The inability to get ready to leave an airplane conundrum.

[darkrose50]

People never cease to amaze me.

[1] They stop in doorways
[2] They stop in crossroads, often to meet up with a group
[3] They stop in hallways, often to meet up with a group
. . . They basically block traffic without any thought or care in the world (in stay of stopping or meeting where traffic is not)

Now I get to add:
[4] They stop in aisles of airplanes, block the passageway and fumble about with luggage. It is like they wait for the people before them to get off the plane, and THEN get their overhead luggage . . . all the while blocking the plains passageway so no one else can leave.

I often look and see HUGE gaps when people are deplaning, because of some idiot or another. I swear to god last night this one lady left a gap 20-isles deep. It is like these people don’t think ahead, don’t have common courtesy, or plum forget that they have luggage. I cannot fathom the mind of an idiot who would be okay with making an airplane of people wait for them to fumble about, and not be prepared to leave the airplane.

When it is my turn, I am ready to go! I will not be having ~60-people waiting for me to fumble about like a moron.

I think it is like my irksomness over people who go to the bathroom RIGHT before taking there turn in a 10-person board game.

[truemane]

I know I'm supposed to answer this with some variation of 'the kids these days', but this is actually a topic close to my heart.

So...

Almost all of this sort of thing is Confirmation Bias. "People" don't stop in doorways. There isn't a class of person that does all of these things all the time. Individual humans sometimes do a thing without noticing that it slightly inconveniences you in that moment.

But, in the run of a normal day when you interact with thousands of people who don't stop in doorways, the one person who does sticks in your mind. Then, when a totally different person does it again some other time after thousands more didn't, you conflate the incidents, and soon enough everyone is always stopping in doorways" (usually appended with "these days").

And the other end of this is that, you don't know how often you do a thing (or fail to do a thing) that generates momentary inconvenience for someone else. So we're all of us the moron in someone else's story.

I feel you, though. I used to have a real problem with getting tetchy at people when I was driving. Not Road Rage so much as Road Annoyance.

But then I found that my quality of life increased when I started mentally deciding that I'm on their side when they do a thing that slightly inconveniences me. Cut off in traffic? Taking too long to go on a green? Driving slow? That's cool, you got places to be, you had to adjust your seat belt, you're looking for an address, whatever. I just decided to be their ally.

It worked so well I do it out of cars now, too. And it drains a lot of the negativity out of everyday life.

There are just so many people doing so many things all around you all the time. Some of the things they're doing are bound to negatively interact with some of the things you're doing some of the time. It's going to happen. It can't not happen.

But you turn those moments from ones of annoyance and frustration and judgement into moments of compassion instead.

Alternately:

The kids these days. Common sense ain't so common anymore. Back in my day.

Etc, etc, etc.

[Murk]

Oh yes, this is me.
Not quite happy to be called an idiot, but hey, that's life.

It's this situation where you're sitting by the window, and the person next to you is busy with their own luggage. Since the luggage space is always filled by the time I board I had to put my luggage somewhere down the line (instead of right above my seat), so I can't get there anyway - it's stored above the seats of other people who are also preparing.
So I think "Eh, I'll just wait until everyone has left so I can fumble without bothering anyone", but then one of those polite people gesture for me to go, go, go insistently, so I nod apologetically, walk down the line to where my luggage is, and start fumbling.
To me, airplanes do not have room to prepare. You can't just stand up when the line is filled (after all, more people can sit than stand at the same time), you can't reach your luggage until it's your turn, and it's an overall chaotic situation anyway.


I would say the people who expect me not to fumble are the real idiots, but that might be mean.

[darkrose50]

I try to tell the good story. I am pretty good with traffic.

However I just came back from a cheer competition with something silly like over 26,000 people.

I am ALWAYS tempted to ask these people why they are meeting in the middle of the hallway, and not off to the side, and out of the way.

