Five plane crashes, do you feel safe flying?

[stdave]

It seems it has been a bad month for flying with five big jets crashing. Does this make you more leery of flying? Speaking for myself, I still think flying is safer than driving a car for example. Any thoughts on this?

 

[toyou444]

Never did. I have flown once. It was nice...not something I want to do everyday.

I understand aerodynamics and lift and all the wonderful science that goes with flight...but that dam thing is still made of metal and shouldn't be in the sky! LOL!

~ toyou

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

As you said, it's still much safer than driving. Besides, I always figure that I'll go when it's my time...no matter what the circumstances are. I don't fear death. So, the prospect of dying in a plane crash or anything like that doesn't frighten me. I'd prefer to die quietly in my sleep. But still....

Ann

 

[drew70]

That reminds me of somebody who posted a very touching memorial about his/her grandfather, who died while in the warm envelope of peaceful slumber....unlike the terrifed screaming passengers riding in his car with him.

 

[isabeau]

As you said, it's still much safer than driving. Besides, I always figure that I'll go when it's my time...no matter what the circumstances are. I don't fear death. So, the prospect of dying in a plane crash or anything like that doesn't frighten me. I'd prefer to die quietly in my sleep. But still....

Ann

i agree ann i feel personally that i have a destiny date to die so why fear flying? we fly to the virgin islands in october , and it will be my first time flying since 911. i have no fears whatsoever and am in fact looking forward to a vacation which i deserve my first since my mom died last year. and if we die we die, i believe that i would die if it were my destiny to die no matter if i'm in the air or not. and people dont start saying but what about the other passengers? obviously their time to die also. just my opinion

isabeau

 

[Newcastle Uni]

I certainly won't be boarding the flight 282 Helios Airways flight between Pakistan and New York piloted by an Air France reject.

 

[Louis]

Interesting thread. Well I have no religion to speak of and I don't believe in fate or destiny or any etherial crap at all. If the "When it's my time, it's my time" theory holds true, we could abandon the safety rules. If it's not you're time then the plane simply won't crash.
I travel for a living and fly weekly (sometimes 2-3 different destinations). 3 million people are moved each day by airplanes. In the past few weeks a couple hundred of those didn't get to their destinations and those flights were managed by airlines with far lower safety standards than we have here in the US. The fear of flying is simply a phobia. I feel sorry for those who miss out on the wonder of crossing the globe by air for any reason, whether it be because of finacial reasons or fear of flying.
I got back from San Francisco yesterday (I live in Tampa) and I'm off to Philly Monday and Belgium the following week.
Hope I don't crash.

 

[isabeau]

Interesting thread. Well I have no religion to speak of and I don't believe in fate or destiny or any etherial crap at all. If the "When it's my time, it's my time" theory holds true, we could abandon the safety rules. If it's not you're time then the plane simply won't crash.
I travel for a living and fly weekly (sometimes 2-3 different destinations). 3 million people are moved each day by airplanes. In the past few weeks a couple hundred of those didn't get to their destinations and those flights were managed by airlines with far lower safety standards than we have here in the US. The fear of flying is simply a phobia. I feel sorry for those who miss out on the wonder of crossing the globe by air for any reason, whether it be because of finacial reasons or fear of flying.
I got back from San Francisco yesterday (I live in Tampa) and I'm off to Philly Monday and Belgium the following week.
Hope I don't crash.

uh tell us what you really think dont hold back. just because you dont believe in destiny dates no need to insult others who do. and i dont believe in being careless just because i have a destiny date to die. geesh

isabeau

 

[Newcastle Uni]

uh tell us what you really think dont hold back. just because you dont believe in destiny dates no need to insult others who do. and i dont believe in being careless just because i have a destiny date to die. geesh

isabeau

You seem a bit over sensitive isa. You had a go at me over that fat joke as well.

Whats all this stuff about destiny dates? I'm not going to be rude and offensive to you (for once!) but i'd really love to know what you think about this. There is some idea that we have no control over our lives and that everything we do and everything we will do has been pre-ordained. Its a philosophical debate of course, but i'd like to know you're take on things.

 

[isabeau]

well sorry for over reacting. didnt mean anything by it. however i believe that when we are born, our date for when we die is pre ordained. now that doesnt mean to be careless, like walking out in front of a car or drinking smoking or doing whatever because it wont matter. i find it hard to explain in words and you would challenge me to it. but its our destiny its what is going to happen to me, i cant prove it but i know it. the only proof is when it happens, and by then it will be too late. when i went to bed last night, i couldnt prove to you or myself that i would wake up this morning. live each day as if it were your last is a great motto to go by. now i'm not trying to convince you of my beliefs this is what i believe. its why suicide is such a sin. taking what God has given us and deciding for themselves when to end it. now that doesnt mean those who chose to jump on 911, as with every rule there are exceptions. those people were destined to die anyway, they just sort of sped it up to escape an even worse death. (waits for the attacks)

isabeau

 

[Haltickling]

Well, what do you expect from cheap air fares? The competitional pressure has forced many airlines to cut expenses drastically, and in countries where you can bribe the authorities to close their eyes, airlines can also cut cost by neglecting safety regulations. The EU will soon bring out a blacklist of such airlines (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/airlines/story/0,1371,1552292,00.html ).

