Tall people blocking view in theatre

[Dave19]

FindingNamo said: "Dave19's presumption that all theaters have their seats spaced just so in order for everybody to have perfect sightlines between those in front of them must mean he's just been damn lucky in the theaters he's been to.

Since the very tall will have a perfect view from the back row, why don't they just buy seats there?  Or is it just too much to ask that we think about our impact on those around us?"

 

That is not what I say. I say that it does not matter if the people sitting in front of you are average or tall, because you can't look over someone's head anyway. Tall people in front of you is actually an advantage because you can look between their necks instead of the broadest part of their heads right in front of your eyes.

Of course I am talking about regular stalles seats here, not about theatres/seats that are slanting/go up, as it doesn't matter there anyway.

So, no reason for tall people to sit in the back at all.

[BroadwayFan12]

I speak from experience when I say it's most definitely not an advantage. Thankfully it's usually not an issue, but when it is, it's quite frustrating.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

It always seems worse, at least to me, when the tall person comes in and sits down after I've taken my own seat. If they're in position from the very start, I seem to be able to get past it - but if I've been expecting a great view and they come in just as the show is about to start, it seems especially egregious.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

I'm a tall person and a fat person, so I inconvenience and occasionally get insulted by three people at once.

[@z5]

Also pretty bad when you have to sit next to someone, or near people that smell terribly.

[FindingNamo]

all people in front of you is actually an advantage because you can look between their necks instead of the broadest part of their heads right in front of your eyes.

 

We all convince ourselves of all sorts of things to justify our selfishness.  "That 13 cents they got for making my phone is 13 cents they wouldn't have had otherwise!"   "My neck and the back of my skull up to about my ears are just the absolute PERFECT frame around a proscenium for the lucky people who are so lucky and thrilled to have me in front of them, clearing the way for them to view this show through a porthole!"

 

Sorry Dave.  It would be for the best for everybody if you sat in the back row.  You have the advantage of being able to see right over everybody else's heads, and to stretch your freakishly long arms without interrupting anybody.  Why, you would have the clearest nightlines of anybody and not disrupt anybody else back there in the back row where you belong.  But, that won't be happening because as you said, you're a BIT selfish.

[hork]

Please tell me you're joking, Namo, and that you don't really think that tall people can "see right over everyone's heads" (even other tall people), that the back row is as good as anywhere else, that tall people should be consigned there like second class citizens, and that there is room in the back row for every single tall person. 

[FindingNamo]

Tall people are favored in most every aspect of American culture, get hired over shorter people, get paid better than shorter people, win exponentially more elections.  So, yeah, I think for once in their privileged lives they should get out of the way and stop feeling so damned entitled.

 

But I know that's never going to happen since people are a bit selfish.

[@z5]

Damnnnn This chick be throwin mad shade....DON'T HATE ON PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE TALLER YOU BIGOT!

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Tall people should also have a designated water fountain, and extra-short nooses so we can hang them properly.

[FindingNamo]

Nobody's hating anybody.  But in post-Reagan America it's considered hate to ask people to think of somebody other than themselves.

 

What would it hurt the vertically endowed for THEM to strategize a seating plan that minimizes their impact on other people's experiences?  All the defensive giants in this thread have done is suggest what shorter people "should" do when buying seats but never once what they might consider doing other than claiming they're gonna sit where they want.  I find that level of entitlement to be very telling.  It's a real stretch to get from saying "be generous for once" to separate water fountains (although the poor things must really have to bend down to use ADA-compliant ones).  But that's what happens when difficult truths are spoken of.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Maybe tall people sit closer to the stage due to the poor eyesight they've been burdened with from having to squint down at all the tiny people that insist on scurrying about underfoot.

[@z5]

I'm going to just take a guess that the tall-person-hater happens to be a "liberal" who is easily offended by almost anything and everything. Just a thought....

 

I just can't believe your stupidity in this regard; I'm deeply sorry that you are not taller but hey.....life's a bitch and my eyesight is bad because I always have to look down at you shorter people...SO THANKS A LOT!!