It must go something like this "lets meet in here at 3:00 PM", and not think about how 30-people in the middle of a ------- hallway will block traffic.

I mean I don't meet up with friends in the middle of an intersection in our cars.

And there are usually 2-3 people on a plane who totally are not ready to go, but still think that they should be entitled to stand in the passageway and make a plane full of people wait.

The good story would be that they forgot that they had luggage, were tired, and just are not thinking about being considerate. I am tired, but would never do this to a plane full of folks.

[darkrose50]

Oh yes, this is me.
Not quite happy to be called an idiot, but hey, that's life.


I am sometimes/often the idiot (just for different reasons).

[Peelee]

I know I'm supposed to answer this with some variation of 'the kids these days', but this is actually a topic close to my heart.

So...

Almost all of this sort of thing is Confirmation Bias. "People" don't stop in doorways. There isn't a class of person that does all of these things all the time. Individual humans sometimes do a thing without noticing that it slightly inconveniences you in that moment.

But, in the run of a normal day when you interact with thousands of people who don't stop in doorways, the one person who does sticks in your mind. Then, when a totally different person does it again some other time after thousands more didn't, you conflate the incidents, and soon enough everyone is always stopping in doorways" (usually appended with "these days").

And the other end of this is that, you don't know how often you do a thing (or fail to do a thing) that generates momentary inconvenience for someone else. So we're all of us the moron in someone else's story.

I feel you, though. I used to have a real problem with getting tetchy at people when I was driving. Not Road Rage so much as Road Annoyance.

But then I found that my quality of life increased when I started mentally deciding that I'm on their side when they do a thing that slightly inconveniences me. Cut off in traffic? Taking too long to go on a green? Driving slow? That's cool, you got places to be, you had to adjust your seat belt, you're looking for an address, whatever. I just decided to be their ally.

It worked so well I do it out of cars now, too. And it drains a lot of the negativity out of everyday life.

There are just so many people doing so many things all around you all the time. Some of the things they're doing are bound to negatively interact with some of the things you're doing some of the time. It's going to happen. It can't not happen.

But you turn those moments from ones of annoyance and frustration and judgement into moments of compassion instead.

Alternately:

The kids these days. Common sense ain't so common anymore. Back in my day.

Etc, etc, etc.

This. So much this.

I remember reading or hearing once about a study that found people who are freely willing to condemn others for hypothetical behavior are significantly more willing to be understanding if put in the hypothetical themselves (eg if there's a traffic jam and someone is passing it all on the shoulder vs you passing them on the shoulder). More willing to assume there is a good reason for themselves but not for others may be the more accurate way of putting it, I believe. Anyway, now when people pass me on the shoulder I choose to believe they have explosive diarrhea and just need to get to the nearest bathroom asap. If it's true for just one person, then it's worth it.

[darkrose50]

Here is the topic on a travel forum.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k9322002-o20-Why_does_it_take_so_long_to_get_off_the_plane-Air_Travel.html

It would seem that there are a LOT of people who think "Well, we have to wait for our luggage at the baggage carousel, so there is no reason to hurry off a plane, so let's take our time."

However I want to stretch, walk around, go to the bathroom, wash up, get a snack, and recharge my phone. Also it is often important to CATCH ANOTHER PLANE!

This excuse basically reads as "I am not in a hurry, why should anyone else be. I'll decide how to spend other people's time."

[Peelee]

Here is the topic on a travel forum.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k9322002-o20-Why_does_it_take_so_long_to_get_off_the_plane-Air_Travel.html

It would seem that there are a LOT of people who think "Well, we have to wait for our luggage at the baggage carousel, so there is no reason to hurry off a plane, so let's take our time."

However I want to stretch, walk around, go to the bathroom, wash up, get a snack, and recharge my phone. Also it is often important to CATCH ANOTHER PLANE!

This excuse basically reads as "I am not in a hurry, why should anyone else be. I'll decide how to spend other people's time."

