

When the woman and I left the Stampede on Saturday we took the train home. We were on the platform and it was kinda crowded but nothing like after a Flames game. A train pulled up and people were trying to get off, but a bunch of idiots in front of us were trying to push their way on rather than standing aside until everybody was out. As a result some people missed the stop and had to get off at the next station and ride back up.

I've noticed a real decline in the civility and courtesy of people in this city over the past few years. I dunno if people are just not caring anymore or if it's all the new folks arriving from other cities, but it's disheartening. This city used to be so friendly and full of polite people.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

People going to work, don't have much say on when they must travel. People at the stampede could easily adjust a half our either way to save everyone a lot of hastle.

While I see your point I think it's a little tougher than that for a few reasons. First of all I would say 'rush hour' is closer to an hour and a half, at least for the trains, than half an hour. Maybe not quite that long, but over an hour for sure.

Secondly you gotta remember many of these people are tourists form out of town, they don't know the city's peak hours or how accomodating/unaccomodating the transit service might be during these periods.

It's a pain for everyone, traffic is worse in general, but it's something we gotta put up wth for ten days I suppose.

But yes, in specific examples, common courtesy and a little planning go a long way.

Back to the original topic, I am for the most part an amazingly patient person, even in traffic where often my passengers will tell me I should be honking the horn or something like that. I'm least patient with technology, I can get frustrated with things that don't work the way they are supposed to.

When it comes to people I am pretty patient, but if someone is being disrespectful or purposely rude, I'll usually say something pretty quickly. I don't think it's really being a 'patient person' if you're ignoring them, your just afriad of a little confrontation. Most times a simply bringing attention to the situation to the person helps the situation, sometimes they don't even realize they are being rude and sometimes quickly comply with an apology. Other times it's ovbiously a little more of a battle, but with a honest polite first attempt to resolve the stuation, most people are pretty accomodating.

[CalgaryDesi]

Originally Posted by PowerPlayoffs06

I've noticed a real decline in the civility and courtesy of people in this city over the past few years. I dunno if people are just not caring anymore or if it's all the new folks arriving from other cities, but it's disheartening. This city used to be so friendly and full of polite people.

That is my concern as well. It's also the city mentality and media, thinking we are the greatest. Just look at how many times the Calgary media takes shot at Saskatchewan or Manitoba. In interviews, when Rider players are traded here, they are always pressured subtly to say that Regina is a dump. It's the ''center of the universe'' mentality that disgusts me. If people move here, it's always because their former place of residence was/is a dump - nothing about job opportunites, according the the media

I lived in Calgary in the 80's and 90's, and I would take that back anyday over what there is now. Sure, more buildings, more direct flights, more stores - doesn't neccesarily equal being a better city to live in. What honestly did we lack in the 80's or 90's?

We have tons of traffic congestion, incredibly high house prices, and most importantly, with people moving from all over which create a lack of city identification and civic pride. It's not a good thing seeing 30-40% of McMahon stadium in green.

If I wanted a bigger city, I would move to Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver. I like Calgary for what it is, and I really hope the population doesn't start increasing significantly. Right now the metro is above 1M, I really wouldn't want it going higher much more...because there is a 50/50 chance I will be back in this city within 5 years.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Daradon

While I see your point I think it's a little tougher than that for a few reasons. First of all I would say 'rush hour' is closer to an hour and a half, at least for the trains, than half an hour. Maybe not quite that long, but over an hour for sure.

I was saying that rush hour is an hour. so a half hour adjustment to before or after it, can let you avoid it.
For example, if rush hour is 4:30 - 5:30, and you were planning to leave the stampede between 4:30 - 5, leave a half hour earlier. If you were planning to leave between 5 -5:30, leave a half hour later.

yes rush hour does tend to go beyong this (especially during stampede) but even avoiding the peak of rush hour would help the system overall.

[Pagal4321]

Well I used to have patience for everything but stupidity. But now I think I'm becoming a very impatient man.
The silliest thing get me annoyed. But the thing that get's me all worked up the most is still people who can't drive...like go 40 in an 80 zone and almost cause an accident.

[lazy_programmer]

Sadly, I think this is a trend not exclusive to Calgary...

http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/li...05_78052_78052

http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/life/article.jsp?content=20040406_141057_3788