Wait an hour and a half?

[TJSieling]

I went to go bowling today, and I have to drive 20 minutes to Indianapolis to go bowling because the one in town is for drunks and teenagers who don't care about life...

I got there and seen people standing around the front door and thought "this can't be good."

I went up to the counter and asked for a lane for an hour, and I was told there was an hour and a half wait for a lane.

What would you do if you were told this?

Would you just leave, would you sign up on the list and wait? If you signed up, would you hang around and watch other bowlers, or would you leave?

I'd like to hear about what different people do. :)

I for one said "oh" and walked out the door. I'm going tomorrow instead on a "bowling date" with a girl I'm going to try to start dating, so this wil be interesting.

[ThongPrincess]

It would depend on two things - 1)how much I really wanted to bowl and 2) where the center was located. If I really wanted to bowl and there was not another center near enough, it wouldn't matter the wait I'd put my name on the list.

If I sort of wanted to bowl and it was in a place similar to my home center which is located at the end of a shopping plaza, I would put my name on the list and walk down the row of shops and spend the time. If there were nothing to do, I'd probably leave and call ahead the next time to see what the situation was like.

If I went to bowl out of boredom, it wouldn't matter where it was located, I'd leave.

[kev3inp]

It used to be common for waits that long for open bowling. We'd get on the list and go to the game room or the snack bar, or after I was older, the bar.

[DaRoadHawg]

I agree with TP. 20 minutes was already spent on getting there. 20 more minutes and you'd be at home. That's 40 minutes with no bowling. Putting your name down and waiting is half the battle...it's like bowling. Don't over think your shot, just bowl your best...=...Put your name down, get a beverage or something for your belly....and people watch...LOL! I'm sure there are lots of things to do to kill time in that kind of situation.

[11 in a row]

well for me i would think about it while watching others bowl then tell them to put me on the list if i ,m showing up at the lanes i,m bowling... talk about drunks we have college night at my local center after we get down with league and boy does this place fill up but thats corporate for you i guess(amf):eek:..

put me on the list ....i,m bowling..

[DaRoadHawg]

I agree...and I totally understand the open bowling concept. It's to have fun, right? But to not know anything about bowling etiquette or the safety hazards of bowling. It's posted in the restrooms and they play a short video on the tv screen in between the bowling scores...but hey, I feel like it's good practice with the distractions with birthday parties going on my left side and a group of college kids screaming and bowling between their legs....hmmm, the younger years...

[The Bowling Guru]

This happens to me all the time on Saturday nights If i go around 11 p.m. However, since I have a reputation in the center and they know I am a serious bowler, they will bump me up on the list so I can get a lane faster. It will only happen if there are groups of 3 or 4 people ahead of me though, since all I need is a single lane.

[TJSieling]

I went to the alley again two days ago to bowl, and there was supposed to be a 20 minute line... OK, so like what RoadHawg said, 20 minutes there, 20 minute wait, but I thought it would be worth it. So I put my name down for the regular lanes (cosmic bowling on half of the lanes). I sat down and watched people bowl. 10 minutes turned into 20. 20 minutes turned into 40. 40 minutes turned into an hour. An hour turned into 2 hours.

My name was finally called. By this time, it's 11pm, and I was supposed to be home half hour ago and had gotten a call from my grandmother asking where I was. I stayed and bowled, but I wanted to make the 2 hour wait worth it (spent $40 in the arcade and on the food there cause I got hungry and bored).

Low game was a 112, high game is used to be a 192, is now a 216 :)

[myionu]

2hr wait...I'd of pulled the fire alarm
if you can't reserve a lane then guess you got to make friends with somone at the counter

[dougb]

I went to go bowling today, and I have to drive 20 minutes to Indianapolis to go bowling because the one in town is for drunks and teenagers who don't care about life...

I got there and seen people standing around the front door and thought "this can't be good."

I went up to the counter and asked for a lane for an hour, and I was told there was an hour and a half wait for a lane.

What would you do if you were told this?

Would you just leave, would you sign up on the list and wait? If you signed up, would you hang around and watch other bowlers, or would you leave?

I'd like to hear about what different people do. :)

I for one said "oh" and walked out the door. I'm going tomorrow instead on a "bowling date" with a girl I'm going to try to start dating, so this wil be interesting.

I couldn't stomach that long a wait. 45 minutes is about my max. I usually put my name on the list, stretch, check the tape in my equipment, and watch the bowling.

[11 in a row]

I agree...and I totally understand the open bowling concept. It's to have fun, right? But to not know anything about bowling etiquette or the safety hazards of bowling. It's posted in the restrooms and they play a short video on the tv screen in between the bowling scores...but hey, I feel like it's good practice with the distractions with birthday parties going on my left side and a group of college kids screaming and bowling between their legs....hmmm, the younger years...

on top of that just think your bowling in a tournament in your local center with that going on:mad: but thats how they do things around my neck of the woods.. but understanding those who have groups with open bowling ....only video i see is when they cut the lights out and pull down the screens to play music videos or have a football or basketball game on....oh and we get those idiots where they go out and walk on the slick lanes to get their bowling ball out of the gutte rtoo....:eek: very dangerous but it is what it is at my local center and others go in their and have a blast and treat the sport of bowling with respect but being young i understand i did the between the legs deal too..:D

[Sam]

Haha, in my neck of the woods, you usually only get serious bowlers until the beer leagues start on wednesday and friday or on friday and saturday nights. Its a 70 lane house, so there's always lanes available. I think if I had to wait that long at my home house, I'd drive the 10 minutes to another 40 lane place, but call ahead to reserve a lane.

[TJSieling]

Yeah, it's not too much fun waiting, but you gotta think, I was dumb enough to go on a friday night at 9pm thinking I wouldn't need to reserve a lane. Plus I'm going by myself, I don't find a need in having to call ahead of time, after all, it's only my entertainment, not for 3 other people to come with.

But my bowling alley has 80 lanes!! Think about that. 80 lanes and a 2 hour wait for a lane... Holy COW.