A bit of silliness...

Have you seen the new SkyRider seats? The ones that are on the design table for future airline travel? I saw the announcement first yesterday, at Yahoo News, and again today. Walk with me through my thought process, possibly a dangerous journey but hopefully amusing, and at least I won't be alone.

Imagine: a standing seat for airlines. Really. Better yet, go find a picture and come back, I'll wait for you. (I really need to have my sister teach me how to post my own pictures, except that I wouldn't use the feature much.) Never mind. We'll start this exploration at the beginning, my first thoughts when I saw the picture of those seats:

worlds-narrowest-airline-seats

~Remember how you hated that guy for reclining his seat into your lap? Now he's practically in your lap and he hasn't moved his seat at all. There is no hope for a reprieve because that seat ain't movin'.
~Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to flight 13, the flying elevator, for the next three hours. Enjoy the ride.
~Don't plan on working on your laptop, unless it is one of those itty-bitty ones. Wait, is there even a table? Ooookkkaaayyyy, the iPad should be a shoe-in. It's small enough. Don't bother bringing binders or folders; there isn't room.

Then I read the article, and this paragraph stood out: "For flights anywhere from one to possibly even up to three hours ... this would be comfortable seating," he says. "The seat ... is like a saddle. Cowboys ride eight hours on their horses during the day and still feel comfortable in the saddle."

Read it again. And think about it.

I owned a horse. Riding for three hours leaves me feeling it the next day or two or three. Even an hour can leave me miserable. And lucky you, your flight is delayed on the tarmac, for four hours. And just for the record: The only time I felt comfortable in the saddle for eight hours was after I'd had a couple of days of feeling horrendously miserable. Can't move miserable. Want to scream every time I move miserable. (Hey, when you only have four days to ride as much as you want, you do what you have to do.) Quit crying and drag yourself up there, even if you do feel like your leg muscles are being ripped in half. Lovely thought, I know.

Now, take the logic a little bit further. You know, think ahead. Consider the possible draw backs. One word: Turbulence.

I'm going to give you a minute to think about that one, though I imagine you've already seen the potential problem, particularly to the male population, though the women won't be too impressed either.

It only takes being on a bucking horse once to know it isn't comfortable no matter what gender you are. Now, I only fly but once or twice a year. Even so, I've had more than a few times that I've found myself slammed into my seat by a bumpy flight.

How in the world did this design ever make it out of the brainstorming stage? Inquiring minds want to know, or not.

Please, not the future of any flight for me. Oh, wait, what was I thinking? It isn't stated but clearly this isn't meant for the general public; this is for the svelte and perfectly fit. Isn't it? Just wait until you find yourself seated beside a basketball player, or better yet, a football player, or a child too big to be on a parent's lap. Yep, good luck with that.