I'm a grumpy old man...

[Texasguppie]

As I stated in my introduction upon joining this forum I've returned to bowling after a 40 year hiatus. I rolled 79 games in my first 30 days back and began my second 30 days last night.
All was going well on lane 35 (down on one end of the house, pretty much all alone) until the front desk sent down a group of 20-somethings two lanes over.
Now...I'm not one that considers himself "old." I'm a young 54 and pretty tolerant of almost everything but this group had clearly dipped into the Gentleman Jack once too often; yelling, screaming, and JUMPING UP AND DOWN AT THE LINE AS IF TRYING TO RATTLE PINS INTO THE PIT.
The house did nothing. A few serious bowlers gave the desk a heads up but nothing was done.
When does the revenue of beer and pizza sales to the every once in awhile dumper outweigh the consistent and regular bowler that spends his money weekly in both the house and the pro-shop?
I swear...I wanted to punch someone.

[swingset]

Tell the desk you're leaving, and tell them why. Nothing speaks louder to a business than money walking out the door.

If they don't listen to that, well, there's no reaching them.

[ghoul31]

They were having fun? How dare they!

Damn them!
Nobody should ever have fun in a bowling alley!

[ecub]

Tell the desk you're leaving, and tell them why. Nothing speaks louder to a business than money walking out the door.

If they don't listen to that, well, there's no reaching them.

I doubt that would do anything. TexasGuppie probably already paid for the his bowling, so even if he walked out, there's no loss in business. Now unless the young group of bowlers acted in a way that would cause harm to other bowlers or the center's equipment, I doubt there's nothing we can do about it. We just need to learn to come in and hope there isn't a large rowdy group next to us. The only options we have is to asked to be moved to another lane, away from the group, leave or just tolerate them.

[billf]

Some people are just plain ignorant. As long as they are having fun it doesn't matter who they are disrupting. These are probably the same morons that yell in a library.
I'm not sure how I manage to have fun at the bowling alley without disrupting other customers. Respect for others just seems to be lost on so many nowadays.

[swingset]

I doubt that would do anything. TexasGuppie probably already paid for the his bowling, so even if he walked out, there's no loss in business. Now unless the young group of bowlers acted in a way that would cause harm to other bowlers or the center's equipment, I doubt there's nothing we can do about it. We just need to learn to come in and hope there isn't a large rowdy group next to us. The only options we have is to asked to be moved to another lane, away from the group, leave or just tolerate them.

One guy complaining about a group might not do anything, that's true. When it becomes a pattern and the only people you have left in the alley are the idiots a house will "get it".

Our local house had a real problem with this when it was run by AMF....wouldn't enforce anything, groups doing whatever they wanted throwing balls around running down the lanes, when leagues left over it and people complained they still didn't act - now they're out of business.

New owners don't put up with crap like that.

Or, a bowler can just take it. I don't like my bowling time crapped on by people who go out of their way to be loud and obnoxious...especially when it's clear they're the only ones in the lane acting like that. During glo-bowl? Ok, fine, but when some dude is practicing next to you it's just acting out.

[sprocket]

The scary part is, these types probably have so little respect for their elders that you feel scared to even say anything directly to them for fear that they will follow you outside and beat the crap out of you.

Of course that's not true of all 20 somethings, and many might apologize and quiet down if you talk to them, but it's still risky to confront them directly.

[billf]

I usually start out asking nicely. At times it ends nicely other times they get smart mouthed, usually when idiots are in a group especially if alcohol is involved. Some even threaten to get physical. I politely tell them that we can go outside but I won't fight inside due to respect for the owner. They usually back off then.

[Rjthebowler]

Ya that's what ya get in bowling and I bowl at Brunswick so I get see it all to much !! see ime 12 and i bowl by my self and the Brunswick I go to is in a bad neighborhood and these pepole get put up on the lane next to me and there damn baby throws a freaking ball down a lane that's not on (she threw 3 or 4 balls) then when it comes time for her to actually throw the ball she throughs the ball down my lane!! Then I got called a f-ing n-iger for minding my own buizness but not handing them there ball they threw down my lane... By far the worst moment I had with that... But last thing that flips my swich is when there's a birthday or somthing and they stand on the lane and put the ramp on my walkway.... Ugh well there's my rant

[DrOcktagon]

They were having fun? How dare they!

Damn them!
Nobody should ever have fun in a bowling alley!

Way to miss the point.

