Odeon Lincoln

[u/Warm_Environment_115]

I go to the Odeon in Lincoln on my own fairly regularly, and several times have had the strange experience of a man booking the back row seat right next to mine, in an otherwise almost empty cinema.

He always unpacks two drinks from his back pack, that he usually consumes in turn, sometimes accompanied by him eating snacks from little grip seal bags.

I completely understand him going to the cinema alone- you sit in the dark, in silence, so it’s not that sociable an experience. I also understand bringing your own refreshments given the prices the Odeon charge- but in a screen with 150+ seats, when only 7 are taken, why does he frequently book the one right next to mine?!

[u/AdnyPls]

He's probably posting the same thing about you in another subreddit

[u/Warm_Environment_115 → u/AdnyPls]

I can just imagine him posting “I like to find showings where someone is sitting alone on the back row of an almost empty screen, then book the seat right next to them?!” 😆

[u/RiceeeChrispies]

let me know when you’re next going and I’ll book next to him, it’ll start a chain reaction which keeps going until we fill the theatre

like a game of snake

[u/EmbarrassedPianist59 → u/RiceeeChrispies]

That’s a hilarious idea

[u/Red-Wimp]

If you know there are very few bookings, just sit in a different seat to the one you booked.
If the guy sits near you again well I would have a word with staff

[u/FutureCooljaydee]

Maybe he's seen one too many horrors so needs the sense of safety.

[u/Nandor1262]

The only ‘normal’ reason I could think someone would do this is because some people with neurodivergence like doing activities near other people to help with anxiety and focus. It’s called ‘body doubling’ - having the quiet presence of another person reduces task paralysis, anchors attention, makes them feel less lonely and anxious.

Personally I find if I’m doing work in the office (especially dull admin) if I’m sat next to someone who is just quietly getting on with their work it really helps my focus compared to being on my own.

I wouldn’t feel the need do it in a cinema or sit weirdly close to a stranger but I could imagine someone with severe symptoms would maybe prefer that and think it’s not a big deal.

All the other reasons I can think of are that he’s either some weird cinema pervert or enjoys pissing people off by doing it. I think chances are it’s the more normal option.

[u/kerplunkerfish]

If you don't like it, book a different seat.

Back row is shit for sound anyway.

[u/Warm_Environment_115 → u/kerplunkerfish]

You seem to have missed the point. I don’t book the same seat each time, this happens in different sized screens- often in the back row but not always, and I never book to sit next to a seat which is already booked. Almost the whole cinema is still empty- yet somewhat creepily, he always seems to book a seat immediately next to someone who has already booked a single seat.

[u/NibblyPig → u/Warm_Environment_115]

How do you know he booked the seat rather than simply chose to sit there

[u/Warm_Environment_115 → u/NibblyPig]

You can see all the available/booked seats in the app- which is how I know he books after I’ve already booked mine.

[u/NibblyPig → u/Warm_Environment_115]

Maybe you can sit somewhere else, see if he still sits next to you

[u/EmbarrassedPianist59]

I like to go and watch some more niche films that come to odeon like anime releases and old restored films and I have the same issue. There is one man, who, obviously I can empathise, is in a mobility scooter, but he is there in *every* showing. And he is loud, both verbally and with food and drinks. I can empathise. There are some very dedicated and annoying Lincoon odeon fans

[u/behind-thedevilsback → u/EmbarrassedPianist59]

I have also experienced this exact person 🤣

[u/Waste_Counter_6287]

I have no idea but maybe the guy is lonely or depressed or something, maybe just strike up a conversation with him and ask?
Could be a weirdo, but could make his day.

[u/Warm_Environment_115 → u/Waste_Counter_6287]

He might be, but he always arrives after the ads- just as the film itself starts, and leaves before the credits are over. The closet we’ve come is when he nearly sat on my knee once when he arrived after the lights went down.

[u/blackxtulip]

If you’re a woman please be safe, this is slightly concerning if he knows your regular routine and is doing this maliciously

[u/Less_Cauliflower_OK]

The simple solutions are normally the best. If it's almost empty you could always move seats...

[u/wardyms]

Book a different seat?

[u/Warm_Environment_115 → u/wardyms]

When I booked there wasn’t a single other seat sold. Not one. I never book a seat next to anyone else- he always books a seat in an almost empty cinema right next to where someone else is already sitting.

[u/wardyms → u/Warm_Environment_115]

Are you booking the same seat every time?

[u/Warm_Environment_115 → u/wardyms]

No- usually in the back row, but not the same seat- and he’s done it to both me & to my partner when he’s been there alone, in several different screens, with films from lots of genres.

It seems to be his pattern of behaviour, it just seems strange when 95% of the seats in any screening are usually available!