Let me start by saying that I'm not a commie or a fascist.
Nor am I a religious man.
I was not born or raised in the South and I am middle-aged.
I am solidly upper-middle class/lower upper class.
I was taught to open doors for people and to give up a seat for an old person.
I operate under the principle of the Golden Rule.
I do not follow every rule and law (example - exceeding the speed limit). However, I recognize the value of speed limits and if I get caught, I accept the consequences. I also recognize the value of the rule of law regardless of whether I agree with said law.
I am troubled by the attitudes of many FTers. I found FT via google while seeking advice on more comfortable ways to survive a long flight in coach. I saw the value of FT; there is a lot of great travel advice here. I'm not interested in gaming the system although I understand that a lot of FTers are interested in (legally) gaining the most advantage in FF programs.
While I have been a lurker and sometimes poster, I have been bothered by:
1. Threads about seat recline.
2. Threads about PED
3. Threads about traveling with screaming babies.
4. Threads about getting on and off the aircraft
5. Gaming the system to try to get a row to oneself.
6. Threads about invading someone else's space.
7. Knowingly sitting in someone else's seat.
8. Threads on being woken up or what goes on the the window blind or getting out of the way when you're sitting on the aisle.
9. Knowingly drinking a lot of fluid prior to boarding an aircraft.
etc.
10 Take your damn slow time getting your carryon off, extending the handle, and walking off the AC
To those who:
1. Recline
2. Keep your PEDs on
3. Take your screaming babies on when it's discretionary travel
4. Bull your way to the front when deplaning or put your rollaboard over row 6 when you're sitting in row 26
5. Reserve window/aisle then talk loudly to each other.
6. Bring your non-legitimate service animal onboard who invades someone else's space
7. Demand to be moved to keep your family (grown man, grown woman, 10 and 12 year old) together.
8. Can't deal with the compromises of having the window seat or not having the window seat (same with aisle)
9. Drink a lot of fluid knowing that the flight could be bumpy and the SB sign might not go off or the aisle person (in fairness see #8) will have to get up 6 times so you could drink 10 beers
10. Take you damn slow time exiting the aircraft (OK if you let people in your row out and wait until everyone is off).
Do you realize that you get away with these things because people like me play by the rules and societal norms. Personally, I would like to give a forearm shimmy to the guy who holds up deplaning while I have a short connection. Howver, the law and common courtesy prevent me from doing so.
Ever consider what would happen if everyone acted like you?
Location: Gulf Coast/Ventura County/Somewhere in between
Programs: DL GM, Marriott PP, Avis Something or other
Posts: 4,385
I'm a Green Libertarian Fascist who lives in LA (Lower Alabama). I'm over 60 and also try to live by the Golden Rule. I'm not always successful, but I do my best. I expect very little from others in the areas you mention and am usually rewarded with satisfied expectations. Have a drink and just enjoy the parade. Life is short and nobody gets out of it alive...
__________________
"...if heartaches were commercials we'd all be on tv..."
I have a feeling that most people are not nearly as big jerks in real life as they make themselves out to be on Flyertalk. Given the individualistic tone of these message boards, it's almost become fashionable to boast about how self-centered you are and how little you care about others. This is easy when you are hiding behind an anonymous username on the internet. However, when these same people are actually on a plane and being watched by passengers and flight crew, I have a feeling they will act with a little more decency.
My experience on planes has been that most people are courteous and follow the "golden rule". Every once in a while you come across a jerk, but that is to be expected anywhere.
1. Recline
2. Keep your PEDs on
3. Take your screaming babies on when it's discretionary travel
4. Bull your way to the front when deplaning or put your rollaboard over row 6 when you're sitting in row 26
5. Reserve window/aisle then talk loudly to each other.
6. Bring your non-legitimate service animal onboard who invades someone else's space
7. Demand to be moved to keep your family (grown man, grown woman, 10 and 12 year old) together.
8. Can't deal with the compromises of having the window seat or not having the window seat (same with aisle)
9. Drink a lot of fluid knowing that the flight could be bumpy and the SB sign might not go off or the aisle person (in fairness see #8) will have to get up 6 times so you could drink 10 beers
10. Take you damn slow time exiting the aircraft (OK if you let people in your row out and wait until everyone is off).
So it's your list of "People should learn to accept inconveniences, except for those inconveniences that inconvenience me."
You're never going to get people to agree with your draconian views on decline. It's been well documented: about half the people on flyertalk believe no one should recline, while the other half believe everybody should recline.
