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Travelling while fat
The New York Times ^ | October 20, 2010 | Ron Goldstone

Posted on 10/24/2010 1:55:30 AM PDT by Cronos

At 285 pounds and 5 feet 7 inches, I may not be the tallest, but I am almost always one of the biggest passengers on a plane. That’s “one of”: as anyone with even the most tangential relationship with news headlines over the last several years knows, Americans are getting fatter and fatter.

..

“How many kilos you weigh?” asked a customs officer at Ho Chi Minh Airport when I visited Vietnam a few years ago.

“Is that a question on the form?” I responded, slightly unnerved.

Smiling, she told me no. She was apparently just curious.

After giving me the once-over, she giggled and advised me to avoid riding in the local hand-pulled rickshaws, as my size could force them to tip over.

(Excerpt) Read more at travel.nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: airplan; commiecare; fat; food; nannys; nannystate; noonesbusiness; notmybusiness; obese; personalissue; weight
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To: Cronos
Being tall does have its advantages but it's also got its drawbacks. Most things are more expensive, from air fare to clothing. My skull is full of spider cracks from doorways, basement stairwells, overhead bins on airplanes and other objects that are not a problem for others. I don't fit in the average hotel bed so that takes the fun out of traveling. I can't go to a movie unless I want to sit in the front row which I don't so I just don't go to the movies. Concerts are no fun either because front row seating is seldom accessible and I don't like blocking the view(s) of others. Cars aren't made for tall people though I do fit nicely in my Chevy Tahoe. I can fit in the wife's Audi with the sun roof open and I've customized my truck, Jeep and boat or I could never fit in them.

Being tall has its advantages too. Number 1 on the list is it was the thing that first caused Mrs. 40 to be attracted to me. Most others I believe are fairly obvious.

21 posted on 10/24/2010 3:27:03 AM PDT by South40 (Spread my work ethic not my wealth!)
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To: Cronos
I did, and I do! I'm within twenty pounds of my government-approved healthy weight, and I intend to blow past that (downward!) soon.
Even at my fattest, I was walking several miles a day. It was so disheartening because I did the same stuff that had slimmed me down after all my previous pregnancies, and it had no effect. I always knew when certain people were repulsed by my appearance, but I couldn't exactly go up to them and say “I know it looks like I'm a fat slob, but I do exercises regularly and this is mostly because of some shots I had”. I just had to be quiet and think about how disgusting I felt. It was a very painful learning experience.

I was/am lucky to have a supportive Mom. She gave me an extremely small pair of pants and her old exercise machine. I finally got into the pants last month, and let me tell you, THAT was a great day. :-)

22 posted on 10/24/2010 3:28:43 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs (To be determined...)
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To: Cronos

A friend of mine (a grandmother) was treated very badly by a fellow passenger; he didn’t want to sit in the same row with her, and instead of quietly pulling aside a flight attendant and asking for a seat change he decided to be loud and obnoxious about it.

I wish I had been there; it would have been my pleasure to get arrested for stapling that nitwit’s earlobes to his thighs.


23 posted on 10/24/2010 3:39:33 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs (To be determined...)
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To: Leisler

well, why don’t they move? If one weights 100 lbs more than one should, then a small 20 min walk a day makes a diff — extend that after 2 weeks to 30 min, then after another 2 weeks to an hour’s walk, even a slow one, then get a faster pace.


24 posted on 10/24/2010 3:42:10 AM PDT by Cronos (This Church is Holy,theOne Church,theTrue Church,theCatholic Church - St. Augustine)
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To: Eyes Unclouded

Well .....on the other hand there’s this...

if it’a been me............ i’da given little miss commie smart ass..both barrels...

How about’

‘Well, MISSY... in a democratic republic with a free people and freedoms provided by a superb military protecting the bill of rights and a CONSTITUTION commonly recognized as the most enlightened political document ever conceived by the mind of man coupled with a system of free enterprise s....there are so damn many opportunities to get rich and buy what ever you want.......... some of the God’s chosen people aka AMERICANS....might tend to enjoy our blessings more than others....

This situation is way way different from the populace of CHINA where there is still starvation and you pretty much have a population of starving bicycle riders with B.O.

have a nice day COMRADE CLUELESS

another thing personally i think....YOU’D BE BETTER OFF SHUTTIN THE SMART MOUF... then...GETTIN DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AN PRAYING TO GOD THAT YOU, SOMEDAY MIGHT BE ABLE TO RUN LIKE HELL and ESCAPE FROM YOUR COMMIE HELL AND APPLY FOR AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP..... AN EARTHLY HEAVEN WHERE THERE IS PLENTY OF FOOD AND OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE.....

ONE WORD FOR YA sweetheart AMERICA ....have a nice day.
(HEH, HEH HEH......)


25 posted on 10/24/2010 3:51:26 AM PDT by flat
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To: Ronin
Curious... Haven't they grown up surrounded by depictions of a round-bellied Buddha, sumo wrestlers, and the like?

