Please Turn Off All Electronic Devices

 We have all heard the words from our friendly flight attendant asking us to turn off all electronic devices as we fasten our seatbelts, put our trays in the upright position and relax for an uneventful flight across this great land of ours.  Why is it that so many folks believe that this friendly message should go unheeded. 

As I am sure you have seen on television or read in the newspaper, Alec Baldwin chose to not only disregard this friendly message but took it a step farther with the flight attendant who asked him to turn off his electronic device.  Obviously, Mr. Baldwin felt that he should have special privileges with his electronic device.  But then again, that's not necessarily the case.  As I am sure you have experienced on flights, there are quite a few folks who choose to disregard the friendly message and find a way to text, use their I pad or laptop.  They try to be sneaky about it but they really aren't fooling anyone. 

What truly is amazing, the friendly message is only for the periods of take-off and landing for most flights.  It says something about us that we are unable to even briefly do without these technological gee-whiz gadgets for even a few minutes.  The insatiable need to be connected and not miss one moment of chat, connectivity or email is catastrophic for some folks.  As things go, I could care less if people want to chat away, text away or surf the web.  What I don't get is not being reasonable about the request from the flight attendant. 

Recently released information on flights and the interference from electronic devices point to a number of instances where these hand-held devices caused disruption of airliner electronics.  Fortunately, in each instance, the offender of the airline policy was found and asked to turn off their electronic device.  Each time they turned it off, the airliner's electronics came back on line and all was fine. 

It seems reasonable enough to me that if there is even a remote chance that an electronic device could disrupt the machine I am flying in, at 30,000 feet mind you, I would think I would want to be cooperative.  What don't these people get.  The rule is there for a reason.  I grow tired of all the criers pronouncing that individual liberties are being trampled on by such a small request.  There truly are serious breaches in our nation of individual rights but this is not one of them.  This is one of those regulations that you need government for.

Just get over it already.  Turn your device off for the first ten minutes of your flight.  The folks you want to text or chat with or game you want to play will still be there when you are allowed to turn your device back on.  Grow Up!