[Dave19]

Namo,

 

If I sit in the back of stalles I still look between heads, not matter how average height the people in front of me are. Unless you are 7 feet it is impossible to look "over" someone's head in theatre anyway. (stalles/same floor).

 

So you can flush your twisted theory down the toilet.

 

 

[dramamama611]

Oh. Please. To all of you.  At 5'3", I've had my share of tall people in front of me.  I survived.

[Dave19]

@z5 said: "I'm going to just take a guess that the tall-person-hater happens to be a "liberal" who is easily offended by almost anything and everything. Just a thought...."

 

I see Namo as a short, black, insecure, low-self esteem, unattractive, intimidated by the whole world, indoctrinated, full of fear, probably very religious person.

 

[MVintheheartland]

HogansHero said: "if and when possible, get seats in the side section on the aisle. These are the only way to ensure that the person in front of you is irrelevant. Another alternative is to sit in the back row, where you can stand or sit on top of the seat in the upright position. Self help baby!

I always try to get an aisle seat. Had the worst experience at the "Book of Mormon" in Chicago. The Giant Head family sat in front of us. Not only did they have Giant Heads, they were tall, had fluffy hair, and waved their binoculars around. Fortunately, I had also seen it in NYC at the beginning of its run with good seats. 

Tall people, please don't have fluffy hair!

 

"

 

[BroadwayFan12]

Dave19, at least you don't stereotype.

[Dave13]

@z5 said: "Also pretty bad when you have to sit next to someone, or near people that smell terribly.

 

"

What's worse is when someone next to you has ungodly farts.  

[FindingNamo]

I'm just writing modest proposals about people who apparently think it's delightful to have a human monolith in front of them at a show.  

 

It's hilarious to me that people were fine with somebody suggesting that shorter theater goers should strategize what locations will be best in case a tall person (who apparently doesn't need to strategize anything) gets a ticket in front of them and blocks a view.  

 

I'm hoping to market "You can look between our necks!  It's better!" t-shirts.

[Dave19]

BroadwayFan12 said: "Dave19, at least you don't stereotype.

 

"

Nope.

 

[FindingNamo]

Wait.  ARE there tall people stereotypes?

[Dave19]

FindingNamo said: "

I'm hoping to market "You can look between our necks!  It's better!" t-shirts.

"

Maybe you should market "Under 7 feet can not look over anyone's head in theatre, so tall people in front of me is the same as normal people in front of me, it's a fable, it's all in my mind". t-shirts as well.

 

Edit: "I'm tall but still can't look over a short person's head in theatre, so STFU" t-shirts would be great too.

[Theater_Nerd]

I'm a tall fella. I'm 6' 2". Should I feel bad if someone shorter got the seat behind me in a theater?

 

Should I really care? I've paid for my seat, it's not as if I purposely selected the seat to block anyone's view.

 

Short of chopping one's legs off at the knee what exactly does one expect one to do?

[FindingNamo]

How do we live in a culture where people ask "should I care"?  Either you care or you don't.  You can pretend not saying you don't care means you do, but it doesn't.

 

Dave, thanks for informing everybody whose view has been blocked by a tall person that it isn't true.   It's easier to erase people's experience than facing hard truths.

[threetwoone]

FindingNamo said: "I'm just writing modest proposals about people who apparently think it's delightful to have a human monolith in front of them at a show.  

 

It's hilarious to me that people were fine with somebody suggesting that shorter theater goers should strategize what locations will be best in case a tall person (who apparently doesn't need to strategize anything) gets a ticket in front of them and blocks a view. "

 

Namo, I have a legitimate suggestion since you've called on me to offer solutions that don't require others to accommodate my height. 

 

When buying a seat, buyers are requested to enter the height of all group member attending the performance. Their heights will be anonymously shown on the live seating map so people on the shorter side can avoid purchasing seats directly behind someone taller, AND people on the taller side can avoid buying seats directly in front of folks on the shorter side.