Transit Agencies Face the New Calculus of Broader Backsides {American behinds too big?}

New York Times ^ | 15 Jan 2012 | Christine Haughney

[Cronos]

It was called the “First All-American Tush Tally,” an informal test to measure the behinds of two dozen New Yorkers to see if they could fit into the prescribed space in new subway cars made by Kawasaki.

..The problem of American waists that are too big for seats meant to accommodate them is certainly not new. Today, everything from love seats to toilet seats can be built bigger to accommodate wider profiles, and the seats offered on public transportation are no different.

..The airline industry has also spent years trying to balance passengers’ desire for bigger, more comfortable seating with the bottom-line-driven inclination to squeeze as many seats as possible onto an aircraft.

..“It’s clear that the U.S. population is getting heavier,” said Martin Schroeder, chief engineer for the American Public Transport Association and the committee’s chairman. “We are trying to get our hands on that and figure out what is the best average weight to use.”

...Sandra Lee, 39, a slender commuter on New Jersey Transit and PATH, said that the seats on PATH trains were too narrow and that she preferred the seats on New Jersey Transit’s newer double-decker cars because she found them more comfortable, if not wider.

“I happen to be hippy,” Ms. Lee said. “So I take up the width of it.”

[Cronos]

Sir Mix-a-lot was a prophet?!

[cuban leaf]

[null and void]

<insert any photo of FLOTUS here>

[dfwgator]

.“It’s clear that the U.S. population is getting heavier,”

"And Leon's getting larrrrger!"

[Olog-hai]

Sorry, but “Johnny Henshaw-Jacobs” was my least favorite Airplane! character. If someone in the movie had shot him, I would’ve cheered . . .

[sthguard]

“We are trying to get our hands on that and figure out what is the best average weight to use.”

So does that count as har-ass-ment?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

[YHAOS]

This topic can be termed a target rich environment.

[MHGinTN]

Interesting photoshop there ...

[SWAMPSNIPER]

It really didn’t require much work.

[NativeNewYorker]

I ride NYC buses all the time, and it’s a rare day I don’t see at least two humanoids spilling over the sides of their seats.

[MHGinTN]

Looking at the block patterns of the entire dress broadside is wearing as she leads little Barry up the steps, I’d guess about a 20% stretching of just the center lower region of the dress, just from the boob belt down to the hemline.

[Fresh Wind]

It was called the “First All-American Tush Tally,” an informal test to measure the behinds of two dozen New Yorkers to see if they could fit into the prescribed space in new subway cars made by Kawasaki.

It appears that they need to talk to Cowasaki.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

There is probably a ballistic grade Kevlar corset under there!

[Disambiguator]

Just spend some time here for confirmation.

[6SJ7]

I ride NYC buses all the time, and it’s a rare day I don’t see at least two humanoids spilling over the sides of their seats.

Buffer overflow.

[Erasmus]

Their Swedish ergonomic consultant was the well-known Lar Jasperson.

[Cronos]

:)