[sukeetoshyoo88]

the house i go o has sometimes these types of people, and i usually try to go during the slower days if i can to avoid that.
i dont really let those things get to me, but it definitely isn't enjoyable.
btw im 25 and i i've noticed that the more and more of the younger generations are becoming more disrespecting in general.
not just at the alley, or to strangers, but even towards their parents.
and i dont think it's gonna get any better.

[ecub]

By the next week or 2, it should be a little quiet again.

[ghoul31]

These are probably the same morons that yell in a library.
I.

A bowling alley isn't the same as a library.

They don't serve alcohol at a library

You don't got to a library with a bunch a friends to have a good time.

[swingset]

A bowling alley isn't the same as a library.

They don't serve alcohol at a library

You don't got to a library with a bunch a friends to have a good time.

Having a good time, drinking alcohol, these are both things that can be done without being disruptive and obnoxious. You know that, right?

Know how I know it? I have a good time most times I bowl, I also drink alcohol, and I don't jump up and down and scream even when I'm with friends...especially if someone is bowling beside me trying to bowl well.

I think we all recognize that bowling is recreation and not everyone takes it serious - and there are times like during glo-bowling or when it's clear that everyone else is in a party mood that being loud or disruptive is not an issue.

If you and your friends get next to a guy trying to practice, do you make a loud spectacle of yourself? Trying to figure out why you're being defensive about this.

[Rdmonster]

i hate this behavior as well but rarely witness it.

I must admit that my team is pretty rowdy on league night but the center is so loud I doubt that it bothers anyone. We are also courteous and respectful to our competitors.

Little kids I understand but the older teenagers and young adults tend to get on my nerves if they are dummies about things.

[billf]

Today was a good example of the center employees being stupid but still a good time.
I was trying to do a video shoot. The place was empty so I went to one of the lanes at the far right giving just enough room to set up the camera. So a small group of two families comes in and where do they put them? The only two lanes to my right instead of all the empty lanes to my left. Video shoot over, practice time. They weren't rude, loud or obnoxious and everybody still had a good time, even the kids.

[ArtVandelay]

Yeah... A bowling alley isnt a good place for quiet reflection. I have found that even a golf course is rarely quiet these days.

But I often wonder why noise or behavior is such a problem. I try to work on my mental game more than anything else in those times.

[billf]

The point is, there's a time and place for everything. Just as a library isn't a place to party, a bowling alley isn't the normal place to act like a drunken frat party. At least not during normal open bowling. Cosmic or when a company rents the whole place, that's another story.

[Greenday]

The point is, there's a time and place for everything. Just as a library isn't a place to party, a bowling alley isn't the normal place to act like a drunken frat party. At least not during normal open bowling. Cosmic or when a company rents the whole place, that's another story.

This. It's quite possible to knock back some beers with your friends and bowl with being obnoxious jerkoffs about it.

[Texasguppie]

The scary part is, these types probably have so little respect for their elders that you feel scared to even say anything directly to them for fear that they will follow you outside and beat the crap out of you.

Fear isn't an issue. There's a .40 cal Springfield Xdm with a 16 round clip in the truck, a retractable 21" baton in my bag and years of training in my hands. It's the fact that I have to consider those options when the house KNOWS better on a slow night to put a bunch of punks that close to someone working on his game.

I went back today, asked for a lane away from the few that were there before me and stated, "send a group of idiots my way today and you'll be pulling body parts out of the ball return."

It was a quiet Saturday of practice.

[ecub]

I can also see this in the bowling center's point of view. You group the bowlers together in one area. Therefore, it's easier for the guy oiling the lanes just to stay to one side. If you spread everyone apart, you either have to oil the lanes used, causing the guy to go back and forth, which can be time consuming. Oil the ALL the lanes, but can waste money. Oil just part of the house.

[Greenday]

The lanes I sometimes practice on always make sure to give me a lane of freedom on each side of me if they can help it. I can understand sort of grouping people to make oiling the lanes easier, but they have to oil every lane anyway for leagues.

[billf]

I can also see this in the bowling center's point of view. You group the bowlers together in one area. Therefore, it's easier for the guy oiling the lanes just to stay to one side. If you spread everyone apart, you either have to oil the lanes used, causing the guy to go back and forth, which can be time consuming. Oil the ALL the lanes, but can waste money. Oil just part of the house.

This is understandable but our center oils 30 minutes prior to any league. In my situation, I had just laid down the pattern I would be using while all the other lanes were left over from the youth league. The owner asked how the shoot went today so I told him it was cut short. He was furious. He understands the free advertising mentioning the center could only help him. On a side note, one of the lanes had broke the push bar. I replaced it as he was out of town and for that he was grateful as all the lanes were reserved for last night.