Do you avoid flying?

[The Big Ben]

I like driving and I think I'm at least as big as Wade. That makes coach class flying uncomfortable. Never have tried first class seating. A day's driving (eight hours with well planned rest/food breaks) is kind of fun. If I have a driving partner, I don't mind twelve hours plus in a day. Since I've left my 30s behind, I get a cheap hotel rather than sleeping in the car.

Flying might be safer than driving, though...

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Flying might be safer than driving, though...

I continue to strongly dispute this claim.

When flying, your chance of disaster is purely a statistic. Your chance is 1 in whatever of being in a crash, terrorist attack, hijacking, or whatever. You don't get to select the skill of your pilot and flight crew, and reducing your risk is virtually impossible save choosing the "safest" airline.

When driving, your chance of disaster is largely influenced by YOU. You can't completely eliminate any risk, but you can greatly increase your own safety by paying attention, not following too closely, anticipating problems before they occur, and giving idiots a wide berth. You can plan your own routes, and you can leave when you please.

Flying may be safer than driving statistically, but the statistics alone don't take into account the high number of people who don't exercise safe driving habits. My risk of injury while driving is NOT the same as the 17-year-old girl who can't stop texting...but it is PRECISELY the same as her's on any given airplane.

[/rant]

[TubaRay]

...but the Amsterdam-Detroit thing was just another "non-terrorist" "isolated incident" of someone "acting alone".

I see you understand, Mr. Bloke. This is an easy concept. If something happens, it's NOT a terrorist. If all the evidence points to it being a terrorist, it is still not. See how easy that is.

[Mark]

...but the Amsterdam-Detroit thing was just another "non-terrorist" "isolated incident" of someone "acting alone".

I see you understand, Mr. Bloke. This is an easy concept. If something happens, it's NOT a terrorist. If all the evidence points to it being a terrorist, it is still not. See how easy that is.

I try to avoid the hassle of flying these days. However, considering the outcome of the latest incident (Did you know the system worked?), I might have enjoyed being on that flight to assist in "subduing" the suspected terrorist (aka panty bomber). Although you have to have some sympathy for him having grown up in such abject poverty.

[TubaRay]

...but the Amsterdam-Detroit thing was just another "non-terrorist" "isolated incident" of someone "acting alone".

I see you understand, Mr. Bloke. This is an easy concept. If something happens, it's NOT a terrorist. If all the evidence points to it being a terrorist, it is still not. See how easy that is.

I try to avoid the hassle of flying these days. However, considering the outcome of the latest incident (Did you know the system worked?), I might have enjoyed being on that flight to assist in "subduing" the suspected terrorist (aka panty bomber). Although you have to have some sympathy for him having grown up in such abject poverty.

I probably would have enjoyed being a part of the subduing, myself, but I have no sympathy for him, whatsoever. Nor do I have sympathy for anyone who attempts such destruction.

[Mark]

I probably would have enjoyed being a part of the subduing, myself, but I have no sympathy for him, whatsoever. Nor do I have sympathy for anyone who attempts such destruction.

Considering he lived up in a 7-story mansion, I think I was being sarcasatic.

[TubaRay]

I probably would have enjoyed being a part of the subduing, myself, but I have no sympathy for him, whatsoever. Nor do I have sympathy for anyone who attempts such destruction.

Considering he lived up in a 7-story mansion, I think I was being sarcasatic.

Not having taken the time to know anything of his background, I guess I missed that, Mark. Now that you have enlightened me in this matter, I can make the following statement, accurately: I have no sympathy for him, whatsoever. Nor do I have sympathy for anyone who attempts such destruction.

I'm just sayin'.

[deputysgttuba]

My last commercial airline flight was in 1997, when two of my fellow firearms instructors and myself flew to Atlanta to attend the Glock Advanced Armorer's School. We were fortunate that the trip down and the return leg from Atlanta to Charlotte was First Class seating. However, from Charlotte to Richmond, we were put in Coach seating. One of my partners was 350 pounds at the time and seeing him wedge half of his body into a coach seat with the rest of him in the aisle was painful to watch.
In today's security climate, I much prefer to drive or take Amtrak. I do not like being herded like cattle.
Airline travel also eliminates the possibility of travelling discreetly armed as I prefer to.

[KevinMadden]

I don't mind flying much, but it is my last choice mode of transportation.

