Tuesday Tirade

Those who know me, know that my travel experiences are usually not ideal. I do not like airports and I do not like planes. I have no fear of flying. I don't mind the security process all that much. I believe it is necessary in this day and age to go through what we go through. The source of all of my frustration is... large amounts of people. This is the same frustration I would have if I went to the mall the Saturday before Christmas. The worst part of the entire flying experience for me is usually the baggage claim. After what is normally an entire day of waiting in line here, having your chair kicked there, taking off your shoes here, having no legroom there, parking miles away here, toting six pieces of luggage to a shuttle there.... The end of the day is always topped with the baggage claim. Baggage claim: indisputable evidence that people are generally stupid.

Why, oh why, is it that people feel the need to have there shins pressed up against the carousel minutes before the bags even start coming out of the chute? Then, they guard their area like they're a basketball player waiting for the rebound. Even when my bag is coming, I have to wedge my way through a small crowd of overzealous idiots just to retrieve it. Then, I get a dirty look from them as if I am the rude one. I do say "excuse me" when I do this, but I guess their ears are still plugged up from the flight, because they refuse to give up the small piece of carpeted real estate that they somehow feel entitled to since they're expecting a piece of luggage. After a long day of travel, elbowing through these people is not enjoyable to me, in fact it's completely unnecessary. Why can't people just stand back until they see their bag/s and then proceed forward to pick it off the carousel? The baggage claim sheep phenomenon is not limited to one type of person. There are busy moms, businessmen, children who have no doubt learned from their ignorant parents, and old people who you would think would be wise enough to hang back and be patient (especially considering these are the same people who will halt traffic in the supermarket parking lot while they wait 15 minutes for a car to pull out of a spot).

While I wait for my bags, I usually just stand back and seethe. The other thing I do while I'm watching the mayhem, and waiting patiently, is look at the other people who've decided to take the same tact as myself. These are smart people, who have it all figured out. Kudos to you if you hang back at the baggage claim. If I was the type to strike up a smalltalk conversation with a stranger, it would probably be with someone who hangs back at baggage claim, and the conversation would probably be about the people who don't. If you are a sheep with your legs pressed to the metal, please reconsider your practices.

One solution would be to paint a line. They have one at the post office and the DMV. Why not put one in baggage claim? Somebody please stop the madness!