If you love movies like we do, then you’ve all been in this position before: you’re sitting in a crowded theater (sometimes right in the middle and surrounded by strangers you’d have to crawl over), and you suddenly have to go to the bathroom really, really bad. You sit there quietly, squirming in your seat, trying to figure out when the very best time to make your move would be. You hope the scene where everyone is sitting in a room talking out a gameplan will be the perfect moment, but deep down you fear that you will return to find out the zombies came in and ate everyone’s face right when they figured out the perfect strategy!
Well, fear not, someone got the brilliant idea of making a website where you can go and find the ideal moments for your much-needed potty break, right down to the very second. The site is called RunPee, and it knows your pain and is here to help.
The site offers up all of the latest movies out in theaters and a bunch of other classic movies. It looks like it’s still in its early stages, but it’s for sure an extremely handy tool. When you click a title, a time bar at the top marks any locations where a bathroom break is optimal; click each marker to see how many minutes into the movie the scene is, how long you would have to make a break for it, and a brief description of the scene you would miss. For those who hate spoilers, the scene description is scrambled and you have to click it to see what it says.
Once you find the best spots, you can write a note or enter them into your phone and take you with them instead of taking out your phone in the theater.
One thing is for sure: I certainly wish I had this option a few years back — it’s rather ingenious!
[Source: via LA Times]
Thanks for writing about my website because now I know about yours. I’m a huge geek. I have proof: my personal twitter account is “polyGeek”.
Yeah, RunPee is sort of in it’s early stages. I’m a Flash Platform developer and I built it for practice to learn how to build database driven websites. Who knew!? :)
I’m working on the upgrade right now that will offer translations for many many languages and a few other cool features. Plus there will be a version that is optimized for SmartPhones so that all you BlackBerry, Pre, etc. users will be able to get to the app while at the theater. Which reminds me. For the time being there is a simple HTML version that is accessible from pretty much any mobile browser: m.RunPee.com.
Thanks again!
Comment by RunPeeCreator — October 22, 2009 @ 8:34 am
The best time to pee is BEFORE the movie. You don’t stand up in a crowded theater and interrupt the movie for people just because you weren’t smart enough to take a piss before the movie started.
Comment by ShigaTwatz — October 22, 2009 @ 11:01 am
ShigaTwatz has a good point .. “The best time to pee is BEFORE the movie”. Yet to the creator of RunPee, Well done. It’ll help for people who cant hold it. Even if they peed before the movie.
Comment by J — October 22, 2009 @ 11:39 pm
The urgent need to pee during the movie is caused by the enormous soft drinks usually overpaid for that you drink while watching the movie. I’ve learned to skip the drink and just go into the movie. I learned my lesson years ago when I missed the climax of Star Trek First Contact because of a bladder emergency after drinking a huge Coke.
Save the money. Skip the drink. See the whole movie.
Comment by Tracy Falbe — October 23, 2009 @ 10:42 am
P.S.
Runpee is a charming idea. Best of luck to it.
Comment by Tracy Falbe — October 23, 2009 @ 10:42 am
I’d like to start a petition to get that website torn down. The creator of this idiotic idea is CONDONING people ruining the movie-going experience for others. And for that, you are a jackass. I hope you yourself use this nifty little app to find out the best time to walk out of the next Blockbuster and then get your ass kicked because of it.
Comment by ShigaTwatz — October 23, 2009 @ 7:40 pm
Yeah, @ShigaTwatz, how dare anyone use the bathroom during a movie. Dirty, dirty bastards they are.
C’mon now, let’s grow up.
The website is a great idea, and very useful for us normal people who enjoy having a giant drink at the movies. Find me a website condoning cell phones and bringing your infant to the movies and I’ll petition it with you; but here, you’d be one sad and lonely signature.
Damn Cylons.
Comment by The Movie God — October 23, 2009 @ 8:15 pm