# That armrest is mine, asshole. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 5, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107 "2012-12-05T19:00:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/141 "2012-12-07T02:53:42Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Reclining people don’t generally bother me. I also don’t care if I have an armrest (I always try for the window seat to curl up against the window) but there will be NO raising of the armrest. That’s not happening. If you’re large enough that the armrest is going to cause you discomfort then you’re large enough that you will be spilling into my seat and that’s not happening. Yeah, I’m with you there. Everything else in this thread I could excuse because of ignorance (see how I let myself off there?), but raising the armrest seems like it’d only be done so that the raiser can more easily take up my seat. That’s not ignorance, that’s deliberate selfishness, and so not cool. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/142 "2012-12-07T03:49:06Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > OK, I retract it. I can’t argue with solid evidence like that. And it’s probably backed up by _He Just Knows_. The available data support the conclusion that the vast majority of airplane passengers are unpained by seats in their standard position (e.g. not taking off or landing). You are welcome to provide some pictures of passengers of unusual size, but there are always going to be a very few individuals who don’t fit and are stuck purchasing more comfortable accommodations that do not require any unusual actions by their fellow travelers. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/143 "2012-12-07T03:55:16Z")
I can’t help but read the OP title in a German accent: “ **That armrest is mine asshole**.” It’s like “Planes Trains and Automobiles.” Those aren’t pillows! ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/144 "2012-12-07T03:57:35Z")
> [@jeepus](#): > > Heh, please excuse the message above, Winston the bad cat has a habit of warming his buns on my laptop. When I saw that, my first thought was that you had a cat helping 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/145 "2012-12-07T04:04:49Z")
I’m 6’ 4". When I sit down in a normal airplane seat, my knees are already jammed into the seat in front of me. Not touching, mind you… jammed. Here’s the issue: there is a metal bar in the top of the seat-back pocket in front of me that is right at knee-cap level. It digs in to my knee-caps, and on anything over an hour flight it actually becomes physically painful, and gets worse the longer the flight goes on. When the person in front of me reclines their seat, they’ve just worsened the situation for me by about 1000%. There is _no_ way to avoid this in a middle seat at all. If you can’t get an aisle or an emergency row at my height, yer screwed! ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/146 "2012-12-07T04:06:17Z")
I wonder how much the seat-angle thing is more of a height issue versus an ass size issue. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/147 "2012-12-07T04:11:20Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > The guy in the OP had the nerve to offer me half the armrest after a spent a few minutes aggressively poking his elbow with mine. No. Fuck you. It’s _my_ armrest. It’s not yours to share. Sorry, not yours to take either. I sympathize for you being stuck in the middle, but them’s the breaks. If you are unfortunate enough sit next to me you’ll have to share. On the bright side I will make no attempt to engage you in conversation and will probably be conked out leaning against the window half the time. Armrest all yours then. Of course when awake I will spend a considerable amount of time ogling your tits or staring at your crotch. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/148 "2012-12-07T04:17:18Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > The nice thing about the wee little planes up my way is that there is no seat beside you. There are only two very minor drawbacks. The first is that the passenger furthest back has to dig out and pass up the drinks and snacks from the cooler. The second is the curtain that is drawn back to separate the flight deck from the passenger cabin. You get drinks and snacks on your puddle-jumpers? Not around here. What we do get is the co-pilot leaning out of the cockpit and introducing himself as “Steve,” and the pilot as “Jerry,” and telling everybody that the emergency exits are there and there; and the front door is here, and here’s how it works, in case you need to know. “'Kay, folks, seat belts on, and let’s get going!” And because this is scheduled service operated by a regional carrier under contract to a national carrier, everything is repeated in French–which comes from a recording (because neither Steve nor Jerry can speak French) that can’t be heard because Jerry is too busy revving the turboprop engines. It’s kind of a fun way to fly. I like to sit right up front–most times, the curtain separating the cockpit from the cabin is left open, and I can read the instruments as well as watch the landing approach. Reminds me of the fun a pilot friend and I used to have in his Cessna. ---