Literally the second reply from that link:

I have had occasion to travel with an elderly relative who needed assistance,so we had to wait until the flight was completely empty before the wheel chair was brought to the gate. Out of interest and boredom I timed it. Less than 10 minutes after the doors opened the plane was empty and the cleaners came on board. I have often been on flights which circled waiting for permission to land or have sat on the tarmac waiting for a gate to become available longer than that. Anyone who has a connection so tight that a 10 minute delay would cause them to miss (or even run for) a flight should possibly rethink their booking practices.

Nobody is saying that people waiting around like that doesn't happen. We're just saying confirmation bias makes it seem like a much bigger issue than it is. In the times I've flown, when you're allowed to get up, nearly everyone who can does, gets their bags, and moves along. If I'm stopping you because I'm getting my bag, that may be because I had a window seat and literally couldn't have gotten my bag from the overhead storage until I moved into the aisle, which wasn't until I had room to move into the aisle, which wasn't until the people in front left, which is why a gap suddenly appears. Those other people also want to stretch, walk around, go to the bathroom, wash up, get a snack, recharge their phones, and often catch another plane.

[darkrose50]

Oh I do not have a problem waiting for elderly or disabled people. However every plane I go on has ~3 people who are completely surprised by the fact that they need to get off the plane with their stuff. It surprises me EVERY TIME. I think "how is it that you forgot that you need to get your stuff, and that you forgot that need to get off the plane, and that you think that it is okay to make ~60 people wait for you?"

[truemane]

This. So much this.

I remember reading or hearing once about a study that found people who are freely willing to condemn others for hypothetical behavior are significantly more willing to be understanding if put in the hypothetical themselves...

This is a variation on what's called the Fundamental Attribution Error. We tend to think of the actions of others as motivated by personality characteristics but we attribute our own actions to circumstance.

So when we cut someone off, it's because there was a thing, we didn't see, the sun was shining, first day with the new arms, whichever. Someone cuts us off, though, and it's because they're a jerk.


I choose to believe they have explosive diarrhea and just need to get to the nearest bathroom asap. If it's true for just one person, then it's worth it.
And even if it is never actually true for anyone ever, consciously choosing to release the resentment makes it worth it.

[Knaight]

Oh I do not have a problem waiting for elderly or disabled people. However every plane I go on has ~3 people who are completely surprised by the fact that they need to get off the plane with their stuff. It surprises me EVERY TIME. I think "how is it that you forgot that you need to get your stuff, and that you forgot that need to get off the plane, and that you think that it is okay to make ~60 people wait for you?"

Alternately they "forgot they needed to get their stuff" in the sense that they "had to put it pretty far away from them" and then they "had to go get it". A lot of this is fundamentally going to come down to airplane design more than anything, which inconveniences the passengers as a whole.

That's before we get into the number of people who are just outright scared of flying and thus less likely to be focused on optimal unboarding strategies - or for that matter how a random distribution of unboarding times will inherently lead to gaps and dense spots in resultant foot traffic.

[MoonCat]

Oh I do not have a problem waiting for elderly or disabled people.

I don't believe you understood the quote from tripadvisor. The point they made was not that anyone had to wait for an elderly/disabled person, but that, because they were travelling with one, they happened to have an opportunity to measure the time it took for everyone to deplane.

It took 10 minutes, for everyone, including the people who had to wait for "idiots," to get off the plane.

[veti]

Oh I do not have a problem waiting for elderly or disabled people. However every plane I go on has ~3 people who are completely surprised by the fact that they need to get off the plane with their stuff. It surprises me EVERY TIME. I think "how is it that you forgot that you need to get your stuff, and that you forgot that need to get off the plane, and that you think that it is okay to make ~60 people wait for you?"

So, let's get this straight:

Every trip, you are surprised by people failing to anticipate something that happens every trip.

Right.

[geetika]

I am Disable:smallannoyed:

[Florian]

People never cease to amaze me.

