Unprepared and safe flying

I've been flying a lot lately for work and have a couple observations.

First of all, they are now charging you to check more than one bag.  I don't have a problem with this except that a) they are not prepared to implement it and b) the way its being implemented doesn't make sense. 
If you are going to charge me, fine, charge me.  But to be honest, it was a very cumbersome process and the ticket counter attendant tried to talk me out of it.  She had to go to the back to get forms (not sure why they aren't stored at the counter) and then they don't have credit card machines.  At two airports now this is the case.  That was the first time I've seen someone whip out that slide imprint device in years.  Its seriously a manual process and not a automatic swipe machine.  Every store and restaraunt in America has these now and they can't get 4-5 for each airport?  Its not like a deployment that large hasn't been done before. 
What's more is that you can avoid the charge by carrying the bag on and gate checking it.  Only difference is that you have to carry the bag through the airport instead of them.  I mean, don't they know its all going in the same plane?  Its the same weight, just changes how it gets to the plane and they are taking some there anyway, right?  Plus, now I gotta carry all my crap through security and lug it around the airport for an hour?  Crazy.

My second point is that people keep telling me to "have a safe flight."  I got news for them, I don't have much control over it.  I'm just sitting there.  Really.  I understand 'drive safe', etc. I'm an active part of that process.  But there just isn't much I can do on the plane to safen my flight at all.  Or, is that my free ticket to drug the screaming kid next to me?  After all, he could be distracting the pilot or pushing the otherwise normal people on board dangerously closing to the insanity tipping point.  None of us want that.  Is that my excuse to need more than 3.5 ounces of shampoo?  What if there is a hair emergency on the plane?  That wouldn't be safe for anyone.  I guess that means I can't punch out annoying business guy or talking too loud asian guy if I'm "flying safe.".  Maybe I'm supposed to remind the pilot?  Its just people trying to be polite, I know, but they could say something that makes a little more sense.