Tags
air travel, airplanes, automobile, cars, death by airplane, death by automobile, fear of crashing, fear of flying, irrational fears, psychology
By Smaktakula
It Still Beats A Plane Crash.
Statistically speaking, air-travel is no more dangerous than America’s highways,* and yet a great many people are far more terrified of dying in an airplane crash than in a car accident. While theories abound as to the nature of this fear, no consensus has developed.
Psychologists are quick to postulate that this fear stems from a feeling of powerlessness. While the driver of an automobile has a great deal of control over his own fate, a passenger on an airplane has done. Because the traveler cannot physically control the aircraft, he developes an irrational fear for his safety. There, say the experts, lies the anxiety in air travel.
Those Desiring A More Contemplative Death Opt For The Big Plunge.
Is that all there is to this widespread phobia? Or rather, is it possible that the fear surrounding flying might be traceable to the means of death itself? By examining the typical last words of both terrestrial and air impact victims, a disparity quickly becomes visible.
Typical last words of someone killed in a car crash:
You won’t believe what Melissa did today. Well, I’d just come back from lu–BANG!
Typical last words of someone killed in an airplane crash:
You won’t believe what Melissa did today. Well, I’d just come back from lu–BANG!
What the hell was that? Was that the eng–? BANG!
Oh my God! Was that the other engine?
No, I’m calm . . . I’m calm. They. . .they can land these things without the engines, you know. What was the name of that guy–the one that brought the plane down in the river? You know who I’m talking about.
Ooof! Bit of a bumpy ride there. Okay, okay–feel that? Yeah, that’s what they call a ‘controlled spiral.’ I saw something about it on Discovery Channel. We’re . . . we’re gonna be all right.
Shut up, the captain’s making an announcement–he probably wants us to put our heads between our knees. What’s he saying? ‘Our Father who art in heaven?’
Is he praying? He is–the captain’s praying. You know, I’m not personally offended, but I’m not sure that’s appropriate. I think I should say something when we land.
No, you’re right–it is an unusual circumstance. I guess maybe we can give him a pass on this one.
Back to what I was saying about Melissa. She–I–OH SWEET LORD, I’VE WASTED MY WRETCHED LIFE!
(This is followed by two and half minutes of tearful recriminations and uncomfortable confessions. Also quite a bit of screaming.)
Now, when airline partisans hit you with the misleading “driving is more dangerous than flying” statistic, you’ll have a clearer idea of what they’re not telling you. While flying may not be any more risky than driving, it offers a more hideously drawn-out and–above all else–certain death.
A: The Name Of This Popular Breakfast Treat Consisting Of Fried Batter Can Also Describe The Effects Of Impact On The Human Body.
Promethean Times 
While flying doesn’t really bother me, I don’t think a fear of flying isn’t quite as irrational as it’s made out to be whenever that driving-vs-flying argument is brought up. I don’t have any sort of research or facts to back this up—who needs facts, this is the internet!—but my hunch is that flying is feared more than driving not because it’s more dangerous (which, as you point out, it isn’t), but because one’s odds of surviving once something goes wrong are much higher in a car than in an airplane.
There are rarely, if ever fender-benders in airplanes, or those little bumps where both drivers decide it’s not worth contacting the insurance company. We never see the headline Airliner Crashes: Everyone’s Fine! It’s always Airliner Crashes: Unholy Gruesome Death! A minor problem with your car results in your walking away without a scratch; even a minor problem with a plane at 35,000 feet seems to result in the use of phrases like “next of kin.”
I know several people who have survived or even been totally uninjured in multiple car accidents; I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of anybody who’s been in two plane crashes . . . except in Lost, anyway, and I’m beginning to wonder if some of that was made up.
We could not agree more. Except about Lost. That’s totally for reals.
Statistically it’s safer to go on a transatlantic cruise on a ship than it is to either drive or fly, but tell that to the 1500+ who didn’t make it off the Titanic- or that other boat that the captain ran aground back in January. Even though there is a degree of risk in sailing on a boat, I still want to go on a cougar cruise (men under 30, women over 40.) As long as I have a life jacket and some Factor 50 sunscreen, I’m game. 🙂 Flying, now that’s another matter. The crud you have to go through to get through security is worse than trying on clothes in a public fitting room. At least if I’m driving I can do something (in theory) to prevent my own death, and you gotta go sometime anyway.
At least if I’m driving I can do something (in theory) to prevent my own death
Totally–and at least it’s quick!