You should think about either your expectations, your temper or both. Regular people acting in the regular and expected way? I am shocked, shocked I tell you! (Commuting via public trains is part of my daily grind...)

[darkrose50]

People unnecessarily blocking passageways is definitely a pet-peeve of mine. I do not mind individuals who are disabled or elderly taking more time. This is to be expected. Otherwise this is most definitely a reasonably common behavior. I would attribute it to (a) not paying attention to ones surroundings, and/or (b) not caring about effecting others.

I suppose I am always hyper aware of my actions and thoughts as this is information that informs my chameleon (blending in) defensive mechanism. This is common among those with Asperger's Syndrome, and is one reason that social situations and/or being in public can be draining.

Making 60-people wait for me to fiddle with my luggage would be an extreme example of failing to blend in.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

So, let's get this straight:

Every trip, you are surprised by people failing to anticipate something that happens every trip.

Right.

Perfect summation of the thread. Excellent 10/10, would read again. If I had an extended sig, I'd ask to add this to it.

Grey Wolf

[darkrose50]

So, let's get this straight:

Every trip, you are surprised by people failing to anticipate something that happens every trip.

Right.

Surprised as in how can this be a thing. Like when someone eats a bugger. I know that some folks do this, but it is none the less surprising every time I see it.

[shawnhcorey]

[5] People step off a crowded escalator and stop while still between the handrails. And the escalator deposits you into their backs and they give you a dirty look.

[darkrose50]

[6] People getting on the elevator/train before other people can get off.

Mainly it would seem that people do not seem to have a procedure in place. (a) The elevator/train door opens, (b) check the elevator/train door for those who need to exit, (c) wait for them to exit, and then (d) get on. People are all like (a) the door opens, (b) I go though the door.

[7] People not zippering when two lanes merge. One lady at McDonalds where they have those two drive throughs merge would not merge, I REALLY wanted to get out of my car and ask her why she thinks that she is the special princess.

Overall this must be a lack of special awareness and/or planning procedures.

[MrStabby]

I think I get a similar feeling in shops.

You get your shopping and queue to purchase.

The person in front of you gets to the front to the queue.

The checkout assistant stars to scan their things.

The customer watches.

The price is announced and the money requested.

The customer then starts to look for their purse or wallet, checking pockets and bags, then choosing which card or cash...

You were stood there for three minutes just watching. Did it never occur to you that you would be expected to pay for the shopping? That some form of payment would actually be useful? That this is how shopping tends to work?

I can live with these delays most days, but these delays compound. You get delayed by 20 seconds by a shopper doing this. But they were delayed by the person in front and so on and on... you just sit there in a queue that just wouldn't even exist if people were just a little more thoughtful.

The irritation isn't the delay; the irritation is the ease with which it is fixed.

[Rynjin]

[7] People not zippering when two lanes merge. One lady at McDonalds where they have those two drive throughs merge would not merge, I REALLY wanted to get out of my car and ask her why she thinks that she is the special princess.

Overall this must be a lack of special awareness and/or planning procedures.

The zippering dilemma is kind of interesting because in a perfect world, zippering is the right thing to do, but in the one we have it often leads to unnecessary delays for everyone involved.

If everyone collectively agrees to make traffic go smoothly, it does. But if half the cars are zippering and the other half aren't, the people trying to expedite zippering actually slow the whole process down.

[KillianHawkeye]

Considering that only people who are in the aisle seats of an airplane have any chance of reaching their overhead luggage immediately, it's obvious that waiting your turn THEN hassling with your luggage THEN trying to get off the plane is pretty much the expected and normal method for exiting.

How you expect people to miraculously get their luggage without stopping and standing in the aisle is an astounding mystery to me. That's just impossible for 2/3 of the passengers in most medium-size aircraft. You are expecting an extremely unrealistic degree of efficiency for a process that isn't really designed to be efficient.