**Author:** ![living\_in\_hell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@living\_in\_hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/living_in_hell)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/149 "2012-12-07T05:30:25Z")
People fly for two reasons: for work, or for play. If you are traveling for work, be happy you have a job. If you art traveling for play, be happy you can afford a vacation. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/150 "2012-12-07T05:36:23Z")
Just gotta say, this is one of my favorite all time threads. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/151 "2012-12-07T05:41:58Z")
> [@living\_in\_hell](#): > > People fly for two reasons: for work, or for play. > > If you are traveling for work, be happy you have a job. > If you art traveling for play, be happy you can afford a vacation. No. I fly for family obligations, too. That’s neither work (I don’t get paid for it) nor a vacation (I usually don’t enjoy it). And I can “afford” it the same way as I can afford taking a cat to the emergency vet and dropping a couple of grand…that was emergency funds, I wanted to do something else with that money, and I’m going to worry until the emergency fund is built back up. ---
**Author:** ![living\_in\_hell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@living\_in\_hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/living_in_hell)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/152 "2012-12-07T05:53:42Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > No. I fly for family obligations, too. That’s neither work (I don’t get paid for it) nor a vacation (I usually don’t enjoy it). And I can “afford” it the same way as I can afford taking a cat to the emergency vet and dropping a couple of grand…that was emergency funds, I wanted to do something else with that money, and I’m going to worry until the emergency fund is built back up. I don’t know what point you are trying to make here. Believe it or not, there are people who don’t even have emergency funds. There are people who can’t afford to fly to see their family members get married, or attend their funerals, or join them for the holidays. So even if it is a “not play” trip, if you can afford to fly, if you are able to meet family obligations, you are more fortunate than most. Here’s an idea: instead of complaining about how unfair, insensitive, and unaccomodating the world is, why don’t we be grateful for what we do have? ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/153 "2012-12-07T06:00:18Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I have never heard of airplane seats that lean back far enough to touch the person behind them. They don’t lean back very far in my traveling experience. I agree, what kind of planes are you all traveling in where the seats lean back that far? I can’t remember having armrest issues when I’ve flown, but I usually get a flight really early so I can get a left side of the plane aisle seat (old break in right leg + bad knees). Both legs (heh) of my last journey I got crammed in next to morbidly obese people. I can’t complain too much, it’s actually the first time (first two times :D) for me in 30 years of traveling by air. It was annoying at first, but I really just ended up feeling bad for them. Luckily they were both nice people, and clean, and girls, so I didn’t end up half way feeling molested by some strange guy (which can happen if a guy is merely large and not necessarily fat, they DO do the leaning leg thing! ugh!). Though it IS really uncomfortable to have to keep your arms carefully in and crossed over your chest. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/154 "2012-12-07T06:11:11Z")
> [@living\_in\_hell](#): > > I don’t know what point you are trying to make here. Believe it or not, there are people who don’t even have emergency funds. There are people who can’t afford to fly to see their family members get married, or attend their funerals, or join them for the holidays. So even if it is a “not play” trip, if you can afford to fly, if you are able to meet family obligations, you are more fortunate than most. > > Here’s an idea: instead of complaining about how unfair, insensitive, and unaccomodating the world is, why don’t we be grateful for what we do have? You made a statement that said that there are ONLY two reasons why someone would fly. I rebutted it. Yes, I know that there are people who don’t have emergency funds. I’ve been one of them. Nowadays, yes, I’m fortunate enough that I have the money. But I’ve been poor. And if you want to see people expressing gratitude, this isn’t the forum for it. This is the Pit, it’s where people come to gripe. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/155 "2012-12-07T06:11:43Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > I don’t always recline, out of consideration for the person behind me. I don’t see as a big sacrifice. I mean, honestly, what does that seat back recline, like 8 degrees or so? Enough of a difference to take my poor back from agonized to reasonably comfortable. By the time all of the pre-flight crap is done, the plane taxied and the stews seated, my back is screaming, it’s a huge relief to lower it that tiny amount. Or I could just madly fidget the entire flight and drive my own seatmates crazy. I’ve never noticed that the person in front of me has their seatback in my lap, or low enough for me to rest a magazine on their head either. Maybe the answer is for them to design the seats so they don’t create a weird “U” for you to have to sit in, the tops of the seat backs curve in, which puts your neck in a really uncomfortable position, and their vertical position is in the absolute perfect configuration to create the most uncomfortable sitting position. ---
