Dumbest poll this week.

Do you tell people to stop sitting on the tables?

  • Yes, always, even if it's across the room.

    Votes: 25 31.6%

  • Sometimes, if it's convenient

    Votes: 37 46.8%

  • No, never

    Votes: 9 11.4%

  • Other - specify

    Votes: 8 10.1%
  • Total voters
    79
CreeDo

CreeDo

Fargo Rating 597
Silver Member
There has to be one.

It pisses me off to see people treat tables like lawn furniture and sit on them, like maybe they're giant restaurant booths or barstools that happen to have a playing surface.

My preferred pool hall is terrible about getting on these people.

I often come up to the sitters and ask them to get down (politely). A lot of times the response is "what, do you work here?". Usually it's just "uhh, okay" (with the tone you'd use with someone who is being totally weird and unreasonable, but you're not going to make a big deal out of it). Some get kind of pissy about it.

So, what do you guys do? I'm not including "complain to the staff/manager" because it's a given it's already been brought to their attention.
 
I'll ask sometimes,especially if they're feet aren't even on the floor and they have their asses pushing down on the rails. What really gets me is when someone puts their beer bottle or drink on the rails. I will definitely say something then.
 
bazkook said:
I'll ask sometimes,especially if they're feet aren't even on the floor and they have their asses pushing down on the rails. What really gets me is when someone puts their beer bottle or drink on the rails. I will definitely say something then.
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Ditto. There's no greater disrespect to the table than making it a coaster.
 
On my table....yes and it would be expletive laced.
At a hall...no, but before I even notice it the owner(s) yell at em
 
This happened to me last night! Some bangers came in and played on the table next to us. His idea of shooting was to hit as hard as he could no matter what he was aiming for. She just liked to hit the clusters hoping one would go in.

She had a ball along the foot rail and the CB in a place where I would have used a bridge. She hefted her fat arse up on the table and sat on it, held her cue almost vertical and failed miserable to do anything good with the OB.

Had I been braver, I would have said something, but her boyfriend/husband/gorilla was such a buffoon I didn't want to deal with him. They argued over who put the 8 ball in at one point. I mean, how do you NOT KNOW if you sink the 8?:confused: Just STFU and play pool.

I decided to be a good example of how to shoot instead. After a while, they both quit slamming them when they saw good shooters using soft shots and Making Them.:)

He did steal my chalk, and I did do something about that. I always bring my own marked cubes, and he just strolled over and took it. I got it back and explained this is my chalk, not house chalk, and I got The Look.:angry:

Next time, I will say something. Knowledge is the key.
 
Skier, it's tough to talk to people about stuff like this. First there's the social thing of not wanting to embarrass anyone or put them on the spot. And some really will react as badly as you can imagine. I had a situation where some drunk guys put a chair up on the table. I told the houseman figuring it'd be foolish to deal with them directly. But even that didn't work, they saw me go to the bar and ... long story short I got shoved and spat on before they ran off to avoid the cops.

I just wish more places had the kind of employees who value the tables and aren't afraid to speak up. Generally they just seem to hire whoever's pretty. Sounds bad to say it like that but in my experience it's true.
 
It is really annoying to see things like that. At my school we have a mini pool hall [about 8 i think 8' oversized tables] and it can be so annoying playing right next to people who insist on laying across the table instead of using a bridge. I only say something if they're at a table close to me and seem sober minded or if I'm playing with someone who tries to do it.
 
There's no greater disrespect to the table than making it a coaster.
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Yeah there is, using it as an ashtray is worse.

..........

I put other. If it is someone I'm with I will usually explain to them that it is considered bad manners. Otherwise, no. If the management of the pool hall doesn't care enough to make sure the customers respect the equipment then that's their problem.

If it's my table at home then obviously it is someone I'm with and know, but in that case I might not give them the long version explanation concerning the etiquette and the reasons why it's not good - I'll just tell them to get their ass off the table.
 
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Great poll!

I always politely ask people to please not sit on the tables. I've never had anyone not listen. Most people apologize and get off right away. I'm like an equipment nazi.
 
sit on the table

i usually say something like this, "if you sit on the table like that, it breaks down the rubber rail". i dont press the issue, and if they tell me to go get ******, i just leave it alone. the house man should be more responsible of the equipment.
 
At one point I worked in a pool hall, and most definitely I was expected to enforce this... sounds like I got the normal responses based on what I'm reading here. Some folks took it well... others wanted to argue/fight because of it. The nice part about being an employee is you can simply kick someone out if they give you attitude.

In my current days, as a guest in a pool room, I don't bother saying anything. I have no authority, and I figure if they are ignorant enough to be doing it in the first place, they are likely to view me as a threat to their pride more than a fellow just looking out for the good of the table. (Read as... they'll give me attitude and/or resort to physical violence rather than listen)
 
i never have a probem, because people who come to my house all are players and know what to do and not do. I dont get deep holes in my chalk either,:smile: No bangers allowed.
 
