Damn! Driving is dangerous

[JOhnH]

Yesterday was my wife's birthday. We planned to fly to St. Petersburg Florida on Thursday to spend the weekend at her favorite hotel.

But the weather was really "iffy" and we had to be back by Saturday night so we wound up driving. On the way there I don't think I ever got under 80, and I don't think I passed more than a half dozen cars. Literally, thousands passed me. Traffic was bumper to bumper in every lane, whether it was two lanes or five. We made it in just over 2 hours (168 miles). It was a wild ride.

The way back was different. It took around 5 hours. It was raining and foggy, but traffic was still going 85-90 mph; except when it wasn't. That was a large part of the time. There were four major wrecks that brought traffic to a virtual stand-still for miles and miles, both ways. From the looks of the smashed cars, people must have died, but I saw nothing on the news about any of it. I guess since it is so common they don't ever report it. But let a Cessna land safely on a highway two thousand miles away and we will hear about it for days.

Both directions, the trip was exhausting and stressful.

Next time, we will fly unless it is hard IFR. And when Leslie gets her rating, we will fly then too, unless we see the lightning or it is too windy to take off.

Driving is just too damn dangerous.

 

[Pilawt]

Much is said about the relative statistical safety of automobiles and GA. Having spent my 39-year professional life dealing primarily with motor vehicle accidents, it is my observation that one is master of one's own fate to a much greater extent in a light airplane than in an automobile. People who do stupid things in airplanes usually only take out themselves and their passengers. People who do stupid things in cars take out other cars and pedestrians who have no chance to avoid it.

Given the choice, from the standpoint of safety, I'd rather be flying.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Driving to San Antonio or Austin has become a nightmare, with thousands and thousands of newbies pouring into these two boomtowns each month. Traffic has become hopelessly congested, and we end up taking back roads to get there so we don't arrive exhausted.

Or...we fly one hour.

GA rocks in Texas!

 

[wsuffa]

Drive I-81 in Virginia sometime. I-95 is hell, I-66 is horrid, but I-81 is outright dangerous.

 

[Zeldman]

Oh thanks. On or about 03 September my wife and I will began our trip to return home.

By driving.

3713.1 miles.

It might take us a day or two.....

 

[James331]

Much is said about the relative statistical safety of automobiles and GA. Having spent my 39-year professional life dealing primarily with motor vehicle accidents, it is my observation that one is master of one's own fate to a much greater extent in a light airplane than in an automobile. People who do stupid things in airplanes usually only take out themselves and their passengers. People who do stupid things in cars take out other cars and pedestrians who have no chance to avoid it.

Given the choice, from the standpoint of safety, I'd rather be flying.

 

[DaveA]

As my daddy told my jittery mama when I was getting ready to solo on my 16th birthday, "He'll be fine as long as he don't get a drivers license."

The most dangerous part of flying is the drive to and from the aerodrome.

 

[txflyer]

Glad your o.k.

Our last trip to Galveston using the Beltway 8 toll road will be our last one.

I told my wife "Houston culls weak drivers like cattle." You gotta be a damn race car driver to survive.

 

[Pilawt]

The most dangerous part of flying is the drive to and from the aerodrome.

I have been in one (count them) motor vehicle collision.

It was on the way home from the airport.

Actually, I had flown my airplane to an airport 60 miles away for its annual. My son drove his car and picked me up there. We were on the way back on I-5 when some squirrel driving a Jeep Wrangler tried a bad lane change and spun out right in front of us.

 

[DaveA]

I have been in one (count them) motor vehicle collision.

It was on the way home from the airport.

Actually, I had flown my airplane to an airport 60 miles away for its annual. My son drove his car and picked me up there. We were on the way back on I-5 when some squirrel driving a Jeep Wrangler tried a bad lane change and spun out right in front of us.

If that had been Dad and I coming back from such a trip I woulda heard "Dang, Son! Like I told yore Momma......!"

 

[nddons]

Drive I-81 in Virginia sometime. I-95 is hell, I-66 is horrid, but I-81 is outright dangerous.

We took I-81 on our annual Christmas trip from Charlotte to Manchester, VT for 6 years. I'd have to agree with you.

 

[Zeldman]

I have been in one (count them) motor vehicle collision.

It was on the way home from the airport.

Actually, I had flown my airplane to an airport 60 miles away for its annual. My son drove his car and picked me up there. We were on the way back on I-5 when some squirrel driving a Jeep Wrangler tried a bad lane change and spun out right in front of us.

I have been in 3 car accidents in the last 41 years of driving. (not counting race cars) All 3 times I was stopped at a red light, and all three times I was hit head on by cars running the light more than 30 seconds after the light changed to red.

Gotta love red light cameras.

 

[JOhnH]

I have been in 3 car accidents in the last 41 years of driving. (not counting race cars) All 3 times I was stopped at a red light, and all three times I was hit head on by cars running the light more than 30 seconds after the light changed to red.

Gotta love red light cameras.

I'm trying to picture how that worked if you were stopped. You don't stop in the middle of the intersection do you?

 

[Xscaliber]

Yesterday was my wife's birthday. We planned to fly to St. Petersburg Florida on Thursday to spend the weekend at her favorite hotel.

But the weather was really "iffy" and we had to be back by Saturday night so we wound up driving. On the way there I don't think I ever got under 80, and I don't think I passed more than a half dozen cars. Literally, thousands passed me. Traffic was bumper to bumper in every lane, whether it was two lanes or five. We made it in just over 2 hours (168 miles). It was a wild ride.

