I'm 6'6" and hate it when people recline their seats in front of me as it makes things even more cramped in Y class. But I don't complain and I don't do the old knee trick (at least not on purpose but sometimes I really can't avoid it as my knees just get in the way).
At the end of the day the person in front of me has paid for their seat to recline, as have I. I generally don't do it as I know how annoying it is but sometimes I have no choice (if the seat is so far back in my lap that I am looking at the top of the head of the person in front of me).
What does bug me though is people reclining their seats during meal times as that will normally stop me from being able to eat (as the table won't go flat - although sometimes that doesn't matter as it won't go flat even when the seat is upright; ie Lufthansa).
But I pay my cheap price so I can't complain - but what I can do is fly with people who give me more for the same or similar cheap price (which is why I don't fly Lufthansa any more as on a long trip it becomes uncomfortable not being able to eat!).
Although it would also be nice to be able to get money back from the amount that goes into inflight entertainment as I can't watch that even when the seat in front is upright due to the angle I have to look at the screen - oh for the days of the single screen in the middle of the plane!!! :-)