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Its been interesting to read "most" of the previous posts. My only real concern is with obese people, that can make a long flight really unpleasant. I know the airlines are trying to deal with this issue but can appreciate the difficulty in addressing it. My wife and I travel fairly often (retired tourist bums, both of us are fairly trim size). I've come to the conclusion that our best defensive measure on long flights is to purchase three seats in the row and not have to worry about it. First class prices are over the top and I look at the extra coach seat cost as simply insurance for a pleasant flight. Crying babies are expected, don't leave home without your earplugs. As for the rest of the peeves mentioned, they are not really a problem for us.
How are crying babies are expected, but obese people are not? 60 percent of Americans are obese. That means that statistically there are going to be more than a few 300 pounders marching on to your flight.
However, I am glad that you and your wife have catered to the likely possibility of ending up next to one of them by purchasing a row of seats.
If flying is so unpleasant for so many others, I believe that they should find an alternative means of transportation.
How are crying babies are expected, but obese people are not? 60 percent of Americans are obese. That means that statistically there are going to be more than a few 300 pounders marching on to your flight.
However, I am glad that you and your wife have catered to the likely possibility of ending up next to one of them by purchasing a row of seats.
If flying is so unpleasant for so many others, I believe that they should find an alternative means of transportation.
We have been fairly lucky in most of our flights but had two "squished" experiences in the last six months so we learned the hard way. You are definitely correct on the probability situation.My philosophy in retirement is to not get upset, just develop a strategy to deal with the possibility. We now anticipate the problem and hopefully its now a non-issue for us.
I think a lot of pet peeves that some people have which seem overreactive to some others is due to expectations people have about flying. Flying has always been a kind of "elite" and "fun" way to travel, historically speaking. It is also expensive, relatively speaking - it costs more than a bus.
But, as a pilot once said to me, it's just a "bus with wings". And really, from a flier's standpoint, that's what it is. People might have the same complaints about a bus trip, but they would say, "Well, it's the BUS, what do you expect?" People expect on a bus that there will be large people, smelly people, crying babies, inconsiderate people, etc. For some reason, they figure that on a plane those people won't be there... Why? Just the image of flying. The irony is people will put up with that stuff on a bus for 12+ hours to travel a shorter distance, but it drives them crazy to deal with it for a 3 or 4 hour flight.
I think a lot of pet peeves can be eliminated by people just not taking things for granted and preparing for those things that bother them. Ear plugs are great. If sitting next to a large person is a concern, there are ways to deal with that, even if it means paying for a first class seat - otherwise, it comes with the territory. For smells, they do sell some products that help with that - I saw a woman on the subway with a personal air purifier and she said it worked great.
I think the worst thing, which is hard for anyone to deal with, is just sheer inconsideration on the part of others. I can understand that sometimes kids will act up or cry. I hate it, but I will be tolerant of it and sympathetic to the mom who tries her best to pacify such a kid. But what makes my blood boil is the parent who lets the kid act up and bother others while they sit there doing nothing about it.
I saw one mom who, while we were at the gate, let her toddler drink a half of a huge cup of coke (which is horrible right off the bat). Of course, the kid was on a sugar high. She wouldn't stop and when we got on the plane, of course she was behind me. She kept hitting my seat and kicking my seat, and the mother did nothing about it. I had to ask her to stop kicking my seat.
Another time a brat of a little boy was behind me and kicked my seat repeatedly, for no apparent reason. He could barely reach, he had to slide his butt down in the seat to reach the back of mine where he was kicking it. At one point, I turned around and shot him a look. The father then said, "EXCUSE me - can I help you?" and I told him, "Yes, can you ask your son to stop kicking the back of my seat." The guy says, "All you had to do was ask!!" To which I replied, "Uh, yeah, that's what I'm doing now, isn't it." What a jackass, I wanted to split his lip. He knew what his kid was doing, did nothing about it, and when I turned around he copped an attitude.
Those kind of things are my pet peeves.
So I guess you could say my biggest pet peeves are inconsiderate, annoying, rude passengers that I have to see and hear and deal with. A fat guy/lady can't help it (at that moment) that they are fat. A smelly person can't help being smelly, a smoker can't help smelling like smoke, a kid can't help from crying sometimes, and a parent sometimes can't help that the kid is acting up or crying. So, when I see that people are trying but it's to no avail, that's just bad luck. It becomes a "peeve" when the person isn't even considerate enough to TRY to make the situation better.
