Dirty Approaches

[Bunny]

We went bowling yesterday around 3pm at our closest center, Tustin Lanes. It's expensive on Fri, Sat, Sun at $5 a game but it's a really nice, privately owned center. (And they have our favorite pinball machine Family Guy!)

Anyway, I went up to check the approach and the left lane was so sticky at the foul it was ridiculous. I called over the cleaner guy and came out with some spray and a rag. Okay. At least he tried. As we bowled we realized the approaches on both lanes were filthy.

I kept brushing my shoe and used slide eez. I have a white slider and it was so dirty after we bowled one game I'll probably have to get a new slider. (Luckily, I have changeable sliders. My hubby not so lucky.) I showed it to the desk guy and he just shrugged his shoulders. I asked if they cleaned after cosmic bowling the night before. He said that yes they did. :confused:

We left. We didn't feel like waiting around for the approaches to be mopped or changing lanes to possibly encounter the same issue. We had already waited a while for the guy to try to spot clean. I'm planning on emailing the Manager.

I've heard bowlers carry steel wool to clean up the area around the foul line if it's dirty. This was way beyond spot cleaning. For 5 bucks a game I want clean approaches. Besides, it's dangerous!


Have you run into filthy approaches? What's the best solution?

[Perrin]

unfortunately you did pretty much everything you could yourself.

I have gone to the point of getting a bunch of paper-towels and cleaning the approach myself but I know most of the people that work at teh Alley where I did that.

[Aslan]

It's expensive on Fri, Sat, Sun at $5 a game but it's a really nice, privately owned center.

Thats not that expensive. I payed $5.25/game at Temecula Lanes. And Concourse is $28/hour after 5PM on Fridays and through the weekend until Sunday night.

I had a problem with a dirty lane at Concourse once...it looked like somebody spilled something on the approach. The guy tried to clean it, but it didn't really help. This weekend I had a different problem...ball getting stuck in the damn ball return 3 times because the pins kept getting stuck in there. Finally they moved me over to another lane...just annoying.

AND...beginners/kids next to me...which means the whole "don't roll when the guy next to you is bowling" doesn't really come into play. This one lady kept walking up, thworing the ball...then taking another ball from the return and immediately throwing it as soon as the ball sweep went up. So I'd wait for her to bowl...then as I get ready for my turn...she comes walking up and throws her second ball. I felt bad because the guy with her was trying to explain not to do that...but she seemed kinda "dense"...so, it wasn't working.

[Bunny]

Thats not that expensive. I payed $5.25/game at Temecula Lanes. And Concourse is $28/hour after 5PM on Fridays and through the weekend until Sunday night.

I had a problem with a dirty lane at Concourse once...it looked like somebody spilled something on the approach. The guy tried to clean it, but it didn't really help. This weekend I had a different problem...ball getting stuck in the damn ball return 3 times because the pins kept getting stuck in there. Finally they moved me over to another lane...just annoying.

AND...beginners/kids next to me...which means the whole "don't roll when the guy next to you is bowling" doesn't really come into play. This one lady kept walking up, thworing the ball...then taking another ball from the return and immediately throwing it as soon as the ball sweep went up. So I'd wait for her to bowl...then as I get ready for my turn...she comes walking up and throws her second ball. I felt bad because the guy with her was trying to explain not to do that...but she seemed kinda "dense"...so, it wasn't working.


We could probably start a new thread on Lane Etiquette. I'm sure it's been covered here quite a bit.

Idiots walking up don't bother me quite as much as my husband. I try to bowl right after they do and I figure it's good practice to try to stay focused. Apparently that wouldn't even have worked in your situation though.

One time my husband went to pick up his ball and the guy next to us had rolled it. Yikes!

[Aslan]

One time my husband went to pick up his ball and the guy next to us had rolled it. Yikes!

I had a little kid grab mine once but his dad caught him before he tried to roll it. Granted...it's 15lbs drilled for fingertip for my large hands...so that kid would have likely just dropped it on his foot. He was like 5-8 years old.