[krisakira]

Would you be mad/irritated if you were sitting next to someone who was 300 pounds in an airplane?

[The_little_didgee]

If I was being squished I would.

[Pierro]

Maybe they might feel as uncomfortable as you.

It would all depend on their personal hygiene habits.

It isn't nice to pick on fat people, even though that has always seemed the trendy thing to do.

Not everybody who is fat can help it.

It's not always a lack of self control or will-power or due to being lazy that makes people fat.

Some people have very real medical conditions (including taking some medications) that create their obesity issues!

And let's not forget eating disorders ... It's always been trendy and acceptable to be anorectic or bulimic, but god help you if you have a binge eating or compulsive overeating disorder!

Empathy and Compassion are still lacking in this area, especially for people who have never struggled with being picked on, teased, tormented and bullied due to being overweight!

Therefore, perhaps, if we can't say anything nice, then perhaps we shouldn't say anything at all?

Mean People Always Have And Always Will Suck!

[Hottiedepressed]

Yes, if they took up too much room.

[Evening]

If I didn't have much room and it was for a long amount of time it would be frustrating, but hey I could be just as frustrating to them in various other ways. They could be a really nice person for all I know, and I can imagine it would be rather humiliating for someone to be so large that it causes a problem for the person next to them.

[lizardlady]

It happened to me once and yes I was irritated. The man was large enough that he took up half the space of my seat too. I spent the flight bent sideways over the arm of my seat. I wasn't irritated about the man's weight. I was irritated that I had to spend the entire flight in a very uncomfortable position because he took up my seat space.

This is why I'll never, ever fly. (I'm 300 pounds.)

[Evening]

Can I ask why you want to know how people would feel in that situation?

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

I am also at a loss in understanding why you have asked this question, however, I do find it curious. *Tuvok voice*

[krisakira]

Originally Posted by Evening

Can I ask why you want to know how people would feel in that situation?

It is because I am nearly 300 pounds and will be flying in a couple weeks to visit a friend in Minnesota. I have a condition called PCOS which makes you gain weight and is hard to lose weight. I wanted to know if most people would be understanding, or just really pissed off at me. I wish I had the money to buy an extra plane ticket but I did not. I have looked up the seat measurements and I can fit in the seats just fine but spill out over the arm rests. I have chosen seats that are the isle seats so that I can just hang over the isle except one of my seats I could not get the isle seat, so I got a window seat. I made sure that I would not ever be in the middle between 2 people, because I don't want to piss off 2 people instead of just 1. I am trying to lose 10 pounds before the trip. I have already lost 5. Maybe I can lose 10 more, to make 15 pounds lost. That is at least a little bit better. Yes there are conditions that make you overweight without meaning to be overweight. I hope the people I sit next to understand that.

[Pikku Myy]

To answer the basic question. No, I would not. I would much rather sit next to a big person with a good attitude than a skinny person with a bad BO. And I used to fly daily on business... and my main concern was getting home

[IrisBloom]

Most people won't say anything unless you invade their space. There is the occasional person who judges by size, color, whatever. I hope you have a nice trip.

[krisakira]

Originally Posted by QuizzickleII

If you get mad or irritated than you deserve the mental stress that it delivers unto ya. The poor 300lb bugger who has to sit there perhaps not feeling so good about the whole thing himself, deserves some godddamned consideration. Wake up ya selfish loutish prigs...it isn't ALL about you. Just sayin'...and no, not singling anyone out. Just pissed that people COULD be mad/irritated at someone in a sitch like that. I'd be the guy in the seat behind telling you to mind your $$##!!! manners so watch out.

Here's a thought...you want people to understand how you feel concerning your illness sometimes, right? Well give someone else a break in a tough scene. Jeeeesus...as if mad/irritated could even BE an option! Civil polite behavior in dealing with a brief period of discomfort shows true balls...not pouting like a selfish preschooler who hasn't yet picked up the basics. Again, just saying and no offense to OP...I just get bothered to the hilt over people having to potentially feel 2nd class because of selfish indifference.

Bullying of any sort is a red cape for me is all. Even the subtle shite.

Thanks. If you read up, you'll know that I am the "300 pound bugger." So there is no offense to me. I would not be mad about flying next to someone who is big either. Cause I know from experience that it is not always their fault that they're overweight. Plus the longest flight I will be on is 2 hours and 25 minutes.

