Simple courtesy seems to resolve this problem in most cases: just ask the person in front of you not to recline if there's a good reason not to. However, sometimes the person in front of THAT person reclines and it's the only way for them to get some room. Reclining seats make getting up to go to the head difficult depending on the amount of recline, and when they're asleep, gymnastics are sometimes required to get by them from the window seat without crushing the sleeper next to you.

Courtesy usually works, and if moving to another seat is not possible, remember that an attitude of 'live and let live' is preferable to getting steamed over something as relatively insignificant as this issue. And maybe that person in front of you has a back problem (a large percentage of people do) and may need that recline to ease or avoid pain.

In the wake of 9/11, I take subjects like these with a healthy dose of reality. If this subject deserves 3 pages at a time when much more pressing issues are out there, then perhaps it's a good sign we're getting back to normal. Now, anyone up for discussing if the toilet paper should go over or under??