So, people like that are those who:
- don't share an armrest but commandeer it
- try to commandeer your pocket or magazines
- sneeze or cough with little attempt to muffle or cover it (I don't blame someone for traveling with a cold, but bring your tissues, don't sniffle, cover and muffle your sneezes and coughs as best you can, and do whatever you can to keep it contained)
Probably my BIGGEST Pet Peeve is jerks who are pushy and irrational at the gates. The ones who, when there's a delay or cancellation, yell and complain and are unreasonable about it. Or the ones who turn to me and expect me to sympathize with their aforementioned complaining, just because I'm another passenger. NO I don't want any part of that, it doesn't help the situation.
Another huge pet peeve - people who crowd and block the entrance to the gate. I used to fly first class quite a bit, but often I'd wear cargo shorts and hiking shoes or even sandals and a T-shirt/fleece onto the plane. Why? Because I don't want my good clothes getting smelly and dirty from an airplane seat (I don't know why people dress up to fly anymore, it's not appropriate, really). So people assume I'm flying coach. So when they are ready to call the rows to board, they start with handicapped, then first class. I start making my way to the gate, and someone will step in front of me and block me. Usually some business-casual dressed middle-aged guy or lady. They obviously figure I can't be "first class" and think I'm just trying to get in front of them for when they call out the rows for boarding coach. I have had people say to me, after I said excuse me to get past them, "No, they're only boarding first class" to which I say, "Yeah, and that's why I need to get through, EXCUSE ME please...". Some have gone so far as to say, "YOU have first class???" The gall! One jerk even wanted me to show my boarding pass to him!!! I just looked at him and pushed throughl. JERK!
I hate to hear the people who whine and moan and complain when there's a delay or some other problem.
I think if people were just reasonable and considerate, it would eliminate my pet peeves about flying.
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I think if people were just reasonable and considerate, it would eliminate my pet peeves about flying.
You pretty much summed it all up nicely !
But, since some people will never be reasonable and/ or considerate...there will always be the chance "developing" a pet peeve towards certain people and/ or situations.
Welcome to the "PUBLIC transit system", and no matter which one you will chose (boat, bus, plane etc) chances are, that some people in the crowd will act up, in some way or another.
I am flying now since many years, and I am starting to think, that I have really seen and heard it all.
But, I also have to say, that my tolerance level is way up, and developed a "thick skin" towards many, many things...because of it.
I put up with it (since I MADE that choice to take that kind of transportation)...because I can't imagine taking a "banana boat" to head over and visit other countries like Europe.....LOL.
I just suck up the uncomfortable travel time, and just look forward of getting and being at my destination.
being stuck in a middle seat and not gettin a wholew can of soda lol. turbilance and sitting next to people.
These are probably my two biggest pet peeves also, when it comes down to it. Middle seat sucks!!! I love the window, I love to look down on the earth.
And soda - you definitely should always be given a full can if you want! Continental is awesome that way, they always ask and sometimes they just give the whole can! Some other airlines sometimes won't give you a whole can even if you ask! lol, that is truly the most annoying!
With regard to bringing your own food on a plane, one word, TUNA. How much common sense does it take to realize a Tuna Fish sandwich is not the best sandwich on a flight?
Honeymoon, six months ago, on the way to Hawaii, the lady next to my wife decided to be the Tuna lady. All I could do was shake my head. The smell was rediculous. Some people do not think.
But wait, it gets better.
On the return from Hawaii to San Francisco for a connection, an asian couple, I think chinese, were next to us. Husband, wife and a small baby. Are you thinking crying baby? Nope. How about a food incident....yes slightly....they were eating some sushi looking type food, wrapped in seaweed at one point. But the thing that takes the cake.....clipping the baby's toe nails mid flight. I was window, wife was the b*tch seat...er middle seat...and we witnessed this somewhere over the Pacific. I was beside myself but being the fat guy wedged in the corner, I just closed my eyes and thought of a happy place
With regard to bringing your own food on a plane, one word, TUNA. How much common sense does it take to realize a Tuna Fish sandwich is not the best sandwich on a flight?
Tuna is just one stinky food, add in things with onions, garlic, or really greasy foods like McDonalds.
In the rare case that I bring food onboard, I try to make it something really neutral like a turkey sandwich (no onions), a muffin, some sliced fruit in a baggie, etc.
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Yikes!
