why don't people just follow the rules?
This recent blog post about Kindles and Noks, by The Flying Pinto, is the inspiration for this blog post. Actually, it is more the comment that someone made regarding her post, that got me all pissy.
I just don't understand why people don't just follow the rules when it comes to listening to the Flight Attendants on a plane! What is it with people and their damn electronic devices?! Why must people question the rules about when they can and can't use them?! Rules are rules, period. No matter if you like the rules or not, it doesn't matter. Follow the rules, and don't be a whiny bitch about it.
*****
I was chatting it up with a guy next to me on a flight. What's new? He was a mid-aged man who worked for NASA, or was it the Air Force? Anyway, he knew a thing or two about aviation. I forget exactly what we were talking about, but our conversation was nice.
We were about 5-10 minutes from landing and the woman behind us pulls our her cell phone. "Jane, the flight attendants are coming through to pick up the garbage, so I think we are getting close to landing. I will call again once we land."
The nice man turned around, abruptly, and said to the rule breaker "Ma'am, put your phone away. The frequency will interfere with the cockpit, and I refuse for this plane to crash because of your cell phone conversation."
The lady looked like a deer in headlights...and shut her phone off.
******
Remember the guy I was sitting next to on our flight from London-Gatwick that was listening to his iPod during take off?
******
Can someone please explain to me why people don't follow the rules on an airplane? Or why someone always has to question the rules?
The guy that doesn't turn off his cell phone on a plane is also the guy smoking at the outside picnic table that has the clear NO SMOKING sign on it. He is also the guy that lets his kids play on the rocks at the ice cream shop's water feature, even though the sign clearly states "do not play on rocks."
Ok, so maybe the cell phones and iPods and eReaders don't really interfere with the cockpit. Maybe the real reason to not have devices on under 10,000ft is so people pay attention during these critical times. Maybe it isn't. Who knows and who cares! Either way, it doesn't mean you shouldn't follow the rules. Rules are rules, period! Plus, I love how someone will argue that cell phones are okay, yet they don't have anything but Mythbusters as their knowledge of the situation. Because it is on TV, it must be true.
Maybe I get so pissy about this subject because this is Steve's job, and what if there is one ass passenger who doesn't follow the rules, and God forbid, his plane goes down... people would not want to cross me.
I also get pissy because I am a mother of two young children. I instill in them that following the rules is important. The kids wear bike helmets. The kids don't play on the rocks at the ice cream place. The kids don't cut in lines at the playground. Ect. How can I keep this message consistent when the world around them doesn't give them the same message? Makes my job that much harder. "Mommy, why can't I play on the rocks when that boy over there is playing on the rocks."
Call me a nerd or a goodie-goodie, but I follow rules. Just someone yesterday (Hi Mike) said that I am cool...so cool people can and do follow rules. Be cool...follow the rules, and give the FAs a freakin' break!
Off soapbox now...
I just don't understand why people don't just follow the rules when it comes to listening to the Flight Attendants on a plane! What is it with people and their damn electronic devices?! Why must people question the rules about when they can and can't use them?! Rules are rules, period. No matter if you like the rules or not, it doesn't matter. Follow the rules, and don't be a whiny bitch about it.
*****
I was chatting it up with a guy next to me on a flight. What's new? He was a mid-aged man who worked for NASA, or was it the Air Force? Anyway, he knew a thing or two about aviation. I forget exactly what we were talking about, but our conversation was nice.
We were about 5-10 minutes from landing and the woman behind us pulls our her cell phone. "Jane, the flight attendants are coming through to pick up the garbage, so I think we are getting close to landing. I will call again once we land."
The nice man turned around, abruptly, and said to the rule breaker "Ma'am, put your phone away. The frequency will interfere with the cockpit, and I refuse for this plane to crash because of your cell phone conversation."
The lady looked like a deer in headlights...and shut her phone off.
******
Remember the guy I was sitting next to on our flight from London-Gatwick that was listening to his iPod during take off?
******
Can someone please explain to me why people don't follow the rules on an airplane? Or why someone always has to question the rules?
The guy that doesn't turn off his cell phone on a plane is also the guy smoking at the outside picnic table that has the clear NO SMOKING sign on it. He is also the guy that lets his kids play on the rocks at the ice cream shop's water feature, even though the sign clearly states "do not play on rocks."
Ok, so maybe the cell phones and iPods and eReaders don't really interfere with the cockpit. Maybe the real reason to not have devices on under 10,000ft is so people pay attention during these critical times. Maybe it isn't. Who knows and who cares! Either way, it doesn't mean you shouldn't follow the rules. Rules are rules, period! Plus, I love how someone will argue that cell phones are okay, yet they don't have anything but Mythbusters as their knowledge of the situation. Because it is on TV, it must be true.
Maybe I get so pissy about this subject because this is Steve's job, and what if there is one ass passenger who doesn't follow the rules, and God forbid, his plane goes down... people would not want to cross me.
I also get pissy because I am a mother of two young children. I instill in them that following the rules is important. The kids wear bike helmets. The kids don't play on the rocks at the ice cream place. The kids don't cut in lines at the playground. Ect. How can I keep this message consistent when the world around them doesn't give them the same message? Makes my job that much harder. "Mommy, why can't I play on the rocks when that boy over there is playing on the rocks."
Call me a nerd or a goodie-goodie, but I follow rules. Just someone yesterday (Hi Mike) said that I am cool...so cool people can and do follow rules. Be cool...follow the rules, and give the FAs a freakin' break!
Off soapbox now...
Love it! What ice cream place has the rocks? I want to make sure it wasn't my kids that were playing on the rocks! :-)
ReplyDeletePS - You are so damn cool!
I ask the very same questions you do. The same people who use their cell phones in flight are the ones who tailgate you while driving. Lots of people seem to think their issues are more important than the lives of others. Not good.
ReplyDeleteI do not envy parents' jobs, because like you said... you're constantly having to teach your children to follow rules when the parent next to you is allowing their child to break the same rules. Do we not all have to follow the same rules?
I'm with you girl! I have been a rule-follower since birth and even as an adult, I just don't understand people that think the rules don't apply to them.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the ONLY ice cream place...handels! Steve lusts over that water feature...and I am sure we will have it soon enough at the house.
ReplyDelete@Those of you who always follow the rules
ReplyDeleteIt is noble to follow the all the rules. We should all strive for that. My problem is that most people who follow this mantra dont ever try to change the bad rules. Not to say that all "rule breakers" are also activists for change but I have found it to be a hell of a lot more likely.