This old guy, who does regular offshore coldwater survival courses, and has been doing so for 30 years, involving underwater escape from upside-down helicopters through emergency exit windows, is possibly the best person to be sitting in an exit row you could hope for.

However, the airlines have created their own problem by charging more for these seats as if it's only about leg room.

I actually wrote the FAA about this when United first created Economy Plus, suggesting that already having extra money from exit-rowers created an inherent conflict ($ v. safety). They sent a form letter that just said prices were deregulated in 1978 (they misunderstood my letter).