Daily Dose of Common Sense

Some people had common sense.

• Free Range Kids pointed out that kids are not in danger every time they wait in the car.
• Ricky Gervais will host the 2010 Golden Globes.There’s a very good chance it’ll be funny.
• Director Paul Haggis left the church of Scientology after 35 years in protest over its support of Prop 8.

And, some did not.

• Director Paul Haggis didn’t leave the church of Scientology for 35 years despite its wacky intergalactic overlord named Xenu.
• Fewer than half NYC parents are opting to get their elementary school child the swine flu vaccine. Come on, parents. Give your kids the vaccine.
• Two men in Iowa used a Sharpie marker to draw “masks” on their faces before attempting to rob a home. You’ve got to check out the photos.
• Turns out the Northwest Airline pilots who overshot their destination last week were using their personal laptops in the cockpit. We get sucked into Facebook too, but not while we’re FLYING.

British Airways may just be starting the next trend in airline fees. In another effort to nickel-and-dime customers to death, BA will now charge passengers an additional fee for choosing their seats ahead of time. So, if you’re traveling with your kids, securing their seats with yours is going to cost extra.

This will also affect anyone who prefers an aisle or window seat. Locking those down before you fly will cost extra on BA.

A BA spokeswoman said: “Customers frequently request specific seats, but in the past we’ve only been able to confirm them 24 hours in advance or on the day.

“We know people want to secure them in advance and have real control over their flying experience. This will allow them to do that.”

Why not just be truthful? Instead, say something like, “Our airline was 400 million pounds in the red last year. We need money and therefore we pledge to find ways to get more of it from our passengers.”

[Via BoingBoing]

Photo courtesy of Flickr: Simon_sees

I’m back from vacation and need to get out this one last irritation: Please, pilots, we don’t want to hear from you while the plane is en route. We appreciate what you do and realize our safety is in your hands. This is even more reason for all of you to focus on the task at hand. Stop jabbering to us over the loud speaker about altitude and air speed. We don’t care about the nitty-gritty, as long as we takeoff and land on time.

And, really, is some passenger noting this information, or perhaps charting it at his or her seat? “Wow, June. I never thought we’d go above 30,000 feet. We’re really high up now!”

Pilot announcements are also lot louder than the flight attendants’ intercom. Why is that? And, the pilot usually comes on at a bad time. Like mid-movie or mid-nap, for example. Can’t we just relax and eat our peanuts (or other non-allergenic snack) in peace?

It’s obvious that pilots want to appear friendly and build a rapport with their passengers. It’s a nice thought, but, trust me, they don’t need to do this. People choose airlines by deals, schedules, and frequent flier miles. The friendliness of the pilots doesn’t really factor into the mix for most people. (Sorry.)

And, for the airlines who encourage this rapport to help make up for their cheapness, lack of leg room, and general nickel-and-dimeyness: you’re wrong. It won’t. We’re still keeping track of all that is wrong with your business model.

Photo courtesy of Flickr: ReneS

Every tourists’ nightmare happened this week at JFK Airport in New York. A family of five was held captive by a pair of unlicensed solicitors in a van, who offered the family a lift from the airport. An officer observed the renegade drivers loading the family into their vehicle and banged on the window. But, when he ordered the two men out, they hit the gas and took off.

A high speed chase ensued, which left the French family begging to be released from the car. The ordeal ended when the van crashed into a stop sign in Brooklyn and the police chased down the two suspects on foot.

What did the family do to deserve this? Nothing, except get into a sketchy, non-licensed vehicle. If the cops hadn’t intervened, the family likely would have been brought to their hotel safe and sound. But, who knows how much they would have paid for the ride.

A good rule of thumb is to never get in anything but a yellow cab or a private car you have personally arranged. There are a lot of hustlers, especially at the airport, who will try and convince you a random ride is okay…but it’s not.