**Author:** ![living\_in\_hell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@living\_in\_hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/living_in_hell)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/156 "2012-12-07T06:21:54Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > You made a statement that said that there are ONLY two reasons why someone would fly. I rebutted it. Yes, I know that there are people who don’t have emergency funds. I’ve been one of them. Nowadays, yes, I’m fortunate enough that I have the money. But I’ve been poor. > > And if you want to see people expressing gratitude, this isn’t the forum for it. This is the Pit, it’s where people come to gripe. As far as I can tell, you manage to dispute a lot and find ways to turn most things into a gripe. Frankly, I don’t give a shit if you fly across the country to complain to a mean gym lady that the cookies she told you to die from are covered in the pepper you can’t eat. If you can fly, you can shut the heck up and be glad you aren’t traveling by bus or train. If you think you suffer, pity the people who are stuck sitting next to you when you have one of your gastrointestinal issues at 30,000 feet. My guess is you will spend more time reading, posting, and thinking about this thread than the time you would actually spend on a plane. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/157 "2012-12-07T06:34:44Z")
Wow. Here’s an idea: instead of being creepy and stalkerish on a message board, why don’t we be grateful for what we do have? > [@living\_in\_hell](#): > > As far as I can tell, you manage to dispute a lot and find ways to turn most things into a gripe. Frankly, I don’t give a shit if you fly across the country to complain to a mean gym lady that the cookies she told you to die from are covered in the pepper you can’t eat. If you can fly, you can shut the heck up and be glad you aren’t traveling by bus or train. If you think you suffer, pity the people who are stuck sitting next to you when you have one of your gastrointestinal issues at 30,000 feet. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/158 "2012-12-07T08:30:39Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > How do you guys not notice what a big difference the recline makes? Unreclined, airplane seats feel like you are resting against a brick wall. Reclined a few notches and it approaches something that can reasonably be called a seat. Now yeah, save the full on recline for the long haul red eyes. But it’s not unreasonable to go back a couple inches on any given flight. This would seem to me to be reasonable. Aircraft seats recline; it is not unreasonable that one might recline them “a couple of inches,” as **even sven** says. I disagree with her that the “full-on recline” should be reserved for long-haul redeyes, but we’re allowed to disagree. At any rate, consideration for all in the immediate vicinity ought to be paramount, IMHO. A couple of inches is nothing big. Personally, I find the “full-upright” position totally comfortable, and I do not like to recline my seat. I don’t care about the person behind, so there is no altruism or care for them involved in my choice. I just like the seat straight up. I can sleep in that position (thanks to years of riding city buses on hour-long routes, where the buses had seats a damn sight less comfortable than are found on aircraft). What I do not like is when somebody basically puts their head in my lap, preventing me from watching my video, enjoying the drink on my tray, and/or keeping me from easily getting out to go to the washroom. If you’re unreasonable, and insist on putting your head in my lap while we fly, don’t be surprised if I invite you to turn over and blow me. You’re well-positioned to do so, and it would help to make up for the inconvenience that you’re causing me. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/159 "2012-12-07T12:19:35Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Wow. > Here’s an idea: instead of being creepy and stalkerish on a message board, why don’t we be grateful for what we do have? Someone throw this asshole out of the pit. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107/160 "2012-12-07T14:08:13Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Wow. > Here’s an idea: instead of being creepy and stalkerish on a message board, why don’t we be grateful for what we do have? There’s a difference between a stalker and what Lynn gets. One hides in bushes and breaks in houses. The other inconveniently remembers some of the things Lynn says and brings them up later. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-armrest-is-mine-asshole/643107.md?page=9)