CMike makes a good point, maybe without meaning to.
Whenever I used to fly, I would always request an exit row seat. If you book far enough in advance, the airlines never gave me a problem about it.
My reasoning went along the lines of, "If something does happen, I don't want to have to wait for the guy in the exit row, who had five vodka gimlets in the departure lounge and slept thru the safety brief, to fumble the exit open."
The extra foot of legroom doesn't hurt, either! And right above the wings is the best place to be in the event of a rough landing.
- Chris