Sometimes, you just haven't got a choice, e.g. with domestic flights in some countries. The most infamous examples are flights within and between the former USSR states, or within many African countries.

I used to fly a lot, around 1 million miles, during my time as a travel agent. Some of the flights were really bad, particularly on Aeroflot domestic routes, or within Vietnam. But the only really dangerous experience was when an engine caught fire during take-off, and that happened with the excellently reputed South African Airways.

The very fact that I'm still here to write this post proves how safe flying really is... 😛

 

[Louis]

well... I think it's rude to attack someone about their beliefs so I can't do that. I went to college for math and chemistry, so randomness, frankly, makes more sense to me than any preordained explanation. I hold my faith in the science of things rather than some dude 2000 years ago who writes by candlelight and explains how he was spoken to by a diety.
For those who believe God has a plan for us, I reccomend they not get on a plane with me, because his plan for me can't be good.

Louis

 

[Newcastle Uni]

well sorry for over reacting. didnt mean anything by it. however i believe that when we are born, our date for when we die is pre ordained. now that doesnt mean to be careless, like walking out in front of a car or drinking smoking or doing whatever because it wont matter. i find it hard to explain in words and you would challenge me to it. but its our destiny its what is going to happen to me, i cant prove it but i know it. the only proof is when it happens, and by then it will be too late. when i went to bed last night, i couldnt prove to you or myself that i would wake up this morning. live each day as if it were your last is a great motto to go by. now i'm not trying to convince you of my beliefs this is what i believe. its why suicide is such a sin. taking what God has given us and deciding for themselves when to end it. now that doesnt mean those who chose to jump on 911, as with every rule there are exceptions. those people were destined to die anyway, they just sort of sped it up to escape an even worse death. (waits for the attacks)

isabeau

I'm sure no one will attack you on here. People are too nice.

Interesting beliefs. It all boils down to religious convictions with you I presume. I think you're wrong. But whilst you can't prove that you are right, nor can I prove that I am right. I'd just say that on the balance of probabilities things are not preordained. But I tend to believe that things are preordained to a point. I'm not a physicist but I read a bit about quantum theory and it seems to suggest that every outcome to an event has a particular probability of happening and that when one thing happens it affects the probability of everything else happening. If one outcome occurs this may prevent certain subsequent outcomes from happening. But since an infinite number of outcomes occur all the time, then there would be no way of knowing what will happen next. And in truth there isn't a set path that life and everything will follow, rather an infinite number of paths and a specific probability that any one of these paths will be the one that is followed.

 

[steph]

No.
I never fly.
Well, almost never~funerals and weddings mostly, I cry the whole time I'm in the air. I know, I know, what a neurotic freak, right?
It's not because I fear death (actually, for that I can't wait) but I can't stand not being on top of the situation, putting myself in someone else's control (tk meetings notwthstanding~it's highly unlikely I'll die during THAT 😉) And I've a fear of heights, so you can hopefully see where I'd have issues...Pitiful I know, but true.
XOXO

 

[Newcastle Uni]

No.
I never fly.
Well, almost never~funerals and weddings mostly, I cry the whole time I'm in the air. I know, I know, what a neurotic freak, right?
It's not because I fear death (actually, for that I can't wait) but I can't stand not being on top of the situation, putting myself in someone else's control (tk meetings notwthstanding~it's highly unlikely I'll die during THAT 😉) And I've a fear of heights, so you can hopefully see where I'd have issues...Pitiful I know, but true.
XOXO

I know how you feel! The first thing I think of one I board a plane is "Will this crash?". I haven't flown for about 5 or 6 years now but if i got on a plane now i'd think two things "Will this crash?" and "What if terrorists attack?". Those attacks on Bali, New York, Madrid, London, Egypts and elsewhere have changed the world. People are now cautious about flying and cautious about where they fly to.

 

[steph]

Ya, my last was 7 years ago. I only went because it was Hawaii and my favorite cousin, Kevin was getting married.
XOXO

I know how you feel! The first thing I think of one I board a plane is "Will this crash?". I haven't flown for about 5 or 6 years now but if i got on a plane now i'd think two things "Will this crash?" and "What if terrorists attack?". Those attacks on Bali, New York, Madrid, London, Egypts and elsewhere have changed the world. People are now cautious about flying and cautious about where they fly to.