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.