Backpackers, Be(A)Ware

Joan,

I know what you mean, I've been on both ends.

Some cultures/countries have no problem with more or less spooning you while you're in line. The way i see it, sometimes you can be too close for your own good. Its like tailgating someone while driving.

happy trails.

At least those "huge back pack"s are up near eye level where everyone can see them, not down on the floor where they can't be easily seen and trip everyone. Two people pulling rollaboards beside them can block a whole aisle in one direction, but if they drag them several feet behind, they can trip you. At least my carryon bag is only 8 inches thick. If that's a problem, as Ray says, you're too close to me.

I think this is probably a non issue, or at best a six of one half dozen of the other thing. As Lee alludes, the amount of real estate that rollers take up is large compared to backpacks, and there's lots more rollers than backpacks. People are constantly tripping over the "train" of another, I've just learned to drive defensively when near a packer.

Count me in on the list of people who really dislike backpacks. I get hit in the head with them all the time sitting on the train, or knocked by them from people walking past me in stores or on the street. I see people knock stuff over in stores with them too.

Let's leave the rolling suitcases out of this discussion, as they have been discussed to death on other threads. Everyone has their preference for long distance travel. I cannot carry my suitcase except for short trips up and down steps or into trains. The thought of having to carry it for 10-15 min. walking to a train station would put me off traveling. This isn't a heavy bag at all, just I cannot carry it very far.

Am at the Frankfurt airport and main train station almost daily, and have yet to trip over a rolling suitcase. I watch where I walk. It is easy.

Umbrellas bother me more. While a lot of backpack users are considerate, no one with an umbrella seems to pay any attention to who they're poking in the eye or dripping on.

I am in the same boat as Jo, not able to carry a backpack anymore, so must roll. I watch where I'm going. The worst backpack offense (for me) is someone turning around in a narrow train aisle and slamming people on the turn back as well.

I don't think anyone does this on purpose, they just don't realize that a backpack doubles or triples a person's "personal space".

Full agreement with the original post and add that at least for me, the moving roadblocks by those with bags on wheels are a bigger nuisance given the greater area consumed and too often stops in front of stairs or to board trains and fiddling with extension handles. Backpacks are more at my eye level and easier to avoid being thwacked.

"Backpacks are more at my eye level and easier to avoid"

Unless, of course, you walk around looking at the floor to avoid roller bags, and therefore run into and hate backpacks.

Any backpack sticking out far enough to be a problem in airports is too huge to be carried on - must have been checked.

I'm 70½ yo and don't have any trouble carrying my bag (11#) on my back, but the extra weight of a roller would make it harder to lift on strairs, onto the train, and into the overhead bin.

BTW, when entering trains and planes, I slip it off my back and carry it by the handle, as, I suspect, do roller bag users. Makes it far easier to maneuver. Then the added weight and rigidity of a roller bag would make it more cumbersome.

Re: ...no roller case has ever smacked me in the face.

I have seen carry-on roller bags dropped on heads of seated passengers as roller bag people struggle to push their overloaded roller into the overhead. Could it be that passengers lacking upper body strength go with roller bags while those strong enough go with backpacks?

Re the original post, yes situational awareness and common courtesy apply to all including backpacks, rollers and umbrellas.

"Re the original post, yes situational awareness and common courtesy apply to all including backpacks, rollers and umbrellas."

Yes, Edgar. You are so right; it's only good manners.

I heartily agree with Edgar. Regardless of what type of luggage is being used, both situational awareness and courtesy are necessary. I use Backpacks and try to be courteous to those around me. I'm also very careful when going into crowded stores, and haven't knocked anything over yet.

Getting hit/bumped by a even a carry on day backpack is annoying, to say the least. I prefer and use the roller suitcase. I don't use a day pack as a carry on.

"they just don't realize that a backpack doubles or triples a person's "personal space".

I can't speak for those with camping backpacks, but my regulation carryon backpack add less then a sq ft to my personal space. I actually occupy about 1½ sq ft of floor space, and I think it is fair to say my "personal space" extends beyond that, so, NO, it doesn't even double my personal space. Now, lets talk about how much roller bags expand your personal space.

I will promise to always carry my bag by hand onto airplanes and trains and never wear it in stores, if those with rollers promise they will always drag their bags directly behind them, extending no more than 9 inches (the regulation thickness of my backpack).

Joan's original post was just a plea to users of 'huge' backpacks to be aware before whipping around or backing up in crowded areas. I personally and many others I know have had unintended run-ins with these back packers (I'm not talking about day-packs), sometimes right in the head or face (in the case of short people like me) on trains, in shops, and in tourist crowd situations. I have also had an incident on a plane with someone wearing their pack down the aisle - extremely rude behavior in my mind. On the other hand, I've never had a run-in with a roller bag, most likely because people usually roll them behind themselves and in front of me and I can be aware of something in front of me. Now if someone is pushing a roller bag in front of them they could possibly trip up the person in front of them who would not be aware, but I don't know anyone who's had that problem.

EDIT: Just another observation: in crowded situations, 'personal space' goes out the window, so to speak. So, just because you may think you have x amount of personal space, that's not always the case.

How about those long pointy shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, and then there are the folks who haul two wheeled bags side-by-side through public spaces. They cut a swath about 6 feet wide. I've been run-over by such travelers. I guess you are supposed to just hop out of the way.

Every few months we seem to have some sort of wheels vs non-wheels argument.

If anyone has spare time, they might want to check out the link below. The Dusseldorf airport has a webcam in it's terminal. You can watch passengers go about their business and see what kind of bags they have, how big, and how many.

Spoiler Alert--it's mostly wheels.

http://www.dus.com/en/enjoy-dus/webcams