Discrimination against fat people?

[Kip]

If someone is too big around that they can't fit in a regular sized airline seat, then they should have to pay for a second. Period.

[KageRose]

Yeah but it goes withouth saying that they also have to buy two seats if they don't want the skinny person next to them having to snuggle up to them. Right? I suppose it's cheaper that they are doing it this way?

Has anyone heard about the Wall-E incident?

That's even worse!

[BabyGrizzy]

If I make the choice to exercise all through my life and stay fit and healthy, I don't want to pay for extra fuel I am not wasting. If you are wasting 2x as much fuel as me, that means I have to pay more money that I shouldn't have to pay.

[juriev]

When i flew last they guy I had to sit next to was very very obese, the arm rest couldn't come down. I did ask the stewardess to reseat me, the fat of the man next to me was pressing against me (ewww!!!!), she did let me (thank god, i didn't want to sit by him for two hrs).

[gamebaby]

EVIL. Why would they care. This is just like raceisum. Just making people singled out. GRR

[sparkmaster]

They care because a fat person crammed into a single seat is not only uncomfortible for the other passengers, it's dangerous.

Being fat is something almost all people can control, unlike being black. So your analogy fails big time.

[Mr Alex]

When i flew last they guy I had to sit next to was very very obese, the arm rest couldn't come down. I did ask the stewardess to reseat me, the fat of the man next to me was pressing against me (ewww!!!!), she did let me (thank god, i didn't want to sit by him for two hrs).

You forgot to ask him if he plays WoW.

They care because a fat person crammed into a single seat is not only uncomfortible for the other passengers, it's dangerous.

Being fat is something almost all people can control, unlike being black. So your analogy fails big time.

I think this. ^

[MarkFox]

Charlie F:

The reason the bus company offers reduced (not necessarily always half, by the way, the requirement is only for 60% or less of adult retail cost) fares to persons under the age of sixteen is because it is a requirement of law, in the same way that all public operators now have to accept the new National Concessionary Travel Cards held by older persons, or those of us who are disabled.

Quite whether its still always relevant is another matter; why would a fifteen year old need to travel alone at 3am, for example?

Also, I don't agree with your statement "it's discrimination but it's fair discrimination"; discrimination is defined in law as an 'unjust and unfair practice against a person or group of persons', so it's either discriminatory, or not; "fair discriminatory" is like the incorrect American term "negative profit" (that one still makes me laugh).

Originally Posted by kite

...trains aren't doing it...

Not yet, well maybe not in the US. The law for the UK specifies that the passenger is legally oblidged to carry a valid ticket, permit to travel or authority to travel for each seat or part of a seat they occupy, and i'm sure that if it came to it, they *would* be charged for additional occupied seats (bear in mind, most seating on UK trains is 2+2 or 2+1 but the arm rests are moveable).

--

Personally, I do think its fair. This is from the perspective of a very much disgruntled young white male who is the type of person who in this country (the UK) normally ends up through lack of taxation discounts etc paying for absolutely everybody else with some condition or another.

Some are acceptable; people who are too ill to work, or have serious medical issues that need particular funding rightly should be assisted. However, why the hell, should I pay more for a commercial service (as aircraft are) to compensate for the cost of transporting some huge person next to me?

It's far, far, fairer to make the person who causes the extra cost to foot the bill than the person who can quite comfortably sit into a standard airline seat. Well actually, I can't, i'm too tall (6'0 exactly), so I never have the legroom, but that's another issue; my ass doesn't not exceed the surface area of the seat in any case!

As for "big bones", seriously, what?! My hair is always too long, do I have "big hair folecules"?!

MarkFox

[Charlie F]

Originally Posted by MarkFox

Charlie F:

The reason the bus company offers reduced (not necessarily always half, by the way, the requirement is only for 60% or less of adult retail cost) fares to persons under the age of sixteen is because it is a requirement of law

I know this, but it's still an example of fair discrimination by the law, I wasn't trying to imply that the Bus Companies were feeling generous towards under 16s (ha!).

Originally Posted by MarkFox

Also, I don't agree with your statement "it's discrimination but it's fair discrimination"; discrimination is defined in law as an 'unjust and unfair practice against a person or group of persons', so it's either discriminatory, or not

I didn't say anything about "defined in law". I take discrimination as: "Treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit". Discrimination can be positive (although apparently never in law).

[Jon93]

I'm not fat but I do have a bit bigger stomach then avarage, because of genetics. Every guy in my family has it and most of us ain't fat. My stomach has gotten smaller due to me growing taller but I think if you just run everyday for say 40 minutes or so and every month you add 10-20 minutes to it you'll slim down as long as you watch what you eat.

I don't watch what I eat but I live an active life style and its working fine for me. I have no health problems and I'm the healthiest in my house.
Sorry for that rant..

Now I think that charging obese people a little more is fair because it can motivate them to get in shape and lose a few pounds.