Bigger bottoms bedevil bureaucrats best-intentions

[bikkuri bahn]

Transit Agencies Face the New Calculus of Broader Backsides
By CHRISTINE HAUGHNEY
Published: January 15, 2012
 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 seats were about 17 inches wide; the rears ranged between 13 and 23 inches wide. The organizer of the tush tally was Carol Greitzer, then on the City Council. The year was 1984.

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.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/nyregion/transit-agencies-in-new-york-area-consider-wider-seats.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

[WuZhuiQiu]

It would be nice if airlines were to follow suit, but more with respect to leg room...

[cteno4]

tell me about it, being 6'4" (193cm) tall flying has gotten to be not fun at all... United has reduced their leg room so much its out for me now, especially after a guy in front of me a year or so back yelling at me as he could not put his seat back because i was jammed into the seat so tight. im tall but not really tall.

jeff

[Mudkip Orange]

Yeah I'm basically 100% SWA/Jetblue at this point for this exact reason.

[brill27mcb]

... i'm tall but not really tall.

jeff

Say what you want, but we all look up to you...

Rich K.

[cteno4]

well i think we all look up to mudkip in that case!

jeff