Rules are rules

I found this article via Jessamyn West blog which looked at Ed Bilodeau blog, with a post entitled Tired of your library being littered with food and garbage? Do something about it!. In the post he discusses patrons using phones, littering and eating within a library, even when there are signs saying these things are not allowed. I'm very much of the school that these rules should be adhered to, but other members of staff are less stringent. As I work within a prestigous research library the worst rule seems to be the need to use a phone. Constantly pointing people to phone use area's is a constant bind, but I feel these rules are there for a rule (the rule being people are studying within a peaceful environment). Many staff members are less fastidous than myself, but a dual policy of 'good cop, bad cop' often causes patrons to be confused by the message. Therefore, although people may complain I do enforce the policy.
Anyhow, any other librarians suffer similar difficulties?