Have your say

[rogerr]

Is it just me, or is the latest "have your say" poll in very poor taste and offensive to any overweight people on here?

[crete]

easy target the obese and smokers.

[jan1956]

I agree, must admit I don't very often look at the "have your say" unless like you somebody draws my attention to it. they must be desperate for us to join in have you also noticed the adds at the side above "have your say" all for weight loss! not just a coincidence surely?
jan

[whiffey]

Do you mean it's not politically correct ? Obesity is a serious problem in our society.

People have views on all sorts of things, so why not poll this one ?

[jan1956]

it may be a problem, but as we cannot discriminate against old people for example (can you imagine if the same question had old people instead of over weight?) so why should we be allowed to discriminate against over weight people?

[mrs_overall]

I think the poll is a valid issue. Last year on a 4 hour flight I was seated next to a person who occupied their own seat and half of mine. The gentleman had the armrest between us raised so he could sit down. I spent the whole flight in so much pain from being pressed against the armrest by the aisle that I was in tears. I am not going to make any comment whatsoever on obesity per se, but in this case I feel the man should have paid for two seats.

[mrrobbo15]

thats an outragous question.....why not say disabled people ? blind people with their dog ? mothers with small children ?

disgraceful

[rogerr]

whiffey-This is not about PC issues--it's just that I know people who have weight issues through no fault of their own. Elderly people who can't exercise because they have arthritis or ulcers on their legs etc.
And yes I know people who wonder why they are overweight with a burger in one hand and a litre of pop in the other.
It was the comment about paying for 2 seats that got me--surely more than a bit offensive to those that are overweight through no fault of their own?

[joko]

a lot of people do have a problem with this - so whats the harm in polling it?

why do people think you cannot even talk about a potentially controversial subject?

that the mere mention of an issue is instantly offensive?


people think like this whether its pc and whether you like it or not.

i personally have no problem, but if an extremely big person took 2 seats then he should pay for 2 seats... that is after all the what the airlines sell - seats... should they be expected to lose the payment from another customer?

if i had been squashed in like mrs overall, i would have complained - i paid for my seat and it is mine to sit in, not his.
this guy knew he was big, and knew he would take up more than his seat, and if he has no consideration for the people sitting next to him on a flight, then i would have no qualms with complaining.

generally though, it isn't and has never been an issue for me or ever affected me

[ummmm]

Poor taste?

If it was in poor taste the question would be more like 'do you get really peed off when fat, greedy, lazy gits take up too much room on public transport'

That's poot taste.

It's a poll. Open to anyone who comes on this site. Some people have an opinion on fat people others don't. A poll tries to see what general opinion is. Simple.

You are far to easily offended.

[Gromit]

I didn't vote - there wasn't an option which said

I think they are an hazard in cases of emergency
evacuation and they are the first to smell when it gets hot . O

[Octavius]

I don�t think it is offensive as such, as it is asking whether it is inconsiderate of them � assuming of course that their weight and presence is repugnant to everyone else. Although one could ask which is the most inconsiderate for others on public transport - people listening to loud iPods, loud voices/phone conversations, feet on seats, backpackers with large rucksacks, rush hour pram-pushers, people who smell of smoke, BO, alcohol, strong perfume/aftershave, women who apply make up and people who are generally offensive to the eye.

I don�t know how we would categorise �obese� people into a higher charge, since many peoples average BMI would state that they are obese, whereby they may be merely short and muscular. I have very broad shoulders, should I pay a little more to stand clinging to the pole on the Central Line for 90 minutes every day because somebody else cannot stand a little closer to me? Perhaps, but only after those above are also levied and the snooty, up their own bottom types who think they are the favoured members of the species.

Needless to say, I never ever ever contribute to �Have your say� as it is mundane and meaningless.

[netibiza]

It's a perfectly valid question. In Disneyworld I sat on a ride next to a very fat American woman, and she couldn't even do up the seatbelt, so I had to struggle to do it for her, and needless to say the ride was very uncomfortable for me as she kept flopping over onto me, it was revolting. Looking at the size of her legs, it wasn't hormonal it was fat!!