Hi....Krisakira, pleased to meet you....I just deleted that post because I wasn't sure if it was appropriate overall. It might have ruffled some feathers with the mods I was thinking....I do however stand behind the way I think about things like I said.

Have a good trip!

BTW...it's fine with me to keep it as a quote...I really did want to just make some people think a bit.

[ToeJam]

I'll be honest, I think it would depend on the person. If they were friendly enough and polite in so much as saying something like 'let me know if you need me to adjust how I'm sitting a little' then I'd soften up a lot. Likewise, I'd probably ask if they didn't mind if I got up now and again to stretch (and essentially uncramp) if I needed to if they were by the aisle.

I have nothing against the size of another... I don't like confined spaces though... so my irritation wouldn't be against them as such, it would be more down to stress and a sense of sods law... if they were chatty though and friendly that might distract me from the discomfort.

In light of what QiuzzickleII mentioned (and fair play), manners is a two way street... and flying coach is uncomfortable as it is. It is not the fault of either party at the end of the day, airlines try to stuff as many people in as they can and to hell with discomfort... but a bit of consideration between each other goes a long way.

I hear that ToeJ. True.

[Evening]

If someone you are sitting next to makes a remark to you, you can be honest in saying you have a medical condition that causes weight problems. I am familiar with PCOS, the fact that it causes weight gain, excess facial hair etc., and it isn't exactly something that is in your control. Not all weight gain is about 'go do some exercise', unfortunately it isn't as simple as that, and a lot of people don't seem to realise. All you can do is be the better person.

[tokiwartooth]

Oh krisakira, I am so glad to know that I'm not the only one with that issue! I have PCOS as well, and I take several meds that put weight on you. And it is EXTREMELY hard to get it off. I'm well over 200 pounds, and I do fly for business, and I prefer the aisle seat as well. Being larger, I always feel uncomfortable when my butt or my leg touches the other person's. So far I haven't had anyone say anything to me and everyone has been friendly. I know it wouldn't bother me if someone larger sat next to me. I saw some larger people on the planes I was on and never heard anyone complain.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

Can't believe they haven't cured PCOS. >.< Wish they would; it sounds horrible.

Because of my nature I cannot judge anyone for who they are.
That being said, I will not tolerate abuse if I have any control over the matter.
In the case of airlines, I think they are abusers for not properly accommodating people of large stature.

[MuseumGhost]

Hi, Krisakira...hugs for you and anyone else who struggles with weight problems of any kind. I, too, suffer from hypothyroidism, which has made me steadily gain a worrisome amount of weight over the last ten years. It took me damn near forever to get a doctor to even listen to me and help with it, at all.

And I would be horrified if anyone, no matter where, made an issue of my weight because the idiotic airline designers cannot get it through their heads that we are all different sizes.

And, as QII said, there may be rude, self-absorbed infantile minds out there---but that is "on them"---they own it---not you. And you musn't let their behaviour diminish you, or who you are and how you feel, at all.

MOST people are very nice and are polite in public situations. I hope you have a very pleasant trip, and have good, kind, and thoughtful travel companions.

[splitimage]

I'm on the large size myself, although not 300 lbs (Me too PCOS + meds) and I'd much rather sit next to someone large and polite rather than the little old lady who sat next to me on the flight home to Canada from the UK. It was her first time flying and she was very nervous. She grabbed my arm and held it in a vice-grip for both take off and landing. Not sure how that helped the plane.

splitimage

[ToeJam]

Originally Posted by splitimage

I'm on the large size myself, although not 300 lbs (Me too PCOS + meds) and I'd much rather sit next to someone large and polite rather than the little old lady who sat next to me on the flight home to Canada from the UK. It was her first time flying and she was very nervous. She grabbed my arm and held it in a vice-grip for both take off and landing. Not sure how that helped the plane.

splitimage

Oh god, this made me smile. My wife is near on 300 lbs but with her it's as much build as to excess fat (very stocky and unbelievably strong)... also very nervous flying; on a cross country flight in China we were hitting constant turbulence which under normal circumstances doesn't bother me at all, but she was holding my hand all the way and each time the plane shuddered... the bones in my hand got crunched to mush lol