Can’t keep your hands off your phone during a movie? Watch out – it could cost you! An Austin man is suing his date for $17.31 – the cost of their movie tickets – because she was texting during a screening of Guardians of the Galaxy.
Brandon Vezmar, 37, says his date started texting about 15 minutes after the movie began, according to the Austin Statesman.
“It was kind of a first date from hell,” Vezmar told the Statesman. “This is like one of my biggest pet peeves.”
Vezmar says he asked her to stop, but she refused. When he suggested she go out of the theater to text, she left the theater and didn’t come back, taking her car in which she had driven them to the movie theater.
In his legal petition, Vezmar said his date’s actions were a “threat to civilized society” and adversely affected his movie experience. His date, however, says otherwise.
“I had my phone low and I wasn’t bothering anybody,” she told the Statesman. “It wasn’t like constant texting.”
Is this a ridiculous lawsuit not worthy of the court’s attention or an important principle that’s worth protesting? Well, Tim League, CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse, says its both. He offered Vezmar a gift certificate for exactly $17.31 to his theater.
“On one hand, I am concerned about our courts being clogged with superfluous lawsuits, but as Vezmar states, ‘this is a threat to civilized society,’” said League. “To save the time of the courts, the Alamo is willing help put this to bed and hereby offers Vezmar a gift certificate in the amount of $17.31 for his next cinema outing.”
The Drafthouse is known for their strict no-cellphones in movies policy, even kicking out patrons who dare to light up the dark room with their iPhone screen.
What do you think? Did the date deserve to be called out for her rude behavior? Or is this a ridiculous use of the legal system? Share your thoughts in the comments.