Airlines forbid men from sitting next to unaccompanied minors

Should men be allowed to sit next to unaccompanied minors?

  • Yes

    Votes: 38 57.6%
  • No

    Votes: 7 10.6%
  • Yes, unless the minor's parents request otherwise

    Votes: 15 22.7%
  • Another option, I'll explain

    Votes: 6 9.1%

  • Total voters
    66
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backslashbaby

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In science, to do a proper statistical analysis, you're supposed to choose the cutoff for your decision prior to looking at the data. Otherwise the data can influence and bias you when you go to make your decision. (At least that's what we statisticians keep telling experimentalists, but do they ever listen? Noooo.) This is the way we apply statistics to all sciences, including the business and social sciences. When you go to look at the data, no matter what it is, you can end up saying "see, this is too much!" I want to get an idea of what you think is an appropriate cutoff before you look at the data.

:ROFL: You'd hate to see how the business world can mangle things.

Oy. You are a tough one. I'd say I'd use similar tolerances as vaccinations are allowed. Flu vaccines, specifically. I'm pulling that out of my ass because you won't let me cheat any, though ;)
 

little_e

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Theoretically. But I'm talking about looking at a real problem, not making a completely theoretical scientific analysis. I'd like to see the general trends in the data before choosing exactly how to approach it. It doesn't have to fit all cases of similar data sets, remember. It's more of a business or social science approach.
My political science professors would be appalled by this statement. We were taught to be quite rigorous in our use of statistics, thank you very much.
 

Devil Ledbetter

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"Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien."

I think there is a middle road here, depending on how men flying feel about it, yes.

"Je ne pas parles Francais."

The problem is it puts men in the position of either accepting the nasty accusations/assumptions that their maleness makes them sexually crave and violate children, or refusing to put precious, vulnerable children ahead of their own pride. It's a lose-lose proposition for them.

Further, it teaches children (by example) then men simply cannot be trusted and want nothing more than to be allowed in close proximity to them so they can take advantage in sick and twisted ways.

And even further, it sticks women in the role of unwitting caretakers of stranger's children on planes.

In other words, it's fucked up.
 

backslashbaby

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My political science professors would be appalled by this statement. We were taught to be quite rigorous in our use of statistics, thank you very much.

Well, feel free to jump in with your study design!

eta: in fairness, though, I really am coming at it from a manufacturing background more than my theoretical education. It's just something I've done more of in any practical application.
 

Chrissy

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I think there are two ways of looking at the idea of asking a man to change seats, with the disclaimers that (1) there must be a better way, with sectioning off rows for children, or something like that, and (2) I'm not a man, nor have I ever been in this particular position (although I can think of some comparable examples, but never mind).

The man could say:

"They don't even know me, and they assume I'm capable of molesting a child????"

Or, he could say:

"They don't know me, and they are trying to protect the child from child molesters."

That's my opinion. I don't know what the "right" thing to do is. I certainly don't want to offend anyone, but I also want to protect the kids.
 

missesdash

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No evidence that a woman has sexually abused a child, or just not on an airplane?

tumblr_m8tgmap0tK1qhk4un.gif


Take a wild guess
 

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"The problem is it puts men in the position of either accepting the nasty accusations/assumptions that their maleness makes them sexually crave and violate children, or refusing to put precious, vulnerable children ahead of their own pride. It's a lose-lose proposition for them.

Further, it teaches children (by example) then men simply cannot be trusted and want nothing more than to be allowed in close proximity to them so they can take advantage in sick and twisted ways.

And even further, it sticks women in the role of unwitting caretakers of stranger's children on planes.

In other words, it's fucked up.
Yup, I agree.

I don't have kids. I generally fly alone. I am the person who always ends up with three parent-less brats sitting behind me, who spend the flight kicking my seat and pulling my hair. I am the person who always ends up in the baby-pit of international flights, no matter how much I beg not to be seated there; the last time, an apparently reached-the-end-of-her-tether mother in my seat row handed me her endlessly screaming baby and walked away.

I do understand that some people have no choice but to let their kids fly alone. But for pete's sake teach them how to behave in public! And it peeves me no end to know that some people (one of my ex-colleagues among them) seat themselves in first class and put their kids in cattle class so that the parents can 'enjoy' their flight and someone else can deal with their brats. (This colleague also has a habit of booking herself and her husband on a direct flight, and booking her kids on an indirect flight that leaves earlier and arrives later. They dump their kids on a flight attendant, go sit in the lounge and drink, take their flight, sit in the lounge and drink at the other end, and then collect their kids when the later flight finally arrives. All, again, so they can "enjoy" their trip and let some other poor slob like me deal with their obnoxious kids.)

Sorry, that was my personal pre-coffee rant for the day.
 

J.S.F.

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I think either way the guy who's traveling alone is going to be viewed as a potential threat. If not as a child molester, then perhaps as a terrorist (depending on his looks and where he's from) or a hijacker, or a mason, or a member of the Illuminati....

Okay, not those last two. I wonder, is there an age limit on these things? Years back, when I was in my mid-twenties, I often had to sit next to a screaming, ill-mannered kid. No one ever asked me to move, no one ever accused me of touching their little Johnny or Janey, and no one looked at me strangely. I haven't been on an airplane for the last four years, so I guess times have changed and not for the better.

Whoever said this situation is all screwed up is right.
 

RJLeahy

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missesdash;752256 Take a wild guess[/QUOTE said:
No guessing allowed. But I assume you agree they exist, and at some point they will probably fly to... wherever pedophiles fly. So then it's just a matter of time.
 

GeorgeK

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The risks I see are discriminating against men. If men were OK with that to a certain percentage, it reduces the number of cases needed to make that decision.

I'd have to survey flying men to begin to do a real analysis.

I say men shouldn't sit next to unaccompanied minors... or anyone with fewer than 46 chromosomes...or more than 46 chromosomes...or a different gender...or the same gender...lets just make that for 5 rows to be sure...(puts tray up and seat back and earbuds in)
 

EarlyBird

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It really bothers me to lump an entire gender into a criminal category. The rule goes too far, I believe. I hope guys don't think that all women believe men are going to molest children. I certainly don't.

Besides, whose to say women are any safer?

Best to teach our kids to scream, kick, and punch if someone ever touches them inappropriately.
 

RJLeahy

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Couldn't we just arm the kids? You know, little guns with small, child sized bullet?
 

missesdash

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It really bothers me to lump an entire gender into a criminal category. The rule goes too far, I believe. I hope guys don't think that all women believe men are going to molest children. I certainly don't.

Besides, whose to say women are any safer?

Best to teach our kids to scream, kick, and punch if someone ever touches them inappropriately.

Every study ever conducted on sexual abuse of children :Shrug:
 

RJLeahy

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This is the type of sexism that would never be tolerated by women, and shouldn't be by men.
 

RJLeahy

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If studies showed certain races were statically more prone to certain crimes, it wouldn't justify racism.
 
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