An UNPLEASANT Experience at "Pleasant" Valley Bowling Center in Raleigh, NC...

I had an unpleasant experience at the "Pleasant" Valley Bowling Center at 5501 Commercial Ave. Raleigh, NC 27612...Phone Number (919) 783-0080...this evening. I was so upset that I even contacted the AMF Customer Service Department about the situation. Below is what I sent them...and yes, please feel free to read! Amen brother!


Hello. I have a question to ask. Is it really illegal to take pictures in a bowling center? I was at the Pleasant Valley Lanes in Raleigh for a charitable event on Saturday, February 23rd (http://www.volunteercaregiving.org/BowlingBall2008.html) and I had my camera with me. I decided to take some pictures. The manager then interrupted me and told me that it was illegal to take pictures inside the center. I put my camera up and decided not to take pictures then.

Well, there were other people in the bowling center taking pictures as well. I approached the manager about this. He told me it was fine that it was okay to take pictures only if the camera is pointed AWAY from the lanes and screens. Obviously, that was a lie because he told me otherwise before. Anyway, I took that to heart and decided to take some pictures AWAY from the lanes and screens while other people were taking pictures of the lanes, screens, and everything else since it was a charitable event and the place was decorated.

However, an employee noticed me taking pictures and rudely told me to quit because the manager told me that I couldn't take pictures inside the bowling center. I then became humiliated and even angered. I then told this employee (an African-American in his late thirties/early forties?) that there were other people taking pictures as well. He told me he didn't see any even though there were camera flashes going off everywhere! There were these contests going on as well as Elvis impersonators and people were taking loads of pictures of all that. Fortunately, after my confrontation, I did hear this particular employee tell someone else that they couldn't take pictures. But, this "someone else" didn't listen and took pictures when everybody else was.

After being insulted and humiliated, I decided to take my camera outside to my vehicle and put it up because I didn't want to take any more crap from the manager or employees. I will admit that I was hurt, bewildered, and confused. I asked the manager for his card. He asked me what the problem was. I told him it was about the camera/picture situation. He told me that it was okay to take pictures of everything except the lanes and screens. I did go back inside...this time without my camera. I was so uncomfortable and confused about all of this that I really felt like leaving....and I did. The event was until 10 PM and I left at 8:30 PM. If it weren't for the confusing situation that I had to endure from the manager lying to me and telling his employees to be on the watch-out for me and my camera, I would have stayed until the event was over and I'm sure I would have enjoyed all of it!

Unfortunately, I will say that I will NEVER step foot back into the Pleasant Valley Bowling Center ever again....NEVER!!! I have friends who go to the church close to the bowling center and I will make mention to them that they should boycott the (Un)Pleasant Valley Bowling Center because of the unpleasant experience I encountered.

Please feel free to contact me about this situation via email, etc. I look forward to receiving a reply...especially if it really is illegal to take pictures inside a bowling center because I've taken pictures inside bowling centers plenty of times (including the UNpleasant Valley Bowling Center) and never have been treated as poorly as this!

Sincerely,
Gregory E. Johnson