Interesting/Weird Stories in the News

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Passenger creates big debate at American - I mean big!
By Kieran Daly

on November 18, 2009

This is sent to me with the absolute assurance that it's a genuine picture taken by a flight attendant at American Airlines. The F/A took it to show her manager what was happening on the aircraft (757???) and why she was unhappy about it. Seems the guy paid for only one seat and the gate staff let him board.

You can see the F/A's point of view - how the heck is s(he) supposed to deal with it. Sympathise with the guy or not, he's a major safety hazard in an evacuation, a gross inconvenience for the cabin crew, and I would suggest a totally unacceptable travelling companion for the guy next to him.

I don't know what the actual outcome was but it seems unimaginable that he was allowed to fly in the end. Not that anything on a commercial airline is actually unimaginable, but close anyway.

A good friend of mine had a similar experience sitting next to a guy who was big but I don't think as big as this, for a long-haul flight and was effectively injured by sitting for several hours in a contorted position with his fellow pax half on top of him. The airline that did that to him was utterly unsympathetic throughout a lengthy correspondence afterwards. OK, Emirates since you ask. Ironically my chum is now in a senior position with another carrier.

Anyone know how how the American affair turned out?

www.flightglobal.com

^ Damn. :sweat:

Gotta feel sorry for anyone sitting in the vicinity of that guy. :sweat:

bmwracer wrote:^ Damn. :sweat:

Gotta feel sorry for anyone sitting in the vicinity of that guy. :sweat:

Some ppl live large and some ppl are large.

Kind of unbelievable when you think about how the flight crew would allow that situation on the aircraft. :sweat:

Tu_triky wrote:Kind of unbelievable when you think about how the flight crew would allow that situation on the aircraft. :sweat:

They could've charged the guy for two seats, but I'd bet he wouldn't pay for it.

bmwracer wrote:
They could've charged the guy for two seats, but I'd bet he wouldn't pay for it.

Honestly given that guy's size there is no way he could fit in a single seat, unless he's buying first class or business class. So if he's flying in coach the only way to accommodate his girth is to buy two seats as you stated.

bmwracer wrote:They could've charged the guy for two seats

That's actually what should have happened. I know people that work at the airport & airlines. I showed them this pic when I came across it an couple of weeks ago. As they put it someone "dropped the ball" in this case. People who are excessively obese are sold two seats. As you can imagine most obese people aren't happy being told they need two seats, so it takes someone with a lot a patience & good people skills/customer care to convince them. As my friend said, whoever was working at the ticket counter clearly didn't want to deal with it, so he/she just let this guy go.

Jav_sol wrote:That's actually what should have happened. I know people that work at the airport & airlines. I showed them this pic when I came across it an couple of weeks ago. As they put it someone "dropped the ball" in this case. People who are excessively obese are sold two seats. As you can imagine most obese people aren't happy being told they need two seats, so it takes someone with a lot a patience & good people skills/customer care to convince them. As my friend said, whoever was working at the ticket counter clearly didn't want to deal with it, so he/she just let this guy go.

If I were the guy sitting next to him, I'd be pissed and ask to be moved, if possible... If not, I'd get off the plane and ask for another flight or refund.

bmwracer wrote:
If I were the guy sitting next to him, I'd be pissed and ask to be moved, if possible... If not, I'd get off the plane and ask for another flight or refund.

I'd ask for bacon-wrapped hot dogs.

Tu_triky wrote:[image]

OMYGOODNESS! That guy is HUGE. Not just wide, but he must be like seven feet tall. :shocked:

You know, I have no problems flying, and I fly a lot (short and long distances), but my one concern is always "I wonder who'll be beside/behind me". I don't want people kicking my chair from behind, and I don't want someone high maintance beside me. If I'm flying for 10 hours, I want some peace.

Wynter wrote:

OMYGOODNESS! That guy is HUGE. Not just wide, but he must be like seven feet tall. :shocked:

I think he's actually "sitting" on the arm rest so he really isn't that tall....:sweat:

You know, I have no problems flying, and I fly a lot (short and long distances), but my one concern is always "I wonder who'll be beside/behind me". I don't want people kicking my chair from behind, and I don't want someone high maintenance beside me. If I'm flying for 10 hours, I want some peace.

One time for work I was flying from California to Atlanta for business...I was accompanied by a really really overweight co-worker on the trip...we were seated in coach and this co-worker had to get a seat belt extension just to fasten his seatbelt...that was the first and only time I've ever seen that done. I gulped when I saw it....and then was concerned he would eat it as a light snack.

^ I'd be worried to fall asleep next to him and have him gnaw on your arm like a chicken wing. :sweat:

:shocked: He should be on a cargo plane.

bmwracer wrote: have him gnaw on your arm like a chicken wing. :sweat:

:lol:

Anime Dad wrote::shocked: He should be on a cargo plane.

HAHA. My friend who I e-mailed this story to said the same thing.

Cops Bust Guy Selling Oven Door Disguised as HDTV

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Wow, good try. San Leandro, California police stopped a man after reports he tried to sell an HDTV at a Wal-Mart parking lot. However! It turned out to be a plastic-wrapped glass oven door with Sony and Best Buy stickers.

The man is suspected of trying to charge $100 for what appeared to be a 37-inch flat screen television. He had even stuffed electronic cables and a manual in the back.

San Leandro police Lt. Pete Ballew called it a variation on the old "rocks in a box" scam, in which a box is presented as containing new, expensive electronics for sale but is actually full of rocks.

Most of us would spot the scam a mile away, but it does make you wonder if anyone would fall for it. I certainly know a couple of people (including my Dad) who might.



http://gizmodo.com/5337290/cops-bust-guy-selling-oven-door-disguised-as-hdtv

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Forget coach or 1st class. He should fly cargo! :hehe:

John Caudle, 14, Admits To Killing Parents To Get Out Of Chores

14 year-old John Caudle has confessed to Colorado police that he killed his mother and step-dad to get out of doing his household chores, reports KUSA in Denver. Caudle's mother, Joanne Rinebarger, and her husband Tracy Rinebarger, were discovered dead in their home near Monte Vista, Colorado in October. Caudle was arrested the next day 130 Miles north of Monte Vista while driving his parents' pickup truck. However, district judge Martin Gonzales issued a gag order preventing any press from attending Caudle's hearing.

According to the recently released arrest affidavit, Caudle admitted he killed his mother because he did not want to take out the trash. He then waited in a closet for his stepfather to come home and shot him several times.

Caudle is being charged as an adult.

^ Jeez. :shakehead:

They won't stick a needle in him, but at least lock him up and throw away the key.

bmwracer wrote:^ Jeez. :shakehead:

They won't stick a needle in him, but at least lock him up and throw away the key.

Shocking, man. Really. :shakehead:

Tu_triky wrote:

Shocking, man. Really. :shakehead:

But is it really anymore? I find it scary now that when I hear such things, instead of thinking "OMG", I'm thinking "not again..."