Traveling while Overweight - A Little Courtesy Please

Overweight traveling. It's a touchy and heated subject, and one I wasn't going to get into until I took a long, cramped, and uncomfortable bus trip earlier this month. First off, I have to say, I was able to contain myself to my own seat. I actually bought my ticket in person ahead of time to make sure that one seat would be adequate. If it had not been I would have either not traveled, or paid for the extra seat. I also let the bus company know that I have arthritic knees and they suggested that I stick to the aisle seats to accommodate my long legs and need to stretch every so often.

For the most part my trip was quiet and uneventful. The only trouble came when I was on my way back home and the bus filled up in Nashville. The window seat next to me was the last empty seat on the bus. I hadn't planned it that way and I wasn't trying to keep anyone from sitting there, it's just that no one wants to sit next the the "big gal" if they don't have to. After some time the last passenger boarded. A very large man made his way back to where I was and asked me to move. He was barely able to fit sideways down the aisle and it was obvious that he would not fit in a single seat. He took his seat, and more than half of mine. From Nashville, TN to Louisville, KY I had to sit on the hard plastic and metal edge of the seat. At one point the man took out a sandwich and soda from his backpack and then fell asleep while eating, dropping the sandwich and soda on my lap. By the time we reached Kentucky I was dirty, wet, cold, and had bruises on my ass. Not once, not even after the food incident, did the man offer any apology for depriving me of the space that I had paid for. Just to be clear, I had no issue with the man about his size or weight, my problem was with his inconsiderate attitude.

I imagine that you may have thought this would be a rant about my being treated poorly while I traveled. SURPRISE! The fact is, I'm quite realistic about most things, and traveling is one of them. I don't believe that I should get special accommodations that I haven't paid for. Nor should I, or anyone, be able to infringe on the paid space of another passenger. It's wrong and it's rude. Entitled and unapologetic behavior, such as the man on the bus, only reinforces the overweight stereotype.

With the obesity rate on the rise, overweight travelers are an issue that need to be addressed, both by travel providers and by travelers. Travel providers need to put forth clear, and strictly enforced, policies up front so the traveler knows what is expected before they ever board, eliminating the conflict of arbitrary decisions made by crew members. Travelers need to take the time to find out what the policies are and accept that they may require extra space and that space may cost more. They need to understand that if they aren't prepared to pay for it they have no right to take it from someone else.

No one is too big to be courteous, but some are too little.

-Confucius-