@uintatom The image you posted with a big fella in the adjacent seat has provoked me to now share the other element of uncertainty I experienced on the aforementioned flight on that CRJ900 aircraft.
As mentioned above, the aircraft made a few loud creaking sounds when it rolled. In other words, different torsion was applied to the fuselage as the pilot banked right and returned to level flight. As we began descending for arrival, I sensed another disturbing phenomenon when the plane banked. I was resting the heel of my foot on the horizontal bracket beneath my seat with my toes flat on the carpet. When the creaking resumed on descent, I could feel my heel lifting and falling with the roll of the aircraft. Nothing significant mind you, maybe a millimeter or two. I was thinking, man, if we make it down, I gotta tell the pilot about this. It happened several more times; each instance associated with a roll. As I was congratulating my keen powers of observation, it happened again—this time with no rolling maneuver…what’s up with this I thought! It was then I discovered the real reason for the bracket flexing—the person next to me was repositioning in the seat (I forgot to ask their preferred pronoun). You see, I was sitting beside a very large person who also had a foot on the bracket. Haha, so as the plane rolled starboard and back, exertion from the greater mass of their leg applied sufficient force against the bracket, so much so I could feel it deflect. A simple example of physics was all it was. Talk about letting one’s mind race with adverse circumstances! Glad I figured out root cause of the bracket movement BEFORE talking to the captain about the creaking sounds.
Movie selection on the flight was horrible. I got tired of reading and noted the fellow up one seat to the right was engrossed in some sports movie on his iPad. Sports have never been my religion or hobby, so at first I was uninterested. Before I knew it, I had my glasses on to read the subtitles. It was a documentary about Michael Jordan and I was hooked. What a powerful and talented player he was. At some point the guy noticed me trying to over his shoulder and he turned around. I sheepishly gave him a thumbs up and he smiled and made sure the screen was visible to me the remainder of the flight.
travel mercies, Sal and sharick!