[exDemMom]

On a recent flight from La Guardia to Atlanta en route to New Orleans, a young father prepared to change his baby son's diaper on the empty window seat beside his own spot on the aisle. After another horrified passenger and I objected, the tot's mother addressed the infant's biological needs in the appropriate place — the lavatory.

Not to be the Devil's advocate here, but it occurs to me that airplane lavatories aren't all that roomy, nor do they contain changing tables. I believe I did the same thing, a couple of decades ago.

[Trust but Verify]

Hard to imagine people actually need to have these things pointed out to them.

[Maceman]

On a recent flight from La Guardia to Atlanta en route to New Orleans, a young father prepared to change his baby son's diaper on the empty window seat beside his own spot on the aisle. After another horrified passenger and I objected, the tot's mother addressed the infant's biological needs in the appropriate place — the lavatory. She looked disturbed that anyone would oppose the sanitary affront her husband attempted.

Having changed many, many diapers, I can assure you that it would be almost impossible to change one safely or efficiently in an airplane lavatory.

I personally would not have any problem at all if someone changed a diaper in an empty window seat. It is not typically a messy, smelly process if one is properly equipped and prepared.

While I am second to none in lamenting the deterioration of manners in society, I think the author of this story and the flight attendant involved ought to just get over themselves.

[Wolfie]

On a recent flight from La Guardia to Atlanta en route to New Orleans, a young father prepared to change his baby son's diaper on the empty window seat beside his own spot on the aisle.

Ick. Where's an Air Marshall when you need one?

[Alia]

His is an excellent article. Politeness is about consideration of others. It really doesn't take much. For the initiate, it requires self-discipline. Long ago, I believe it was Dear Abby (or her sister) who wrote that "politeness is the traffic light of a civil society".

[Tijeras_Slim]

Children under the age of 18 should be in checked baggage.

[TGOGary]

On a recent flight from La Guardia to Atlanta en route to New Orleans, a young father prepared to change his baby son's diaper on the empty window seat beside his own spot on the aisle. After another horrified passenger and I objected, the tot's mother addressed the infant's biological needs in the appropriate place — the lavatory. She looked disturbed that anyone would oppose the sanitary affront her husband attempted.

One person can barely fit in one let alone a parent and an infant. Social grace is one thing, social stupidity is another.

[ruiner]

I have to get this off my chest, but the mere fact that someone has a child doesn't give them the right to do whatever they want "for the children."

I'm polite and I'm a gentleman, but just because I don't have a child doesn't mean those that do can do whatever they want and I have to deal with it.

Ok, feel better now. This rant is really directed at a lot of different sources: the kids at the neighborhood pool who can't be corrected by anyone but their absentee parents, the people in the neighborhood who yelled at me for driving 10mph because their kids were running in the street . . .

[Constitution Day]

BUMP.

[LiberationIT]

On a recent flight, Dallas to Detroit, in First Class the guy across the aisle from me was dipping snuff and spitting into a styrofoam cup. Yuk!
As if that wasn't bad enough he then brought out and began to read a copy of Bill Clinton's "My Life." Double Yuk!!!

[steve-b]

Some people just have no sense of shame. (I'd insert a picture of Bill Clinton here, but that joke is just too easy.)

[Sam's Army]

"Leaving the lid or seat up makes the next guest contemplate whether you stood or sat during your visit."

What if they just have good aim?

[BureaucratusMaximus]

13) When you are in your car, do not assume that EVERYONE appreciates the same kind of music that you do. Keep the volume at a reasonable level, everyone doesn't want to feel like they are riding in YOUR car listening to YOUR music. This goes especially for folks who have speakers with the bass capaicity to register as a small earthquake.

[smiley]

...just one question...where did daddy put the dirty diaper?....In the overhead?

[Drawsing]

The point of all this is not necessarily to turn every American man and woman, respectively, into Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, though we could do worse.

I once had to sit next to Grace Kelly on a plane. She grabbed my coffee mug and used it as a spit can for her chewing tobacco....

Okay, not really.

[MEGoody]

the tot's mother addressed the infant's biological needs in the appropriate place — the lavatory.

I've been in the lavs on airplanes. I'd like to know what acrobats the mother had to go through to accomplish this. Anyone ever had to do this? I'm curious as to how it would be managed.

[freebilly]

Heck, I've had sex on airplanes. A little diaper changin' ain't nothin'....

[tutstar]

ping

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Great article! As I was reading it, the voice in my head was that of my dearly departed friend, Cathy. (Cancer. Last year. D@mn.)

Her FAVORITE phrase was, "How Rude!" And she had NO problem with taking immediate corrective action in social situations, if she saw someone misbehaving.

Society has lost one of the last Great Dames with her passing, LOL!

[Ditter]

This persons list of rude things starts with cellular telephone use, as if talking on your cell phone in public is the rudest thing you can do. I do not agree. Talking loud, whether to your companion OR on your cell phone can be distracting to those around you but it is not nearly #1 in rudeness. I find any of the other things listed to be more rude than a cell phone conversation. Not turning your cell phone off in church or movies IS bad and allowing it to ring there should NEVER happen.