Not sure if this has been discussed before

[crashbb]

Additionally, in NY, it's perfectly legal for women to go topless at public beaches and trust me, when the law was enacted it generated a lot of concern, but it rarely comes up as conversation now.

To add to Bavaria's portrayal of Canada as the land of debauchery (which would seriously amuse most Canadians that I know) I must point out that, in Ontario, a woman can go topless anywhere that a man can go topless. However, I have never seen a topless woman, walking around in public.

What about a flight going from Canada/Europe to the US? Are the norms based on the country of origin of the airline? If so, would a LH flight from Frankfurt to NYC have different acceptable norms than a UA flight on the same route (note, two random airlines picked, I have no idea if they fly that route).

 

[bavaria]

To add to Bavaria's portrayal of Canada as the land of debauchery (which would seriously amuse most Canadians that I know)...

Ah, but in Canada I believe that the animals and the fruit are portrayed as well-behaved, unlike in the land of Hedonism!

 

[uva185]

I've seen frontal nudity in movies shown on Delta's seat back entertainment system on a domestic flight. If you don't want you child to see that it is your responsibility to advert your child's eyes. Sorry but I would not stop watching an R rated film because you son/daughter was looking at it.

I am not sure what seating arrangement would have made it easy for your son to watch the movie. Would switching seats with him not have solved the problem without inconveniencing the other person??

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't believe there is anything you can do about someone watching a mainstream non-porn film on a plane or other public conveyance on a personal viewing system past politely asking them to turn the screen the other way or even turn the movie off. If they refuse, you don't have any recourse. I don't believe the flight attendants are empowered to stop them.

I have a movie called "The Andromeda Strain" that I wouldn't watch on a laptop on planes although there is no sex and no violence in the film - because I know people personally who would freak at some of the scenes in which scientists attempting to isolate an organism from outer space do experiments on animals. So you never know what might set someone else off. (I do watch the movies on my Ipod - the screen is so small it can easily be hidden from other passengers)

Until the airlines put in a rule about the type of movie airline passengers can watch on their personal devices, you're kind of stuck handling it yourself however you feel you can.

I've had kids come and stand in the aisle next to me and try to watch my Ipod so it can be harder to tell kids to avert their eyes. Parents may need to take other precautions - bring something distracting, block the kid's view, etc.

 

[bavaria]

And I do not agree with the policy that a UA FA apparently made up that if one passenger objects, the entire flight goes without the movie (this was a transcon)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...6-no-movie-shown-due-passenger-objection.html

The movie that was so offensive?

Harry Potter.

 

[bavaria]

9/26/2007--Introduced.
Family Friendly Flights Act of 2007 - Requires an air carrier that provides publicly viewable entertainment screens on which violent in-flight programming is displayed to provide a child safe viewing area for child passengers who are under the age of 13 and for at least one adult travel companion per child. Requires: (1) all unaccompanied children under the age of 13 to be seated in the child safe viewing area; and (2) an air carrier, ticket agent, or their employees to offer an adult traveling with a child under the age of 13 the opportunity to request seating in the child safe viewing area.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-3676

The proposal dealt with public screens, not private screens, so in this case the OP would still have not been 'protected' by any law

(A) IN GENERAL- The term `publicly viewable entertainment screen' means a video screen prominently located in the passenger compartment of an aircraft and viewable by more than 3 passengers, including all screens located in the aisles and on bulkhead walls.

the bill never went to vote, but interesting that they deal with violence but not sex or nudity. I suspect that more posters are concerned about sex and nudity over violence (and ironically I have posted my own feelings about violence, but I don't feel the need for anyone to shield me from it)

And who do you think would be paying for those 'safe viewing areas' on the airplane? And what if you were seated in that area because there weren't enough kids needing to be shielded on the flight? Could you still watch the movie?

 

[JimmyJr'sMom]

I have a 7yr old son- and we fly quite a bit. He has his own entertainment (Nintendo DS, Leapster, Books, etc....) so this is not an issue for us. Were your kids just sitting there twiddling their thumbs? Then of course any kind of movie with action and within view is going to grab their attention. It is YOUR responsibilty to monitor what YOUR child is doing or watching. Leave the other passengers alone.

 

[FINFAN]

for the OP...there was a thread sometime back on this subject, I remember posting on it, as I was in a similar situation. The passenger with the movie on our flight was on an aisle seat, and the person in the row ahead of me, and the row behind me both commented on the "nature" of the movie for public flight. We kinda got into a discussion ( the passenger had headphones on , I have no idea if he heard us)about just basic public politeness and consideration.( we also were on a mornignflight, just seemed really odd to view such "entertainment" while waiting for coffee.. It is one thing to choose a movie in a theater that is to your liking, but when on a plane (and some airlines do not let you choose your seat) it is a little different situation. While there is no legal limit on what one can watch, I wish there was a reminder, statement made by Flight Attendents etc. to please be considerate of your surrounding passengers if watching a movie. That's all, maybe just a glance to see if anyone is upset by it, uncomfortable...maybe they will change their movie choice, maybe not, but a pleasant suggestion would be nice.

