<p>Went to the movies last night with 2 friends. I was in the middle. A couple sat next to the friend on my right. Said friend was very uncomfortable with these people. About 15 minutes in, she asked me to switch seats with her. I told her no purely to save us from a confrontation from this couple against her. I thought it would have looked really awkward.</p>
<p>Would you have switched seats?</p>
<p>I would have done it naturally, each of you going to the concession stand or restroom then switching. Still, it doesn’t make sense that a grown woman would require a buffer seat or couldn’t handle being close to strangers. I am assuming that she does not live in an urban environment.</p>
<p>Did she just not want to sit next to strangers, or was there something about these people that made her uncomfortable? If the people were bothering her in some way, I wouldn’t have switched seats with her as you would then have been sitting next to whatever bothered her. If it was bad enough, I would have maybe had all 3 of you find new seats, but that isn’t always easy.</p>
<p>I am with snowball 100%. If switching seats merely substitutes your discomfort for hers, then I wouldn’t switch. I also would just look to move. We were in a similar situation the other night but it was a very small music event with the audience seated in rows of chairs. After my wife and I got comfortable in the middle of an almost empty row a very (very) large woman sat next to me on my right. I tried to be subtle and slide my chair and my wife’s chair to our left, but we needed more room than was available. Fortunately the seat on my wife’s left was empty so I just moved from my wife’s right side to her left side. Nobody was offended and I was able to breathe and enjoy the show. (I must confess to thinking, “Thank God I am not on a plane”)</p>
<p>Weve switched, but not if it put other person at disadvantage.
Ive noticed if some men are sitting next to a stranger who is a woman/child, they will spread out into their space, even if asked politely, wheras they wont do that if they are sitting next to another man.
( I * HAVE *to sit with my legs like this, because my man-junk is just so massive) :rolleyes:
The same men try and push out their biceps when they fold their arms- cause nobody knows that trick. 
Ive also switched with my H, if someone sits in front that I cant see over but he can.
Also sometimes people wear alot of scent that could trigger allergies.
I would go with my mom to the movies, but sometimes she would cough so much it sounded like she had TB!</p>
<p>I agree that there is no need to switch if it had been inconvenient or uncomfortable for you, either. If she knew these people and had bad history with them, then I can see why she’d want to switch. If she was uncomfortable due to odor, noise, space encroachment, etc., then the answer would be no as you would have been made to be uncomfortable, too. </p>
<p>My DH, family and friends know that when we go to a movie, we need to get there early so I can sit in an aisle seat. I’m claustrophobic and, whenever possible, really prefer not to sit between people. I have, on occasion, had late-comers ask if I would move down but, if I go out of my way to get there early, I don’t feel guilty about not moving. I also don’t feel the need to explain myself to strangers.</p>
<p>I don’t think the switch would have been awkward because it could have just been that the right friend wanted to sit closer to the left friend to talk or something.</p>
<p>If the friend just isn’t comfortable sitting next to strangers then I would have switched but if there was something particularly annoying about the strangers then it would be rude for the friend to want to inflict that on you instead of herself.</p>
<p>Need more information to decide!! I’d be a bit concerned for my friend’s comfort, that she have a relaxing evening. If, by not switching, you were “forcing” her to sit next to people she had somehow already crossed, could wreck her evening. But you’re not responsible for that, either.</p>
<p>So I’d have asked her, if I didn’t already know, “What’s the problem?” If what she described was someting I could handle but she couldn’t, then I’d switch. seats. If the problem also would have bothered me, then I’d ask her: “Would you rather move and sit alone somewhere else?” and let her out the row on your side. For all they know, she just went to the bathroom and never returned. </p>
<p>If the theater was fairly empty, I’d ask, “would you rather we (3) move?” and relocate together. so your friend has company. Worst is, the couple would harangue you all later, but so what? By sticking together, you have power. </p>
<p>If something had happened that really upset or traumatized her (and you would have felt that way, too) then I’d move with her to keep her company (and invite #3 also). I have no patience or worry about the feelings of others if they really crossed lines of appropriate behavior. And I’d move to a row further back, so am removed from their thoughts during the movie.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the responses. She and I are quite different in that she does not like certain types of people and I am a like everybody kind of person. (I am trying to be PC here). I get very irritated with her dislike of certain types of people so I pretty much didn’t move to make her have to deal with it. But-I must admit after this couple started talking most of the way thru the movie I felt bad for her. </p>
<p>I suppose in the future we could do the “go to the bathroom” and then switch seats type thing. I really do feel these people would have made a stick with her if she and I would have blatantly switched seats for no logical reason. It’s a movie-you are supposed to be watching and so it shouldn’t matter who you sit next to in your own group.</p>
<p>Are you saying the people who sat next to her were of a different race or ethnic group?</p>
<p>" But-I must admit after this couple started talking most of the way thru the movie I felt bad for her."</p>
<p>That is called karma, or as my H likes to put it, “God don’t like ugly.” Your friend probably made it clear she was uncomfortable and thy overheard her trying to switch with you and your response. </p>
<p>I’m curious though-you say you don’t like that your friend feels this way-but you also say that “these people” would have made a “stick” with her for switching? Could it be that YOU have some issues with “these people” as well?</p>
<p>The original question seemed odd, now it’s just distasteful all the way around.</p>