The way back was different. It took around 5 hours. It was raining and foggy, but traffic was still going 85-90 mph; except when it wasn't. That was a large part of the time. There were four major wrecks that brought traffic to a virtual stand-still for miles and miles, both ways. From the looks of the smashed cars, people must have died, but I saw nothing on the news about any of it. I guess since it is so common they don't ever report it. But let a Cessna land safely on a highway two thousand miles away and we will hear about it for days.

Both directions, the trip was exhausting and stressful.

Driving is just too damn dangerous.

I would have a guess you travelled on I-4 ?

Anywhere from Orlando thru to Tampa/ St Petes area is where all the budding Nascar race car drivers do their training....

 

[JOhnH]

I would have a guess you travelled on I-4 ?

Anywhere from Orlando thru to Tampa/ St Petes area is where all the budding Nascar race car drivers do their training....

Yup.
I-4 from Daytona, through Orlando and Tampa to St Pete.

 

[BigBadLou]

Driving to San Antonio or Austin has become a nightmare, with thousands and thousands of newbies pouring into these two boomtowns each month. Traffic has become hopelessly congested, and we end up taking back roads to get there so we don't arrive exhausted.

Or...we fly one hour.

GA rocks in Texas!

You are right, Jay, no way I'm traveling in Texas again on the ground. Too many hipsters pouring into CTX. Christ, it takes us over an hour to get just OUT of Austin.
Wife now loves the plane. She's been asking "when cant we fly to Mustang Island again?" I keep telling her "when Jay's prices drop in the fall". We'll be back.

 

[Zeldman]

I'm trying to picture how that worked if you were stopped. You don't stop in the middle of the intersection do you?

Actually sitting in my lane waiting and the other cars, all 3 times, were speeding, ran the light while straddling the yellow line and almost head on into me.

And only 2 were women.....and blonde....:wink2:

 

[dmspilot]

Drive I-81 in Virginia sometime. I-95 is hell, I-66 is horrid, but I-81 is outright dangerous.

What is wrong with it? I'd much rather drive on 81 than 95.

 

[pilot_dude]

I-4 was a train wreck waiting to happen when I lived there in the late 80's. I can't fathom what it's like today.

 

[Flyer86]

Where in St. Pete did you guys go? I am currently over in Tampa, going to be living up in Dunedin, and flying out of Whitted.

 

[wsuffa]

What is wrong with it? I'd much rather drive on 81 than 95.

I wouldn't. 81 has 2 lanes, a mix of trucks and cars - neither of which have any hesitation at pulling into the next lane without warning - the trucks slow down going up hills, and some traffic moves at 80, othe moves at 55. Su to get boxed in the middle of long lines of traffic.

At least with 95 there are three lanes through much of Virginia, so there's an "out" if you get cut off or a truck is going slow.

I am only surprised that there aren't more deadly accidents on 81.

I much prefer 29 from DC to Lynchburg and then over to Roanoke.

 

[FormerHangie]

As my daddy told my jittery mama when I was getting ready to solo on my 16th birthday, "He'll be fine as long as he don't get a drivers license."

The most dangerous part of flying is the drive to and from the aerodrome.

Assuming said aerodrome is where you will be be boarding a professionally flown transport level aircraft, you are correct. If you're planning on flying in a general aviation plane, all available statistical evidence indicates otherwise.

 

[dmspilot]

I wouldn't. 81 has 2 lanes, a mix of trucks and cars - neither of which have any hesitation at pulling into the next lane without warning - the trucks slow down going up hills, and some traffic moves at 80, othe moves at 55. Su to get boxed in the middle of long lines of traffic.

I have not had that experience.

 

[wsuffa]

I have not had that experience.

What stretch of I-81 have you been on? I'm talking about the stretch from Winchester to Roanoke, with particular emphases on the stretch from I-66 to Staunton. Outright treacherous.

 

[Bill]

What stretch of I-81 have you been on? I'm talking about the stretch from Winchester to Roanoke, with particular emphases on the stretch from I-66 to Staunton. Outright treacherous.

I've travelled that route for 20 years, and it's sad to see what was once a stress free alternative to I-95 become a total zoo at times. Another dangerous stretch is I-77, it is even worse I think.

 

[dmspilot]

What stretch of I-81 have you been on? I'm talking about the stretch from Winchester to Roanoke, with particular emphases on the stretch from I-66 to Staunton. Outright treacherous.

Staunton all the way up to Maryland.

I usually only go northbound on that route. Maybe southbound is worse?

 

[JOhnH]

Where in St. Pete did you guys go? I am currently over in Tampa, going to be living up in Dunedin, and flying out of Whitted.

We stayed at the Rennaisance Vinoy. During nice weather it is a pleasant walk along the waterfront to Albert Whitted. On not-so-nice, or HOT days, the FBO is always good about providing transportation to and from the hotel. There are lots of Restaurants within walking distance from the hotel or the airport.

Leslie likes the old fashioned rocking chairs on the front porch with table service from the bar, and the huge, really nice swimming pool. I like flyng into Albert Whitted. It is one of my favorite airports.

 

[Flyer86]

Nice.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Jay Honeck]

You are right, Jay, no way I'm traveling in Texas again on the ground. Too many hipsters pouring into CTX. Christ, it takes us over an hour to get just OUT of Austin.
Wife now loves the plane. She's been asking "when cant we fly to Mustang Island again?" I keep telling her "when Jay's prices drop in the fall". We'll be back.

Cheap bastage.

We are coming up on the first price reduction, weekend after next. Weekday prices are already tumbling. Demand is slowly slackening.

Wait till school starts, and all the families are gone. The island goes back to being a nice, quiet, adult place to visit again.

 

[steingar]

You think driving is dangerous, try doing it on a motorcycle.

My warning to fledgling riders:

Humans don't see what they don't expect to see. They don't expect to see motorcycles. You are invisible to all, except a small minority who will actively try and kill you.