I'm glad that this thread has moved from the turbulent air ... in the meantime, I had listed the occasions when I was placed in jeopardy/crisis and considering how I have reacted. It was an interesting exercise and I shall not bore you with the details but they include:
- various motor car accidents, mine and other peoples.
- receiving bomb threat telephone calls at the organisations where I was working. That is, I was at a number of places where such calls were received in the late 1970s and early 1980s (civilian, not mil or Police).
- Being half a mile away from one of those bombs (1983) and intimate involvement in the subsequent emergency procedures. That is because I was in charge of the telecommunications.
I am known in my family (and former employers) as being 'good in a crisis' but how good would I be in an aircraft emergency? I can have no idea but, based on my life to date, 'reasonable' is probably the word.
So, why do I not push to get in the emergency row? The seats are often restricted in other ways, there is no big window, you cannot have your hand case with you at all times. Being of average height, the legroom is not of great value. But I often try and sit one row away from the exit ...