This is just one of the "rules of etiquette" that I teach in every exhibition I do. I also make it a habit, wherever I happen to be playing, if I see someone sitting on the table, I walk over and quietly (politely) ask them to please not sit on the tables. You get the point across, in a civil manner, and people are much more likely to comply...than yelling across the room, or being belligerant about it (not that you don't have a good reason to be! :eek::grin:). It's the old "you catch a lot more flies with honey, than vinegar" route! My pet peeve is seeing people put the chalk down upside down. I won't say anything unless it's someone I'm playing...but it always "jerks my chain"!:grin: The drink on the table, and ashtray thing is just absurd...and I will ALWAYS say something when I see someone putting their drink on the table, even if I'm not playing on that table...again, always politely! :grin:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
I agree on the lines of what creedo and scott mentioned. It sounds stupid to us, but I bet a lot of people don't even think of it as beng bad on the table. Therefore, a quiet, polite request should work best IMO. I would think when you start getting loud and embarrassing people is when they are going to get offensive.

At my house, I'm pretty sure everyone knows the rules and are knowledgeable enough to not even think about sitting on my table. It might not be a world class diamond but its still mine and I take pride in it. In public, I don't say anything unless I know the person. Mainly, because I would likely be dealing with a drunk and really its not my responsibility. Sure, I hate to see it and like playing on nice equipment but I'm not about to get sucker punched for trying to enforce etiquette on them. If it got real ridiculous I would mention it to the staff.
 
The owners keep the bangers and nits from sitting on the tables. when the owners aren't present, I have permission and authority to cut people off and remove them from the room if necessary. Altho I usually have the patience of a saint and diplomatic skills I rarely use them when dealing with dumb asses and drunks who abuse the equipment.
I just tell it like it is and if they don't like it, they can leave. Pretty simple as it cuts into my playing time.
 
I like your arrangement hog rider. I was a regular at our local pool hall before it shut down and worked there a bit, so even after I went on to another job... I could still exercise authority like an employee could.

At the new place... it's not the same. When they ask "what, do you work here?" that's pretty much the same as saying "shove it" and there's not much I can do.

I did wanna say, I jump all over drinks on the rails and will grab the employee and point it out if I feel the employee shoulda been paying attention. Which I feel pretty much all the time... it's a little unfair but I don't see how some of this stuff gets overlooked. Thankfully smokes/ashtrays aren't an issue here. But one of the tables is already beerstained, it was just reclothed like 3-4 months ago. AGHHH.
 
I am an absolute nut regarding my own table ... I don't even let people walk up to the table with a drink in their hand to point out advice or take a closer look at their partner's shot, etc. Sitting on the table? NO WAY!

That being said, if I'm at a pool hall and I see a guy sitting on a table across the room ... it's not my place to say anything as much as it drives me nuts. It's not my table and he's paying for the time and it's up to the room owner or the employees to say something. Still drives me bonkers though!

Now ... if it's a bar table at a place that I play a lot ... I *might* say something as it is as much my table as it is the next guys ... we all put up the same amount of quarters and I don't feel like playing my next game trying to figure out how much harder I need to hit the ball to get through his puddle of spilled beer. :eek:
 
funny story a few years ago on st pattys day me and a few friends were hanging out at our usual pool hall. at one point in the night this guy puts his drink down on the table so pipe in "exscuse me could you take your drink off the table" nothing try this 2 more times a little louder each time but still nothing no reaction so i walk over bushmills and coke in hand and say "HEY BUDDY, you want to take you F*ckin' drink off the table!" to which he responds "i don't like being sweared at" so me being a few drinks in respone with "well take your F*CK..." i didn't finish that sentence as he punched me in the face knocking me over the pool table behind me causing me to spill my drink on the table at this point every one is like WTF is going on the guy seeing all my friend coming to my aid, and the fact that i bounced up and was grabing a cloth to wipe up the table, took off. lesson learned when telling some one to stop sitting on a table or with a drink on the table or generally doing something they shouldn't be on a table, keep out of arms reach and keep in mind where the nearest bar cue is
 
astandrich said:
At one point I worked in a pool hall, and most definitely I was expected to enforce this... sounds like I got the normal responses based on what I'm reading here. Some folks took it well... others wanted to argue/fight because of it. The nice part about being an employee is you can simply kick someone out if they give you attitude.

In my current days, as a guest in a pool room, I don't bother saying anything. I have no authority, and I figure if they are ignorant enough to be doing it in the first place, they are likely to view me as a threat to their pride more than a fellow just looking out for the good of the table. (Read as... they'll give me attitude and/or resort to physical violence rather than listen)
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I concur with your post.

When I was working in a pool hall, and saw someone sitting on a pool table, I didn't care if they were a regular or a banger..... I would look around quick at the money tables and be sure no one was shooting a difficult shot and the yell out in my most commanding stern voice

"NO SITTING ON THE POOL TABLES"

Everyone would look around and try to spot the schmuck getting off the table and they would be embarrassed enough to never do it again.:D
 
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