Comments on: Law of the Armrest

By: Akari

Akari — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 19:17:33 +0000

I am glad to see that many people share the same thoughts about the armrest issue. I actually have seen upscale theatre seats that have two armrests between seats, so that every single person is entitled to both armrests. I think average movie theater seats in the US are definitely getting bigger, and accommodating one more arm rest between seats should not lead to a huge reduction in the number of seats.

Airplane seats are another issue, though. Nowadays airlines that used to boast extra legroom in even coach class are now re-installing seats to increase profitability. I swear that before the age of advanced seat requests and web-check in, check-in agents must have visually inspected the passengers before seat assignment so that large person will be seated next to smaller person. Many of my friends and myself, who are all of average or smaller builds, had extremely uncomfortable intercontinental flights being seated right next obese passengers. On the other hand, none of us had seen two obese passengers given seats next to each other unless they are traveling together.

Imagine a 15-hour flight sandwiched between two fat people whose fat rolls are spilling above and below the armrest, if it has not already been raised without your consent. They bump into you every time they make the tiniest move (like turning a page of a paperback). When they shift their weight in their seat, the whole 5-seat row moves, waking up all others. And if we are reading something in a foreign language, they assume that we do not speak a single word of English and therefore do not deserve any apology for any of these uncomfortable body contacts and bumps. Some of them actually have hand-gestured to me “go away (to the aisle)” when they wanted me to vacate my seat so that they can go to the bathroom. How rude!

By: purpletwinkie

purpletwinkie — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 01:36:50 +0000

I say first come, first serve…or calling dibs.

By: Pauly D

Pauly D — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 17:02:39 +0000

Nicole – I actually don’t have an issue with people I know being affectionate or what not, but I really have this problem (like you) with a part of a stranger’s body touching mine for 2+ hours. I just keep sitting there thinking, “Their arm is touching my arm and I don’t even know them!”

Weirds me out.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 16:52:06 +0000

Thank you for finally setting some ground rules on this very important and divisive issue. When I start AAA, I’ll invite you to be honorary Chairman of the Board.

I don’t like sharing, in general. And certainly not my armrests. Even if I know and like the person trying to share said armrest.

And don’t even get me started on the people who spill over their airplane seat onto mine. Or worse, put up the armrest so they can fit more comfortably, never mind my discomfort. Which really means, their fatass will be touching me all the way to wherever we are going. I realize some people have medical issues that prevent them from avoiding obesity, and I don’t mean to be insensitive to those people. But the airlines are not nearly strict enough on their rule about having to buy two seats if you can’t fit into one, in my opinion.

By: Dave Greten

Dave Greten — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 13:52:55 +0000

I took a flight to Baltimore where the guy sitting next to me was so fat that putting the armrest down wasn’t an option. If we had rules like we do here, I could have insisted on having the armrest put down (“Sorry man, that’s the rule.”)

The armrest thing doesn’t bother me as much as people who blithely lean their seats all the way back. I’m six feet tall, and when people do this, they basically smack my knees with a plastic hammer and shrink my allotted space by half.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 07:04:54 +0000

The solution: Removable arms. Then you could stow them away under your seat until the flick is over. And if your back gets itchy during the movie, you could pull one out and put it to use as a back scratcher. Or, if someone wonâ€™t shut up several rows away, you could lob one at his or her head.

By: Boogie's Mom

Boogie's Mom — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 02:13:43 +0000

Very insightful. I just had to say that’s one of my all-time favorite lines from Breakfast Club.

By: ms. sizzle

ms. sizzle — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 01:39:46 +0000

as an “endowed in the chestal area” woman, i need the armrest. make that both arm rests. on flights when i am stuck in the middle seat, i de-plane feeling very tight, cramped and sore from holding my arms to my sides as to not “spill over.”

did you seriously say “skin globules”? ewww.

By: Rabbit

Rabbit — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 23:28:32 +0000

I find that if you sneeze on the armrest as a stranger prepares to sit next to you, that stranger will give you full reign of said armrest.

And if you’re REALLY lucky, the stranger will even move a few seats farther away.

By: Janet

Janet — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 23:24:37 +0000

Amen to the “touch no skin rule”. Nothing ruins a good film like some arm-rest snatcher rubbing his arm aggressively in your general direction. I mean, the damn arm-rest snatcher may as well just lick the arm rest and laugh manically, “Nah! Nah! It’s mine now!”