# A question of etiquette **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 6, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177 "2015-08-06T17:37:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/1 "2015-08-06T17:37:34Z")
Inspired by [Fight Club](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnmEo_gSIOY), possibly \*the \*most important question of all brought up by that film. We’re strangers on a flight. You’re in the center seat and I’m on the window seat. I need to get up for a piss - as I pass, would you prefer to face the ass or the crotch? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/2 "2015-08-06T17:39:06Z")
Since you put it that way, I’m an ass man. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/3 "2015-08-06T17:43:21Z")
It depends. Do you have a gigantic belly that’g going to make contact with my face? Are you wearing your pants halfway down your ass so as to display your undercrackers? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/4 "2015-08-06T17:44:47Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > It depends. Do you have a gigantic belly that’g going to make contact with my face? Are you wearing your pants halfway down your ass so as to display your undercrackers? I assure you that my physique is the spitting image of Brad Pitt. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/5 "2015-08-06T17:50:56Z")
Ass. But really why don’t people piss before getting on the plane? (I’ve never been in a plane bathroom) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/6 "2015-08-06T17:51:53Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Ass. > > But really why don’t people piss before getting on the plane? (I’ve never been in a plane bathroom) What’s the longest flight you’ve taken? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/7 "2015-08-06T17:53:31Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Ass. > > But really why don’t people piss before getting on the plane? (I’ve never been in a plane bathroom) I rarely do, but a few extra beers at the airport might change things. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/8 "2015-08-06T17:53:49Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > What’s the longest flight you’ve taken? Seriously. I cannot do a ten hour flight without peeing at least once. I never pee on flights within the US, but when I go oversees, I have to. But I prefer ass. It’s not that I care so much about ass or crotch, but when you face your crotch to me I have to make uncomfortable eye contact. But honestly those seats are so close together it is better for me to get up and go out in the aisle anyway. And I don’t mind, really. It’s better than you trying to clamber over me. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/9 "2015-08-06T18:00:09Z")
Actually, the same question comes up when you need to pass seated people in the theater or at a sports event. I thought the etiquette was that you should face the people you’re passing. And by the way, when you’re getting up from an airline seat, please don’t grab the back of the seat in front of you. It’s really annoying to the person sitting there. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/10 "2015-08-06T18:03:14Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > What’s the longest flight you’ve taken? Toronto to Vancouver. Forget how long the flight was, but it seemed like forever. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/11 "2015-08-06T18:10:17Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > But really why don’t people piss before getting on the plane? (I’ve never been in a plane bathroom) Lucky b@stard, once when struck by some infernal stomach bug I spent almost the entire flight in one. In fact when then plane landed it caused my head to bounce off the toilet seat. That was lovely. Vote: ass. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/12 "2015-08-06T18:10:26Z")
I’ll take ass, but please don’t fart. Thanks ever so… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/13 "2015-08-06T18:12:48Z")
Whatever gets you past me the fastest. For some people I’m going to bug the guy on the aisle to get up so I can get up too. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/14 "2015-08-06T18:18:25Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I’ll take ass, but please don’t fart. Thanks ever so… You know what’s really embarrassing on a plane is when you fart and several of those little oxygen masks fall from the ceiling. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/15 "2015-08-06T18:19:28Z")
I face (so to speak) the same question in the concert hall. It is considered slightly better to face the peope you pass, but it doesn’t make much difference. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/16 "2015-08-06T18:23:52Z")
I’m voting ass, but it has nothing to do with what’s in my face. It’s that your knees can bend away from mine. By supporting yourself a little on the seat in front of me, you can bend your legs and get another inch or so of clearance. I’m tall enough that my knees are usually touching the seat in front of me, and there’s only so much I can do to pull them up or move them aside for you. As for peeing on a plane… I can survive a three-hour flight if I watch what I drink before hand and during. Anything longer than that and I’ll need to get up once. And this all assumes I’m in optimal health and not taking any prescriptions that change that. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/17 "2015-08-06T18:29:04Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > would you prefer to face the ass or the crotch? Neither, I’m going to let the person in the aisle seat know we need to let the person with the peanut bladder out of their seat. We’re going to stand in the aisle while you get out. And then do it in reverse when you come back. ---
**Author:** ![Graymalkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@Graymalkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Graymalkin)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/18 "2015-08-06T18:35:38Z")
Yes, you get up and stand in the aisle. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/19 "2015-08-06T18:54:12Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Neither, I’m going to let the person in the aisle seat know we need to let the person with the peanut bladder out of their seat. We’re going to stand in the aisle while you get out. And then do it in reverse when you come back. Exactly this. As for a theater or stadium, at those places the person you’re passing can stand up, allowing their seat to flip up so they can move back into those extra few inches of space to let you pass. That gives you a little more room and puts you at eye level, so I don’t think it matters if they pass front or back to you. If someone doesn’t want to stand, it’s still easier because there tends to be more room between the seats (maybe not much more in older theaters), your headroom isn’t obstructed by overhead bins (causing you to hunch over awkwardly), and the seat backs are only waist high (or lower with stadium seating) allowing you to sort of lean over into the next row, whereas the seat backs on a jet are tall and might be angled back. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177/20 "2015-08-06T19:02:17Z")
I prefer ass and give the ass to others. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-etiquette/727177.md?page=2)