Simple common courtesy???

[Judy clemons]

It is extremely difficult to concentrate on what your trying to practice as a league bowler to improve your game and at the same time keep an eye out to the right/left for new inexperienced
bowlers that do not know proper lane manners
Has anyone got a good method for handling these situations that come up? Bowlers stepping
out in front of you? Food in pit area? People
staying and standing on the approach? Kids running wild? numerous others...????????

[75lockwood]

It is extremely difficult to concentrate on what your trying to practice as a league bowler to improve your game and at the same time keep an eye out to the right/left for new inexperienced
bowlers that do not know proper lane manners
Has anyone got a good method for handling these situations that come up? Bowlers stepping
out in front of you? Food in pit area? People
staying and standing on the approach? Kids running wild? numerous others...????????

Bowling in a youth league surrounded by young ones, i simply wait until they are done, if they step up i back off, learning to bowl with detraction's is a useful skill. regarding food or street shoes in the bowling area i tell them to move and they do. If kids are running very wild during league, teach them not to, if its during open bowling, don't bowl during birthday parties LOL

[YODA]

I always remember that not everyone is a league bowler nor competitive. Alot of people are bowling as families and to have fun, so be careful how you react to things. Not everyone knows the rules that alot of us live by. Bowling is and has always been a fun family getaway, and little kids will be little kids, they like to have fun to I have 3 young ones 7,5,4 and I know how rambunctious they can be.

[Judy clemons]

I have 10 grandkids all 7 years and under and we took them bowling all summer they did not run wild they waited for other people on the other lanes to bowl they did not eat in the pit areas they enjoyed their
game and we enjoyed ours and without
disrupting the other peoples around us. I know kids get excited and have to be reminded but first they have to be taught.
unfortunately i have seen adults more disrupting with lack of manners worse than kids in the last few weeks. It was not the kids i was coming down on as much as it was the adults.

[GeorgiaStroker]

Years ago I worked at what was at the time the only center in town. As I gave out the lanes I used to say "have fun guys, please be considerate of the people next to you. If they are about to bowl wait until they have finished before you throw your ball. And keep all food and drinks on the tables behind the approach. See you when you finish." That helped with most people but of course there are always "those" people. Over time I came to recognize them and try to group them away from the less rowdy bowlers. These days when I get next to inconsiderate bowlers I ask the manager to move me if I see open lanes available. If not I grin and bear it. Or pack up and go if they are being especially rambunctious.

[ecub]

I know not everyone knows proper lane manners. What I used to do before was if they stepped in front of me, I would walk back and just shake my head. Usually a few of those would be enough for them to get the hint. If not, then I would say something. Actually, now, I try not to let it bother me. I figure if I can bowl well with kids jumping around, when it comes time to bowling my 300, I won't be bothered if I hear noise a few lanes away.

As far as food on the approach, I would definitely say something. Tell them that it could make them stick and fall on their face and hurt themselves.

[e-tank]

the only thing that really concerns me is the kids because you just never know what theyre going to do. It doesnt annoy me or anything i just dont want to end up hurting some kid that decides to run into me when im in my backswing or something. People standing on the approach im used to from going cosmic bowling every friday night

[YODA]

the only thing that really concerns me is the kids because you just never know what theyre going to do. It doesnt annoy me or anything i just dont want to end up hurting some kid that decides to run into me when im in my backswing or something. People standing on the approach im used to from going cosmic bowling every friday night

Yeah I agree here... Rowdy Adults usually dont bother me, nor do some kids having fun, being a little loud, but I would hate to nail a kid on my backswing, although I have seen it happen once, but it was the parent who did it because their kids wouldnt calm down long enough to let the parent bowl.

[mxjosh]

This used to be a huge sore spot for me. I had one group of about 20+ people on the lanes next to me. 10 were bowling. 1 kid in particular kept throwing bowling balls behind the player whose turn it was taking their turn. Basically this kid was ruining it for his own friends. Kids kept walking thru my area cause there was too many of them to walk thru their own. I put a stop to that but the kid messing up his friends, I couldnt take. I totally lost it. I waited for him to try and ruin someone else's turn then walked up behind him, grabbed him and backed him off the lanes. I was in his face telling him to quit screwing around. He said they was just having fun. Told him thats not the kind of fun u have here, ruining peoples games. Long story short, I was escorted out of the bowling alley by the Sheriff and 5 other cops. Cop understood my side and said dont put your hands on people. He advised the kid not to press charges. Which he didnt.

So in hindsight it was pretty stupid of me to get so worked up but in the end, nothing bothers me anymore. I dont care if they step up in my approach or if they are loud and crazy. I just bowl no matter what.

p.s. the bowling alley is now much more strict with keeping the peace. I still bowl there and after a couple weeks of jokes about getting in my way, its all back to normal.

[DrOcktagon]

I try my best just to ignore it and plan my shots around their behaviour. If it's a real problem and there are other lanes available, I ask to be moved.

My biggest pet peeve is when people - usually kids, but not always - use more than one house ball. They throw their first shot, walk back to the ball return, pick up their other ball without ever stepping off the approach, and immediately take their second shot. It can be really frustrating trying to bowl next to this.