I live in Williamsburg, VA. The only trips I often take are:
W'burg -> DC: I drive as it is often under four hours
W'Burg -> NYC: Amtrak; same cost as flying, not counting driving to an airport and parking there. (I live <1mile from the W'burg train station) Granted it takes much longer, but I'll trade that for the comfort and ease of boarding the train, and having an electrical outlet, snack car, and room to move anyday.
W'burg -> NH: unfortunately I haven't found a good way to make this trip. Driving is 10-12 hours. Amtrak is longer and will only get me as far as Boston (about an hour from where I want to go). Flying from Newport News to Manchester is all kinds of expensive and flying Richmond to Boston is cheap but has an hour drive on either side of the flight. Buses: NO WAY the longest and most expensive option, though it will take me into the town I want to go to.

[tubatooter1940]

My flight to Seattle last year to play some gigs wasn't horrible. It was just nerve wracking.
I didn't dare fly my tuba. I shipped it a week ahead by U.P.S. ground for $250 and returned it via United Parcel for $200. United Parcel rumpled my two cardboard shipping boxes but the tuba was packed well in bubble wrap and peanuts and was unharmed.

[Rick Denney]

I have over a million miles of air travel under my belt. It sucks, every last bit of it. At least I don't have to take a tuba.

My driving range is 450 miles. Beyond that, it just takes too long and I can't spare the time. Driving for 13 hours on a routine basis might be okay for some, but eventually I get tired and sleepy, especially after working on the trip (and I don't fly for fun), and at about 10 hours I start to hit the wall (figuratively--so far).

I'll take Amtrak if it goes directly where I'm going, if it goes at a convenient time, and if the distance is under 500 miles. The security is easier, the stations much less of a hassle, the trains are often (not always) less crowded, moving around is acceptable at any time, there is food, I don't have to check bags, and on and on.

The most annoying aspect of flying that has gotten consistently worse is two-fold: The poor profitability of airlines has caused them to reduce their service such that all flights are obscenely crowded, and the poor profitability of airlines has caused them to renegotiate their labor contracts resulting in truly surly and obnoxious gate and flight attendants. Baggage handling has always been dreadful.

Rick "who hates driving while tired and sleepy" Denney

[MaryAnn]

I need to take a trip to Charlottesville, VA. Because of the whole airline hassle, I decided to check the Amtrak option. I put in to leave on a Saturday and return on a Tuesday, same as I would on an airline. The site came back and said the schedule wouldn't work; the reason was that the train did not arrive at my destination until after the time I wanted to leave to return home.

So...guess I'll put up with flying again.

MA

[tubeast]

When I drive home to meet my folks (about 700 km), it usually involves taking my horn and presents / other stuffto and fro. I go by car.
Flying WILL take longer than that drive. Taking the train were my choice if I didn´t have to take that much luggage.
The train will use THE most beautiful long-distance track you can travel in Germany, which is the Rhine valley.

As far as 9-11 and its consequences are concerned, I take a rather non-emotional approach: If my time comes, it´ll come.
It can hit me any time at any public place. If I want to live a life worth living, I´ll take the chance of dying in the process. If I bury myself in the privacy and security of remote places, evil people will have succeded in their attempt to make life miserable for everyone, and I won´t give them opportunity to feel successful.

As far as accidents in travelling are concerned: going by car is a matter of reliing on yourself as well as everybody else for safety. We´ve had a case of a severe accident this week: heavy fog on 2-lane country road. Maybe 20 m (60ft) visibility.
A STUPID 26 year-old figured the guy in front of her was going too slow and decided to pass. Result: Head-on collision with a car going the other way. Remember, it´s not always just You running into a tree that´ll get you killed in traffic...

[Tubachin]

I have over a million miles of air travel under my belt. It sucks, every last bit of it. At least I don't have to take a tuba.

...

The most annoying aspect of flying that has gotten consistently worse is two-fold: The poor profitability of airlines has caused them to reduce their service such that all flights are obscenely crowded, and the poor profitability of airlines has caused them to renegotiate their labor contracts resulting in truly surly and obnoxious gate and flight attendants. Baggage handling has always been dreadful.

Rick "who hates driving while tired and sleepy" Denney

As another million mile flier (United), I can't avoid flying, it is part of my job. I've been to Asia 15 times in the last 3 years from the east coast. Although, I agree with Rick on his assessment of flying: obnoxious gate and flight attendants are only found with domestic airlines. I have found that Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and other Asian airlines have attentive and very service-minded flight attendants. I would rather fly Singapore Airlines coach than United First Class in a heart beat.

Matt "dreading another flight to Malaysia on United" Chin