Movie Theater kicked me out for carrying my M2

[Disaster_Area]

The M2 is a recording device, and was not permitted into the theater. You have the right to walk off and not buy tickets from them, they have the right to refuse entry.

I completely agree... they have the right to enforce their recording device rule, I think what irks me is the useless and unfair selective enforcement. Anyplace that needs to limit certain behaviors in their establishment has two only two options; create a rule to limit the unwanted behaviors and then either unilaterally enforce that rule or selectively enforce it applying common sense. To selectively enforce a rule without common sense is both ineffective and usually counter productive.

If their goal is to make money and prevent activity that hinders their profit lets see how they did... they lost a paying customer and prevented zero piracy. Any application of laws or regulations that fails that badly needs to be rethought. This applies to most of the harassment photographers encounter. Our society doesn't have a lick of common sense and it doesn't look like it's going to get better anytime soon unless people stand up, even in small ways, and try to point out where we're doing things wrong.

 

[Rayt]

The same thing happened to me more than once so I know how you must have felt. I also explained to them in vain that the camera shot stills to no avail and then chose not to leave them with my expensive M camera. Looking back without emotion I can say I was merely inconvenienced and no more. These establishments have rules and if your are going to patronize them then you just have to follow those rules. These rules are no different then the ones that forbid you to bring your own food to restaurants or whatever. They run a business don't want to make judgement calls on every little thing. Go next time without the camera and enjoy the movie. Making this about erosion of civil liberties is an insult to our founding fathers (happy father's day by the way).

 

[Disaster_Area]

I agree... it really isn't about the erosion of civil liberties in this case... it's about the erosion of common sense 🙂

 

[rbsinto]

Sure, he could be a whimpering fool who shuts up and does what he's told, cowering before so-called authority. I'm glad he's not, and I commend him for telling them to stick it.

I was wondering when the "My ancestors fought at Valley Forge" stuff was going to appear.
So let me get this straight, his freedom to do what he likes, trumps a private companies rights to impose conditions on who they will permit to enter their premises. And of course "authority" is always wrong, and the individual is always right.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I was wondering when the "My ancestors fought at Valley Forge" stuff was going to appear.
So let me get this straight, his freedom to do what he likes, trumps a private companies rights to impose conditions on who they will permit to enter their premises. And of course "authority" is always wrong, and the individual is always right.

The problem here is that if we allow such ignorant stupidity as displayed by the theatre to stand than it devalues our entire society. We are already living in a society in which stupidity rules, and it it must be fought, tooth and nail, inch by inch, street by street, house by house, room by room. It is that important. Rationality is vital to the survival of any culture, and ours is being killed off by those who cower before fools.

 

[btgc]

One thing is for sure - never ever leave valuables in car while you are away. Be it sedan, hardtop, limo or what. Even if alternative is to take them into cinema 🙂

As for piracy, who watches screeners anymore? Time spent isn't worth it.

 

[antiquark]

Some legal aspects:
http://www.crimedoctor.com/loss_prevention_3.htm

Are Door Bag Searches Legal?

Yes, as long as the inspection is voluntary. No, if the bag check is involuntary or coerced. This is a rather fine legal distinction that is subject to misunderstanding and abuse. Basically, nothing in the law gives the merchant the right to detain a customer for the purpose of searching a shopping bag unless there is a reasonable suspicion of retail theft. See my web page on Shoplifting: Detention & Arrest for more details


A customer can refuse to have their bag checked and simply walk out the door past the bag checker. Hopefully the bag checker has been trained to know that they cannot force anyone to submit to a bag search without cause. This is important because the expectation of the bag checker is that all bag contents have been purchased. The worst thing that could happen is that an aggressive bag checker would forcibly detain or threaten a customer who refused to comply with the voluntary search

 

[Sonnar Brian]

This one is approaching the Outer Limits and into the Twilight Zone.

There was a good episode on the newer (1980s) Twilight Zone about cell phones. Everyone was Forced to keep their's on ALL the time. Then someone turned his off and got locked up. It was John Colicos, who also played a Great Klingon. Klingons would have used a disruptor on the cell phones.

Movie Theaters would hate that.