Using ebook readers on aeroplanes?

[toddos]

Originally Posted by BenLee

I'm sure they wouldn't enforce this rule if it didn't truly pose a risk to the functioning of the plane.

I take it you've never heard of security theater? The rule is arbitrary and only there in order for them to enforce a rule so you can think you're safe. There's no actual risk, and as such I never bother to turn off my electronics. If the flight attendant asks I will show him/her that the screen is "off", but that's it.

I do switch my iPhone over to airplane mode once I'm in the air, but only because it significantly drains the battery if I don't. However I keep it in full wireless mode during takeoff and landing. There's no reason not to.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

On my Delta flight when I went to Disney World in April they specifically asked that any Kindle's and like devices not be used during take off/landing and that the wireless be turned off.

Same with me.

It was a nuisance, so I stole some skinny woman's paperback book while she was taking care of her brat. It was a horrible book, by the way.

(The second paragraph is untrue, of course.)



Don



Don

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I must admit that I do find this "the rules don't apply to me" attitude a little discouraging. I take the view personally that if you travel by air, you accept the "rules" that accompany air travel. It doesn't matter whether or not they make any sense; by choosing to fly, you are implicitly (and legally, for that matter) agreeing to abide by the rules.

Agreed - this does seem to bring out the worst in people.

All too many seem to feel that a complete absence of technical understanding of the technologies involved, coupled with a skewed sense of their own statistical relevance ("I left my cellphone on once, and the plane didn't crash, so it must be OK") allows them to ignore, for their own convenience, a rule created by people with at least some level of understanding.

/JB

[DawnFalcon]

Just put it in your bag. Like they're going to care as long as you're not blatantly reading it in front of them.

And yes, aircraft need EM shielding checks more often. Said this before too...

[Jellby]

It seems people are much more belligerent when they defend their "right to use whatever device I want in the plane", than when figthing the "security" measures in airports (as in waiting in a line for hours, being searched and undressed, not being allowed to bring a water bottle or small scissors inside, absence of comfortable places to sit down and wait...)

Not turning off electronic devices when asked to is akin to saying: I don't have to pass through the scanner, I'm not carrying a bomb or anything dangerous, so I'll just use this side door while nobody is watching.

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I must admit that I do find this "the rules don't apply to me" attitude a little discouraging. I take the view personally that if you travel by air, you accept the "rules" that accompany air travel. It doesn't matter whether or not they make any sense; by choosing to fly, you are implicitly (and legally, for that matter) agreeing to abide by the rules.

Agreed. Air travel is a privilege, not a right. We are not entitled to anything and if we don't want to follow a simple little rule like temporarily turning off our gadgets, we need to wake up or start taking the car everywhere.

[DawnFalcon]

It's a commercial transaction, like most things. Not a "privilege", although there are plenty of greens who'd like to see it become so, these days.

Pressing the off switch and putting your kindle in its bag or simply putting it in it's bag makes zero difference to its actual activity level. Pressing the off switch is security theatre at its finest.

[jasonfedelem]

My observation is that as a society we are so obsessed with being connected to something all the time that we can't even disconnect for the twenty minutes it takes to take off.

Take a chill pill, people. Relax and look out the window. Turn off and tune out for just a few minutes.

[MovieBird]

Originally Posted by Jellby

It seems people are much more belligerent when they defend their "right to use whatever device I want in the plane", than when figthing the "security" measures in airports (as in waiting in a line for hours, being searched and undressed, not being allowed to bring a water bottle or small scissors inside, absence of comfortable places to sit down and wait...)

Not turning off electronic devices when asked to is akin to saying: I don't have to pass through the scanner, I'm not carrying a bomb or anything dangerous, so I'll just use this side door while nobody is watching.

Security Theater is precisely why I travel less than once a year now by plane. The fees have gone up atrociously, and the level of comfort has declined exponentially. This has helped my carbon footprint, but I really wish rail were an actual option in the US. Taking four days to go across the country by train (each way) is just not an option for most. Oh well, at least an eight hour drive by myself in a car now puts me in a state of zen as I contemplate the meaning of life instead of encouraging a stroke due to airport idiocy.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by MovieBird

Security Theater is precisely why I travel less than once a year now by plane. The fees have gone up atrociously, and the level of comfort has declined exponentially. This has helped my carbon footprint, but I really wish rail were an actual option in the US. Taking four days to go across the country by train (each way) is just not an option for most. Oh well, at least an eight hour drive by myself in a car now puts me in a state of zen as I contemplate the meaning of life instead of encouraging a stroke due to airport idiocy.

I sure hope you're not that zen'd out dude headin' toward me the wrong way on the highway

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

Pressing the off switch and putting your kindle in its bag or simply putting it in it's bag makes zero difference to its actual activity level. Pressing the off switch is security theatre at its finest.

You are told to turn it off. Putting it into "sleep" mode is not turning it off. This is plain English - is it really so difficult for people to understand?

[DJHARKAVY]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You are told to turn it off. Putting it into "sleep" mode is not turning it off. This is plain English - is it really so difficult for people to understand?

Is that a serious question?

Are you aware of how many people think that putting it into sleep mode IS turning it off?

Do you think that someone who turns it 'off' by putting it into sleep mode and putting it away is going to
a) cause a panic or
b) cause a crash?

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You are told to turn it off. Putting it into "sleep" mode is not turning it off. This is plain English - is it really so difficult for people to understand?

It has never even occurred to me to shutdown my iPod, 505, etc... on a plane.
They say turn it off, I press the off button and stop using it.
Certainly on no flight I've been on have they ever made a point of saying to shut something down rather than turn it off, and given the sheer number of iPods/iPhones/etc... out there they must have thought of it.
I'd guess a majority of iPod owners don't even know you can do a full shutdown.

[DawnFalcon]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You are told to turn it off. Putting it into "sleep" mode is not turning it off. This is plain English - is it really so difficult for people to understand?

Great, now, to be clear you're making a personal commitment to teach every air stewardess how to turn every device off? Remembering that some device don't switch off, and most people don't KNOW how to switch their ereaders fully off.

Security Theatre. They care about not seeing you "misbehaving", nothing else.

You're being an ass for the sake of being an ass as per absolutely flipping usual.

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by jasonfedelem

My observation is that as a society we are so obsessed with being connected to something all the time that we can't even disconnect for the twenty minutes it takes to take off.

Take a chill pill, people. Relax and look out the window. Turn off and tune out for just a few minutes.

Absolutely. I live in NYC and everyone here is in a rush, talking on their cellphones, texting, running for the train, etc...

To where? An early grave? More time spent disconnected is prescribed by a lot of authors and after having tried it, I totally agree. But sadly, it's something we could all probably use more of, but don't think we need.