 

[Belle5]

Were your kids just sitting there twiddling their thumbs?

Yes, I am a firm believer in thumb twiddling!

Sorry, your comments are just ridiculous.

Honestly, there is just so much presumption in the some of the responses to my original post...I forgot--this is the transportation board

 

[Tozzie]

I thought about this for a while before I responded, I am bothered by the original poster and a few others thinking they can dictate what others do because they don't like it. There are alot of things people do that I don't like but hey that is life. I also can't figure out how anyone unless they are being nosy or purposly looking can see enough of what someone else is wataching on theri laptops. I have sat next to people watching movies on their laptops and to be quite honest I couldn't tell you the content because I wasn't looking at it, I was using my laptop or I was reading. If it bothers you stop looking at it but just because you don't like it does not give you the right to try and dictate what the person is watching. Your children are not someone elses responsibility they are yours bring stuff to keep them occupied and then they won't be looking at someones laptop.

 

[Belle5]

for the OP...there was a thread sometime back on this subject, I remember posting on it, as I was in a similar situation. The passenger with the movie on our flight was on an aisle seat, and the person in the row ahead of me, and the row behind me both commented on the "nature" of the movie for public flight. We kinda got into a discussion ( the passenger had headphones on , I have no idea if he heard us)about just basic public politeness and consideration.( we also were on a mornignflight, just seemed really odd to view such "entertainment" while waiting for coffee.. It is one thing to choose a movie in a theater that is to your liking, but when on a plane (and some airlines do not let you choose your seat) it is a little different situation. While there is no legal limit on what one can watch, I wish there was a reminder, statement made by Flight Attendents etc. to please be considerate of your surrounding passengers if watching a movie. That's all, maybe just a glance to see if anyone is upset by it, uncomfortable...maybe they will change their movie choice, maybe not, but a pleasant suggestion would be nice.

Ahh, yes...that would be nice, wouldn't it?

 

[bavaria]

No, it would not.

Why should the other passengers have to conform to your opinion of what is acceptable or not acceptable? I still don't see where you have clarified what offended you.

If I were to watch something on my netbook, or iPod, or portable DVD player, the screen is so small that another passenger would need to be very close to see anything. Then factor in the screen glare and chances are very low that anyone can view much of anyone else's movie, unless they are trying to hard to do so.

You can always close your eyes, or read a book, or look elsewhere.

I don't consider sex between two adults porn, and I don't have an issue with it in a film or on television. If it appears in a movie while I am on a flight, I am not going to turn off the movie to please someone else. I wouldn't expect anyone else to turn off a violent movie.

This is the same old argument here that everyone else must conform to meet one person's expectations, regardless of how it may impact them.

 

[Belle5]

I thought about this for a while before I responded, I am bothered by the original poster and a few others thinking they can dictate what others do because they don't like it. There are alot of things people do that I don't like but hey that is life. I also can't figure out how anyone unless they are being nosy or purposly looking can see enough of what someone else is wataching on theri laptops. I have sat next to people watching movies on their laptops and to be quite honest I couldn't tell you the content because I wasn't looking at it, I was using my laptop or I was reading. If it bothers you stop looking at it but just because you don't like it does not give you the right to try and dictate what the person is watching. Your children are not someone elses responsibility they are yours bring stuff to keep them occupied and then they won't be looking at someones laptop.

Perhaps you should have taken even longer to think before responding. I was sitting across the aisle and back one row from the person with the laptop. I had a nice full view without even trying. So did my son who was sitting directly behind me (maybe not QUITE as good-but good enough). I would really appreciate if any subsequent posters would just take my word about the view I had--I really don't want to address it again.

I am sorry you are so bothered by my wanting to protect the innocence of my younger children. I assume it would be against some policy for my fellow passengers to engage in sexual behavior in the aisle across from our family. Odd, isn't it, how the same moving behaviors on a computer screen shouldn't raise an eyebrow?

 

[bavaria]

I sit on a plane every week and have a hard time believing that a child or adult sitting two rows back across the aisle has much of a view of anything clear at all.

Then factor in that something has to distract one away from ones own activity and draw their eye to the screen, and the chances are very low of someone actively watching what is on another screen. I even have a hard time seeing what is on the screen of the passenger next to me, not that I want to do so.

Most sex scenes in films last a very short time.

It sounds like the OP has boundaries, and that is fine. But trying to force those boundaries on others is not fine.

 

[Tozzie]

Perhaps you should have taken even longer to think before responding. I was sitting across the aisle and back one row from the person with the laptop. I had a nice full view without even trying. So did my son who was sitting directly behind me (maybe not QUITE as good-but good enough). I would really appreciate if any subsequent posters would just take my word about the view I had--I really don't want to address it again.