I'm personally on the all-recline side. If everyone reclines, we're all better off.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flubber2012
Ever consider what would happen if everyone acted like you?
Perhaps people, while traveling, are more concerned with getting to point B than the next guy's feelings. While it's true that people do try to make the best of an imperfect situation while traveling on an airplane, it's likely motivated to be geared toward their benefit, as opposed to harming someone else. I'm not sure that we owe each other anything in particular.
Do you realize that you get away with these things because people like me play by the rules and societal norms. Personally, I would like to give a forearm shimmy to the guy who holds up deplaning while I have a short connection. Howver, the law and common courtesy prevent me from doing so.
And do you realise that what you may believe to be 'rules and societal norms' are not universally accepted? Just because you think that things should be a certain way doesn't mean that your way in the right way or the only way.
Just as you may find that there is no end to the type of threads you list on FT, there is also no end to the posters who proclaim themselves to be morally superior to others because others may not agree with the 'rules'.
Most people here are actually kind and courteous, with a few exceptions. Some of the posters who are unfairly labelled as bullies or other names are in fact some of the most kind and generous. I have kept PMs over the years as proof of the kindness of FTers, who have often provided unsolicited advice and gifts. Just because someone doesn't happen to agree with you doesn't make them inferior.
(I have no idea if that is the case and I haven't read any of the threads where OP posted, but I am taking a guess based on the fact that this is FLYERtalk and not FOOTtalk)
(I have no idea if that is the case and I haven't read any of the threads where OP posted, but I am taking a guess based on the fact that this is FLYERtalk and not FOOTtalk)
Close. You are correct that it's FLYERtalk and not FOOTtalk.
Although some people erroneously write Personal Electronic Device, I believe it's Portable Electronic Device, as a far as FLYERtalk and FAA/FCC are concerned.
There is a thread that degenerated from the question of whether one could tell their co-passenger to shut a mobile phone off, to a debate between whether the law is stupid or there is ant basis to be disallow use of cell phones, which is a PED.
You're never going to get people to agree with your draconian views on decline. It's been well documented: about half the people on flyertalk believe no one should recline, while the other half believe everybody should recline.
I'm personally on the all-recline side. If everyone reclines, we're all better off.
I'm a fervent believer that if the airlines didn't try to cram us all in like sardines, we wouldn't have to fight like overcrowded rats for every last inch of personal space. But we've all heard the argument about why that's not possible, so ... whatever. Until that problem is solved, it just is what it is and we have to do our best to be civil.
(I have no idea if that is the case and I haven't read any of the threads where OP posted, but I am taking a guess based on the fact that this is FLYERtalk and not FOOTtalk)
PED is obviously Performance Enhancing Drug. Pretty sure OP is just a huge sports fan and very disillusioned with Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong. I mean, what if EVERYONE took PEDs? What kind of world would this be?
Seriously, though, take dd992emo's advice and relax. People will inevitably do things that annoy you. Getting all worked up over it doesn't do you any good. Hey, maybe the rant was cathartic for you and you're all good now. But once you realize you can't control everyone around you, life will be much more enjoyable.
And do you realise that what you may believe to be 'rules and societal norms' are not universally accepted? Just because you think that things should be a certain way doesn't mean that your way in the right way or the only way.
Just as you may find that there is no end to the type of threads you list on FT, there is also no end to the posters who proclaim themselves to be morally superior to others because others may not agree with the 'rules'.
Most people here are actually kind and courteous, with a few exceptions. Some of the posters who are unfairly labelled as bullies or other names are in fact some of the most kind and generous. I have kept PMs over the years as proof of the kindness of FTers, who have often provided unsolicited advice and gifts. Just because someone doesn't happen to agree with you doesn't make them inferior.
I think you are saying the same thing the OP did, in different ways. What is so important or sounds right to one might not be the same to another, and some others simply accept things as they are and continue to practice courtesy, without which, we would be seeing a lot more confrontation in air.
Quote:
Originally Posted by exbayern
You're right. I'm wrong. And I won't call you a big poopyhead or any other name for pointing it out.
I just read back one page of OP's posts to see if I could understand his rant.
I appreciate your thoughfulness in not calling me a poopyhead.
I think the OP simply pointed out issues brought up frequently on FT. He did qualify his post with "rant".
I could not agree more with dd992emo, nor with Flubber2012, the OP.