Here is some good information from Consumerist.com:

Rick Seaney has a few tips to help you avoid getting trapped in a runaway cab like the Dulugats:

• Avoid “gypsy cabs” and other non-licensed vehicles: the legitimate cabs are all lined up at the curb. If your cabbie claims to be licensed, and it’s a hike to his vehicle, he isn’t. By the way, these taxis can cost just as much as the legit ones.
• Check out the transportation choices before you arrive: JFK, for example, offers many alternatives to taxis including trains and a bus system that takes you directly to Grand Central for $27 roundtrip.
• Consider a private car service: it need not be a limo – and it can cost just a few bucks more than a taxi fare.

Flying is increasingly a hassle. And, apparently it’s worse if you carry cash.

In March, a man was stopped by TSA agents in St. Louis because he was carrying $4,700 in cash. An employee of Ron Paul’s campaign, he was returning home from an event where he was responsible for the proceeds of campaign materials. TSA agents detained and questioned him for half an hour. When he repeatedly asked what scope of authority the agents had to hold and question him, he received no explanation. In fact, the situation escalated to the point where the agents placed him under arrest. Thinking fast, he recorded the whole incident on his iPhone.

The ACLU is now filing a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, which has authority over the TSA. The lawsuit maintains that the TSA is subjecting Americans to unreasonable searches and detentions.

TSA officials have the authority to conduct safety-related searches for weapons and explosives. According to the ACLU’s lawsuit, TSA agents are using heightened security measures after 9/11 as an excuse to exceed their search authority and engage in unlawful searches that violate the privacy rights of passengers. The lawsuit also charges that unconstitutional searches and detention by TSA agents have become the norm.

We can hope this lawsuit will result in some serious regulation overhaul within the TSA. Getting from point A to point B is hard enough without constantly having your constitutional rights trampled on. In the meantime, if you’re going to travel, use credit cards or remember to have a voice recorder program on your cell phone.

Of course, if you really want to remind the TSA about your rights, you can carry the Bill of Rights – Security Edition when you travel. These metal cards have the First Ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution printed on them, with the Fourth Amendment highlighted in red. (That’s your unreasonable search and seizure protection for those who don’t remember history class.) Power to the people!

If you’ve ever been uncomfortable on an airplane, you’re not alone. And, it’s about to get worse on some of the major carriers.

Delta, American, and Continental are all adding seats to the coach sections of their new planes. This is clearly an effort to cram more passengers on to already crowded aircrafts. Now you’re competing with even MORE people for overhead space (who wants to pay to check a bag?) and bathroom access. And, longer lines waiting to board and deplane doesn’t make anyone happy.

The spokespeople for the airlines claim a few new seat improvements will make the loss of leg room invisible to the consumer. For example, some planes will provide power outlets at each seat. That will be nice. However, it’s hard to work on your laptop when your knees are in your chest.

Out of all the majors, Jet Blue has the most leg room at 34″. And, they usually run good sales for cheap tickets, not to mention provide a TV at every seat. I’m sure they smell a marketing campaign here.

With the hassle at airport security, extra airline fees, increased wait time, and now even less room on board, a root canal seems like more fun than flying these days.

[via Pat's Papers]

On a recent flight, my daughter fell asleep in her seat at an uncomfortable angle. I quietly asked the flight attendant for a pillow. She replied, “Sure. We have them available for $7.” What?! For a pillow? Um, no thanks. I’ll use my jacket instead.

As we know, the cash-strapped airlines are nickel-and-diming passengers to death. How to avoid paying those extra fees? Start by packing lightly to avoid a checked bag fee. Also, bring your own food on board. A few airlines charge an additional amount for the exit-row seats, which usually have a bit of extra leg room. So, sit in a regular row instead.

According to this article, some airlines now charge for advance assignment of window and aisle seats. Some day, we’ll all be stuck in middle seats.

Way to go, airlines. You’re making that proposed high-speed rail system look better and better all the time.