I am sorry you are so bothered by my wanting to protect the innocence of my younger children. I assume it would be against some policy for my fellow passengers to engage in sexual behavior in the aisle across from our family. Odd, isn't it, how the same moving behaviors on a computer screen shouldn't raise an eyebrow?

I am bothered by you wanting to dictate what other people do irregardless of the reason. Children are not a trump card.

 

[bavaria]

What about a flight going from Canada/Europe to the US? Are the norms based on the country of origin of the airline? If so, would a LH flight from Frankfurt to NYC have different acceptable norms than a UA flight on the same route (note, two random airlines picked, I have no idea if they fly that route).

One company in CA does the majority of the post edits for airlines, cruise ships, etc. The airline dictates what is to be censored. Some carriers may have two versions - US and international. I'll let you guess which is more heavily censored.

A few years back the film 'the Queen' was erroneously censored to remove all references to 'God' and to 'homosexuals', causing quite the upset.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, I am a firm believer in thumb twiddling!

Sorry, your comments are just ridiculous.

Honestly, there is just so much presumption in the some of the responses to my original post...I forgot--this is the transportation board

Then, having read all the pixie-dust-free comments , would you please respond to the presumptions so we have all the necessary information? What movie, exactly, was this offensive?
Original post:

The screen was in few view of my younger sons. We did some seat rearranging and used our bodies to block the views as best we could (DH and me).

I had a nice full view without even trying. So did my son who was sitting directly behind me

Respectfully, there is some discrepancy between the two reports.

Wouldn't it have been less aggravating all around if the OP had asked, or asked a Flight Attendant to ask, the other passenger to turn the screen?

 

[goofy4tink]

Yes, I am a firm believer in thumb twiddling!

Sorry, your comments are just ridiculous.

Honestly, there is just so much presumption in the some of the responses to my original post...I forgot--this is the transportation board

Yes, this is the 'transportation board' and we all know what that means. However....no one has been nasty or mean, or rude. Comments and opinions have been given. Unfortunatly, not everyone is going to agree with any one stand.

There is no presumption here....it was said that there was 'full view' of a laptop screen, then it was said that there was moving around to lessen the view. If the movie being watched was that bad, then a FA should have been spoken to and allowed to handle the situation.

Would it be nice if people tried to tone down what they watched on a flight? Sure. Common sense would always be welcome. But here's the rub....and I'm not saying this was the case with the OP, just a 'what if' scenario.....
you are seated in 12D. The person in 11C is watching Lord of the Rings. Not a basically offensive movie. But plenty of folks feel it is way too violent. Do you, in seat 12D, have the right to ask the person in 11C to turn off the movie, simply because you feel it is too violent?? Or what if they're watching 'Sex in the City'? Some may feel that the naked man (who is quite wonderful by the way...) is over the top and they are offended.
There are people out there who feel that any display of affection, outside the confines of the home, are out of line.
Where does it stop? There is no way to regulate what others are doing if their actions are not illegal.

Hopefully, passengers will show common sense in dealing with this issue and have some sensitivity towards their fellow passengers. But, if you are a passenger with beliefs that would disallow the viewing of something that is viewed as 'acceptable' by the vast majority, you need to bring along something to occupy your attention.

I understand the need to protect our childrens innocence. I'm a mother...been there, done that. But, once your kids are outside the home, it's a free for all. As soon as those kids are away from our parental influence, it's a whole different ball game. I know that I think my sweet 15 y/o dd is truly innocent. Then, I start cleaning out her book bag at the end of school. Well.....that was an eye opening exercise. She is older than I thought. My ability to keep her innocent is gone. She needs to be able to make some judgement calls on her own now. And that's our job as parents....give our kids the tools they need. In fact, as I sit here, handing out free parenting advice, I realize what a great teaching moment the OP had....a wonderful converstation starter about how different people have different tastes and ways of looking at things, and how maybe some things should be left to the imagination.
On that note, I think I'll stop pontificating...that was not my original thought. Just wanted to point out that there are differences of opinion. That doesn't make this a nasty or rude board. It does give pause for thought though. It is always a good thing to allow others to look at something from a different perspective.
Hope everyone is having a magical, pixie dust filled day...

 

[DisneyWalker44]

You might have politely asked if the passenger could slightly change the angle of his laptop.

+1

Not everything has to be a crisis and debate. Simple, non-confrontational requests go a long way towards solving many problems.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I think I would have said something to the flight attendent too. I wouldn't want my kids exposed to that either. I'm sure they wouldn't allow him to sit and read a Playboy mag, so what is the difference? I would think you would not be allowed to do this.

Nope - you can read Playboy on a plane! Why do you think they sell it in the airport?

I have flown a number of times and seen people reading Playboy. It is as mainstream as it gets.