Not linking to it
There’s a picture of a fat guy on a plane. The cover story is that a flight attendant took it to raise some safety concerns.
I’m not buying it. There’s a mean streak running through this country (and the rest of the world?); in some respects, junior high is a really good avatar for American culture.
Anyway, all I could think about (especially after seeing the poll that ran with the pic that showed that only 13% of the respondents didn’t believe a fat person should have to buy an extra plane ticket) was about the mean streak that defines this country.
When you look at the picture closely (after getting over your initial shock), you see that the guy towers over everyone else on the plane – he’s simply a giant of a man.
It’s really easy to hate on outliers. But if every one of us were forced to wear our deepest shames on the outside, very few of us would have any friends.
I’m not buying safety concerns.. but the first thing I thought when I saw that picture is yes that guy needs to buy a 2nd seat. I get claustrophobic and don’t like flying in the first place. I can’t handle someone oozing into my seat. It has nothing to do with being mean and all to do with paying for 4 hours of being really uncomfortable.
Curtis
8 Dec 09 at 3:29 am
As a fat gal, I say that we (us bigger folks) should pay more for our seats – if they would give us bigger seats.
For anyone who’s been on a commercial plane, train or bus – none of those seats is comfortable for us fatties.
So, why don’t transportation carriers build these various vehicles with a few larger than average seats, charge a 5-15% surcharge for the space, and call it a day.
I’ve never seen any plane, train or bus (except some hi-speed, one-way, commuter buses) completely full – see claiming that this would cost the carrier valuable space if no fattie rides that trip is BS.
Also, with the equivalent of first class seating available in coach, I’d bet that if no fattie booked it, someone else would be happy to grab an upgrade to this instead of a really high priced 1st class seat.
And no, fattie is not a slur, it’s a descriptive adjective. Adverse connotations are all in your head.
Angie in WA State
11 Dec 09 at 11:13 pm