I'll take the car (How safe do you feel about flying?)

Member Name: mqueen

Product:	How safe do you feel about flying?
Date:	27/12/01 (103 review reads)
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I have never flown. I have always been scared of flying. I have wanted to, half-heartedly, because I would like to travel to foreign destinations, but, I'm scared. It was probably safer for me to fly a couple of years ago than it is now.

Mentally, I know that flying is still relatively safe. Even though there is the random element of terrorism, that could strike at anytime, flying is still relatively safe.

But, there's the problem. Relatively.

You see, when I travel, I like to have a certain amount of control over the journey.

If I am driving, then fine. I trust myself. If someone else is driving, I make sure they are safe drivers, before I hand my life over to them. I always console myself with the fact that if the driver collapsed at the wheel, then I could take the wheel and avert disaster! Control!

And, another thing. When accidents do occur on land travel, they aren't always fatal. Most times they are not.
But, in air travel, they are. And, I have no control whatsoever. Once I am on the plane, I have relinquished control. My life is dependant on the skill of the pilot, the air traffic control, and whether there are any terrorists on board.

And there's the problem for me. Air travel is either very safe, ie, good pilot, good weather conditions, wide awake air traffic control, brand new air plane, OR, not safe, ie, careless pilot, atrocious weather, tired, over worked air traffic control, beat up air planes, and now, psychotic terrorists with a death wish. And it's a long way up. With land travel, you are always on land.

It's one or the other. I don't like that.

At least with land travel, you can influence greatly your chances of survival, by the fact that your journey is in your own hands.

In spite of this, I know that people do need to fly. And as long as this is the case, then every effort must be taken, and no expense spared in making flying a
s safe as possible. Passengers need to be screened as never before. The psychos must be rooted out and locked up. Security has to be number one priority. Planes must be A1 condition. Pilots have to be the very best. Air traffic control should be up to date, with wide awake controllers. The whole system must be overhauled world wide. Even then, complete safety can never be guaranteed.

But, I suppose, our total safety can never be guaranteed in anything.

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