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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

...to ask how you decide if someone is 'fat' ?

253 replies

MaisyMooCow · 08/02/2012 14:27

Here

So the 'fat' passenger paying more argument continues.

My question is, how do you decide when someone qualifies for the 'fat seats'. What happens if you book a normal seat, get to check-in and they say 'Sorry madam but you're fat' . Are you expected to get on their scales for a weigh in?!!

OP posts:
IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 09/02/2012 09:25

Fanjo, the vast majority of posters haven't been as extreme as calling people heffers and fatties, but there are a lot of posters that agree that it is unfair to for one person to make another very uncomfortable on a flight.

I think it would be more sensible to concentrate on the posters that have put that view across politely, rather than focusing on the very few that have been rude.

Whatmeworry · 09/02/2012 09:29

Like Fanjo says, really well built men sometimes take up too much....my landlord is built like a fridge...he's not at all fat...just well over 6 feet and very wide....I wouldn't like to sit next to him but it's not his fault

DH is over 6 ft and an ex rugby player, he is a big man. He fits into his seat without the arm rest having to be shifted up. He does not take 1/3rd of my seat space. Because he is a tall he is in agony on long flights and pays for extra seat length wherever he can. He does not stick his legs over the seat in front and whine about "tallism"

And it is not "PC gorn mad" for me to want ALL of my OWN seat for a flight.

Only on MN could a perfectly reasonable thread on flying etiquette be transformed into an "ism" Ishoo.

PostBellumBugsy · 09/02/2012 09:43

coraltoes, have you seen the recommended food triangle? I think you will find it is high carb. My sister is a GP & although she agrees with me that we eat far too many carbs for the human body (why the else would people be getting fatter & type II diabetes be rising year on year?), the medical advice she is allowed to give out is eat less, excercise more & eat a low fat diet. It doesn't work. The BMC have acknowledged it doesn't work. Up until 60 odd years ago, to lose weight people avoided "farinacious foods", cutting out bread, potatoes & cakes.

Like I said before, I am not fat (I'm far, far too vain) & I firmly believe that each individual has the power to change their own lives - but I think that current medical advice & the society in which we live where huge corporations endlessly & constantly promote extremely unhealthy food (coke, sweet drinks, chocolate, sweets, sugary cereals, cakes, biscuits) is also partly to blame.

Anyway, I should go off & rant about this somewhere else, as it is not relevant to the very specific issue in this thread. It is however, related to the broader question of why people are fat & therefore taking up so much room on planes.

However, I'll just leave you with this thought. Next time you see a seriously overweight person walking down the street, imagine how hard your heart would be working if you were carrying the weight they carried & then think again about calling them lazy.

unpopularopinions1 · 09/02/2012 09:46

Yet another reason to not get on a plane in the first place......

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 10:14

Whatmeworry..I wasn't talking about those who had reasonable arguments..I said myself my own DH is a broad guy.

I was addressing a specific poster who had gone off on a vitriolic rant about "20 stone heffers"

And there IS a shocking attitude towards the overweight on MN, I have seen many posts talking about them like they are pieces of shit on peoples shoes.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 10:16

clearly because I also have a child with SN and have strong feelings on that issue, if I ever object to rude posts such as calling people "heffers" i will get accused of making things about an "ism" by some, it's super tiresome.

TheParanoidAndroid · 09/02/2012 10:23

but one person saying heffers (which they may not mean as you think, I used to call myself similar and wouldn't have meant offence) doesn't justify the large number of reactionary "how very dare anyone even mention weight in any context" replies.

I get why someone would be sensitive and over-sensitive, but really, its too much reaction and over-reaction.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 10:27

people have probably been burnt by threads on here before calling larger people "greedy" and "disgusting" and such things , tbh

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 10:28

i just couldnt see that "heffer" post and not object, I can imagine being a 20stone person reading that and feeling shit and it is not right.

Whatmeworry · 09/02/2012 11:09

people have probably been burnt by threads on here before calling larger people "greedy" and "disgusting" and such things , tbh

So we are not allowed to talk about things like getting squished on planes because you feel someone, somewhere may be offended?

Sheesh.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 11:21

no, I didn't say you couldn't talk about it. I picked up on a few points from people and took issue with one person talking about "20 stone heffers..is that OK?

All this "we are not allowed to talk about stuff" business is very tiresome.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 11:22

talk about what you like, and if you make offensive posts I shall object, using my freedom of speech, is that alright with you? :)

Whatmeworry · 09/02/2012 11:29

talk about what you like, and if you make offensive posts I shall object, using my freedom of speech, is that alright with you?

My people have considered this and find it an acceptable outcome, though we reserve the right to claim "This is PC gorn mad" at a tiime and place appropriate to the subject thereof :o

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 11:33

deal Grin

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 11:34

the Cold War has nothing on AIBU Grin

malinois · 09/02/2012 11:37

If you mentally add a 'beep beep beep' sound as they are reversing themselves into the aisle to get something from the overhead does that count?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 11:39

No, only if you actually SAY it, in which case they are entitled to punch you

tethersend · 09/02/2012 11:55

Have you heard that Suggs is doing some work for Amnesty International?

It's Madness gone politically correct.

I'mhereallweek.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 11:56

Boom! Tish!

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/02/2012 11:58

No this is not a cue for people to come and make "Your mother's so fat" jokes

tethersend · 09/02/2012 11:59

Oh.

Whatmeworry · 09/02/2012 12:01

It's Madness gone politically correct.

:o

Sewilma · 09/02/2012 12:10

I think someone asked this question upthread but it hasn't been answered. If you are deemed as too "fat" for one seat and have to pay for two, do you get to seat on two seats with the arm rests up?

I'm sure I heard somewhere that you don't. So imagine being told in front of everyone that you are too fat for one seat, have to buy another, only to have to sit in the one seat and the person next to you probably complaining and you've had to pay double for the priviledge of being embarassed (and judged) by everyone.

And to all the posters who spout things like "heffers", "lazy, greedy", "sweaty, coke swiggers" then announce after being pulled up for their rudeness that they aren't "fatist", they are "just saying", I hope you manage to go through life never being publicly perceived to be outside the "norm" and made to feel like you have to apologise for just living. Just because you don't see yourself as having a problem with fat people per se (how generous of you) it doesn't mean you can use insulting, mean language.

WorraLiberty · 09/02/2012 12:21

I'm sure the seat sizes and weight restrictions would be publicly available in advance so no need for anyone to be weighed or measured at the airport.

mousymouseafraidofdogs · 09/02/2012 12:44

the armrest is a safety feature during take off and landing. it can go up any other time.

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