A traveler in China was fined for reclining their seat, highlighting a travel annoyance

The right to recline your seat has its limits, at least in China.

A case before the Xiangyin County People's Court in Hunan Province in November resulted in one rail passenger being fined 3341.45 yuan, approximately $465, after his decision to lean back damaged to the laptop of the traveler sitting behind him.

According to court documents, there were signs posted in the train carriage warning passengers to notify those around them before they reclined their seats, and the defendant failed to do so before he caused the damage.

Of course, the right to recline while in transit isn't just controversial in the People's Republic. U.S. travelers, too, can be polarized about proper etiquette, especially in the air. 

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Reclining: one of the most annoying airplane behaviors

A survey by The Vacationer found that 77% of U.S. travelers find a reclining seat neighbor to be the most irritating person on the airplane. 

The October release called it "one of the most irritating, inconvenient, self-indulgent habits" on a flight.

Other things that make you irritating to your fellow travelers

The Vacationer's writeup also found that being drunk and disruptive or kicking the seat in front of you were top complaints. People also said they didn't like when nearby passengers removed their shoes, or when people didn't use the overhead bins closest to their seat.

Read USA TODAY'S full writeup of the survey from the archives.