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Transit Agencies Face the New Calculus of Broader Backsides {American behinds too big?}
New York Times ^ | 15 Jan 2012 | Christine Haughney

Posted on 01/16/2012 11:45:45 AM PST by Cronos

It was called the “First All-American Tush Tally,” an informal test to measure the behinds of two dozen New Yorkers to see if they could fit into the prescribed space in new subway cars made by Kawasaki.

..The problem of American waists that are too big for seats meant to accommodate them is certainly not new. Today, everything from love seats to toilet seats can be built bigger to accommodate wider profiles, and the seats offered on public transportation are no different.

..The airline industry has also spent years trying to balance passengers’ desire for bigger, more comfortable seating with the bottom-line-driven inclination to squeeze as many seats as possible onto an aircraft.

..“It’s clear that the U.S. population is getting heavier,” said Martin Schroeder, chief engineer for the American Public Transport Association and the committee’s chairman. “We are trying to get our hands on that and figure out what is the best average weight to use.”

...Sandra Lee, 39, a slender commuter on New Jersey Transit and PATH, said that the seats on PATH trains were too narrow and that she preferred the seats on New Jersey Transit’s newer double-decker cars because she found them more comfortable, if not wider.

“I happen to be hippy,” Ms. Lee said. “So I take up the width of it.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: backside; broadside; butt; fat
Sir Mix-a-lot was a prophet?!
1 posted on 01/16/2012 11:45:50 AM PST by Cronos
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To: Cronos

2 posted on 01/16/2012 11:48:09 AM PST by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: Cronos
<insert any photo of FLOTUS here>
3 posted on 01/16/2012 11:48:27 AM PST by null and void (Day 1089 of America's ObamaVacation from reality [Heroes aren't made, Frank, they're cornered...])
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To: Cronos
.“It’s clear that the U.S. population is getting heavier,”

"And Leon's getting larrrrger!"

4 posted on 01/16/2012 11:50:08 AM PST by dfwgator (Don't wake up in a roadside ditch. Get rid of Romney.)
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To: dfwgator
Sorry, but “Johnny Henshaw-Jacobs” was my least favorite Airplane! character. If someone in the movie had shot him, I would’ve cheered . . .
5 posted on 01/16/2012 11:57:09 AM PST by Olog-hai
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To: Cronos
“We are trying to get our hands on that and figure out what is the best average weight to use.”

So does that count as har-ass-ment?

6 posted on 01/16/2012 11:57:23 AM PST by sthguard (The DNC theme song: "All You Need is Guv")
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To: Cronos
Photobucket
7 posted on 01/16/2012 11:57:40 AM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (The Second Amendment, a Matter of Fact, Not a Matter of Opinion)
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To: Cronos

This topic can be termed a target rich environment.


8 posted on 01/16/2012 12:00:31 PM PST by YHAOS (you betcha!)
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To: SWAMPSNIPER

Interesting photoshop there ...


9 posted on 01/16/2012 12:01:08 PM PST by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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To: MHGinTN

It really didn’t require much work.


10 posted on 01/16/2012 12:02:47 PM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (The Second Amendment, a Matter of Fact, Not a Matter of Opinion)
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To: Cronos

I ride NYC buses all the time, and it’s a rare day I don’t see at least two humanoids spilling over the sides of their seats.


11 posted on 01/16/2012 12:11:02 PM PST by NativeNewYorker (Freepin' Jew Boy)
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To: SWAMPSNIPER

Looking at the block patterns of the entire dress broadside is wearing as she leads little Barry up the steps, I’d guess about a 20% stretching of just the center lower region of the dress, just from the boob belt down to the hemline.


12 posted on 01/16/2012 12:12:06 PM PST by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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To: Cronos
It was called the “First All-American Tush Tally,” an informal test to measure the behinds of two dozen New Yorkers to see if they could fit into the prescribed space in new subway cars made by Kawasaki.

It appears that they need to talk to Cowasaki.

13 posted on 01/16/2012 12:16:20 PM PST by Fresh Wind ('People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook.' Richard M. Nixon)
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To: MHGinTN
There is probably a ballistic grade Kevlar corset under there!

Photobucket

14 posted on 01/16/2012 12:18:16 PM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (The Second Amendment, a Matter of Fact, Not a Matter of Opinion)
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To: Cronos
Just spend some time here for confirmation.
15 posted on 01/16/2012 12:22:56 PM PST by Disambiguator
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To: NativeNewYorker
I ride NYC buses all the time, and it’s a rare day I don’t see at least two humanoids spilling over the sides of their seats.

Buffer overflow.

16 posted on 01/16/2012 1:25:39 PM PST by 6SJ7 (Meh.)
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To: Cronos

Their Swedish ergonomic consultant was the well-known Lar Jasperson.


17 posted on 01/16/2012 2:31:52 PM PST by Erasmus
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To: Erasmus

:)


18 posted on 01/16/2012 10:30:52 PM PST by Cronos (Party like it's 12 20, 2012)
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