I do know that Japanese people can be somewhat forward when encountering unusual-looking (to them) people, and Westerners generally - fifteen years ago when I was traveling through Japan with my girlfriend at the time (who had an unusual hair texture and style even by American standards, and who must have appeared like a space alien to many of the people that we encountered, especially in out-of-the-way places such as Kagoshima - one of the maids at the ryokan actually asked me directly if it was OK for her to touch my girlfriend's hair - my GF told me that it was OK and so I gave her the go-ahead)

But I have seen the giggling twenty-something Japanese woman syndrome in the US - a few years back I took a blind date (who was probably 5'2" and 275 lbs. or more) to a Japanese restaurant in NYC (that has lots of Japanese nationals as their clientele). The table next to us had four or five twenty-something women seated, and throughout the meal I could tell (even with my limited Japanese language skills) that they were making fun of her. At the end of the meal as I was getting ready to go, I grabbed my coat off of a nearby hook and accidentally knocked down the coat of one of the next table's "guests", and as she rushed to pick it up I tossed out a "gomen nasai" or a "shitsurei shimasu" in her direction, while she and the rest of her friends suddenly became really quiet as they realized that the dumb gaijin at the next table must have been listening to their cackling all along...

26 posted on 10/24/2010 3:53:21 AM PDT by Zeppo ("Happy Pony is on - and I'm NOT missing Happy Pony")
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To: Leisler

well, why don’t they move? If one weights 100 lbs more than one should, then a small 20 min walk a day makes a diff — extend that after 2 weeks to 30 min, then after another 2 weeks to an hour’s walk, even a slow one, then get a faster pace.


27 posted on 10/24/2010 4:10:13 AM PDT by Cronos (This Church is Holy,theOne Church,theTrue Church,theCatholic Church - St. Augustine)
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To: South40

The free market should determine if tall or fat people can comfortably ride on privately owned airlines, and how much it costs.

The inconveniences in life are many, and they are often lamentable, but they are most often not the responsibility of government or business owners to address.

Imagine the way the early settlers and the waves of immigrants had to travel.


28 posted on 10/24/2010 4:29:38 AM PDT by Notwithstanding
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To: Eyes Unclouded

MOST of the time, people have a disease and are referred to as “compulsive overeaters”.

Those who seek help can find understanding and are welcome at http://www.OA.org/

Those who prefer to remain ignorant and hostile to fat people should not visit that website.


29 posted on 10/24/2010 4:40:22 AM PDT by GEC (We're not drilling in ANWR because....)
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To: Zeppo

Oh yeah...

I like to keep my Nihongo ability secret. I hear all kinds of interesting things that way.


30 posted on 10/24/2010 4:54:41 AM PDT by Ronin (If he were not so gruesomely incompetent and dangerous, Obama would just be silly.)
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To: skookum55
I hate to burst your bubble, but at 6'6" and 315 lb you are fat, with a body mass index of 36...

Anyone who believes in the BMI probably believes in global warming. The BMI is a joke. There are other, accurate ways to determine whether someone is obese.

31 posted on 10/24/2010 4:57:27 AM PDT by raybbr (Someone who invades another country is NOT an immigrant - illegal or otherwise.)
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To: Cronos

Wow. Some of the larger folks on this thread show as much mercy towards their fellow passengers that must endure sitting next to them as they show a triple cheeseburger and fries.

I’m not small, but I admit that I’m a little bit like Juan Williams watching a Muslim get on his plane when I see fat people waddling down the aisle heading my way.

If you are fat, for whatever reason, it doesn’t mean that people are obligated to enjoy sitting next to you when you fly. Those who are corpulently challenged might try apologizing to them, or thanking them when they request to be reseated leaving them with more room that is clearly needed.


32 posted on 10/24/2010 5:10:24 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: Cronos

5’ 7” and 285 pounds????? A big lard of fat is what this individual is. Shameful. He needs to get off the couch and start walking.


33 posted on 10/24/2010 5:10:57 AM PDT by napscoordinator
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To: Nitehawk0325

You can try military hops if commercial travel is a hassle. It’s not as reliable as commercial flights, but it is an alternative.

www.militaryhops.com/


34 posted on 10/24/2010 5:25:07 AM PDT by sergeantdave
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To: Nitehawk0325

You can try military hops if commercial travel is a hassle. It’s not as reliable as commercial flights, but it is an alternative.

www.militaryhops.com/


35 posted on 10/24/2010 5:25:10 AM PDT by sergeantdave
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To: sergeantdave

Oops! Here an active link.

http://www.militaryhops.com/


36 posted on 10/24/2010 5:34:29 AM PDT by sergeantdave
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To: skookum55
I hate to burst your bubble, but at 6'6" and 315 lb you are fat,

You have no idea what his body mass index is. Athletic types who are built up, or those who are naturally muscular, those with dense bones (Some eastern Europeans, American Indians), etc., even those with large heads have a different number. You can get a better idea by using the thumb, third finger, wrist test or best yet, get dunked in a water tank to check displacement.

I have even seen BMI charts that are the same for men and women. That is willful ignorance.
37 posted on 10/24/2010 5:45:12 AM PDT by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: LongElegantLegs

ok, posted too soon! So, how did you finally manage to lose the weight? Just by sticking to the exercise routine?


38 posted on 10/24/2010 6:14:13 AM PDT by Cronos (This Church is Holy,theOne Church,theTrue Church,theCatholic Church - St. Augustine)
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To: Cronos

Not only that, he talks about it like he’s been huge for 20 years. Could have lost ten pounds a year and no longer be so fat. That’s just sloth.


39 posted on 10/24/2010 6:27:37 AM PDT by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: Nitehawk0325
TSA personnel are just a little slow when trying to read.

You found a TSA agent who could read?

/tangent

40 posted on 10/24/2010 7:01:02 AM PDT by Sarajevo (You're jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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