Common churlishness

Ed Hewitt seeks to improve the lot of his fellow man by outlining seatback etiquette for airline travelers, including this suggestion.

There are a few rows in planes that may not recline; the last row in the plane, any row backed up against a bulkhead or attendants' area; the row just in front of an exit row. If you are sitting in front of one of these rows, you should consider not exercising your prerogative to throw your seat back. The personal space of the passenger behind you is already restricted; you have the power to make their lives more or less miserable. Show some mercy.

The problem is, who will listen? I had the unpleasant experience of riding in the last row of the plane just a few weeks ago--next to the window no less. Did the person in front of me even consider this suggestion? He did not. It was even worse for the poor fellow next to me. Not only was he in the middle seat of the last row of a six hour flight. But whoever sat in front of him was at full recline from the get-go, making it nearly impossible for him to eat, or read. And this poor guy was on the last leg of a trip from Australia.

And while we're at it: Why in the name of heaven must the 6'9" moviegoer in a theater without stadium seating choose to always sit in front of me when he, generally, has the whole auditorium from which to choose a seat?

Via Aaron.