Brian Holden: Space invaders? Time for a knees-up

Some airlines need to adjust their seating arrangements to keep their passengers comfortable. PHOTO/AP

When it comes to behaviour regarding the invasion of our personal space, we have improved little - if at all - over the centuries. For an airliner to have to divert recently because of a spat between two "cattle class" passengers over leg room is a case in point.

Tired of having to put up with the reclining seat in front, a man invested $26.30 on a knee defender device that clamps on to the tray table, preventing the woman in front from reclining her seat. As a result, the passenger whose seat was blocked lost her cool and threw a glass of water over the guy.

Yeah, well, I guess that's one way to solve a problem, but come on, 10668m (35,000ft) in the air is not the place to do it.

Basically, any item, be it knee defenders, crescent spanners or whatever, that are intended to modify the working of an aircraft in any way, especially those that elicit silly games, thus compromising the safety of the flight, should be forbidden. Period.

Of course the real issue here sits (excuse the pun) with the airline companies that over the years have made the space between each seat increasingly smaller.

Ironically it's actually a contradiction of our times, when people are growing larger.

What airlines should really be doing is increasing the distance between the seats and asking passengers for a little more in ticket charges. My bet is that most would willingly pay. It is well overdue for airlines to start modifying the seating to realistic proportions.

But hey, in the meantime, there is a compromise in how to deal with the pesky passenger in front of you, if you detect that they are about to settle into a long period of repose.

It's possible to put your knees discreetly up behind the seat in front, which can reduce the reclining angle just enough to make the occupant think that it's at the maximum angle.

Once they've hunkered down, you can then put your knees back down, with the satisfaction that your mission has been accomplished. It works most of the time. But c'mon, this is also childish behaviour, which I would not recommend - even if the passenger in front is really putting on a selfish display far worse than your own.

With our country's alcohol-soaked problems as they are, Countdown supermarket hasn't helped matters with last week's specials mailbox drop.

The announcement on the front page reads "Get 20% off wine when you buy 6 or more bottles".

Over 30 bottles representing as many different brands are impressively displayed, radiating out from the centre. Turn the page and you will see cartons representing a dozen different brands of beer with savings of between $2.99 and $8.99. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that such promotions encourage many people to buy alcohol in bulk - which can in turn lead them to drinking in bulk.

For some, the ad could simply present an opportunity to buy a couple of bottles and maybe a beer pack for the coming festive season.

Far more likely, though, that many consumers will grab the chance to stock up just for the weekend.

Business is business, and Countdown deserves 10 out of 10 for effective marketing, but for consideration for the betterment of the community - zero.

Oh dear, a reader has taken issue with my light-hearted article on Candy Crush "addiction" last week, politely asking me "not to generalise in such an offensive fashion by suggesting that women who look at their phones are playing silly games" and that she "would sooner gnaw (her) arm off than waste even a second on that nonsense".

Oh come on, woman, loosen up. The article was in light humour. In this troubled world, it is good to have a laugh now and then, which was solely the purpose of this article.

• Brian Holden has lived in Rotorua for most of his life and has recently celebrated 10 years' writing And Another Thing.