Flying vs. Driving

Flying vs. Driving
Countless times a year, people wander from state to state and/or country to country for various reasons such as working, visiting loved ones, or maybe even searching for an escape from the norm. As obvious as this may sound, the complexity of traveling today has become quite the sight to behold. With the world’s revolutionary technology, commuting has been taken to a whole new level. Although there are many different forms of travel, the most popular are by boat, by train, by a plane thousands of feet in the air, and even the most common type, by automobile. These typical methods all provide their own unique experiences for the traveler, and they all come with an ever increasing label. Each of these travel methods has its own distinctive characteristics. Particularly, considering the two most common types, plane or automobile, people should consider their differences to have better travel experiences.
Even though soaring through the air is less common than driving, flying is arguably the most effective means of getting from place to place. While travelers might run into a couple familiar faces while flying, most likely they will be crowded into small seats next to complete strangers. In some situations, they may end up securing a strong companionship with the person or people sitting next to them on the plane. This usually leads to having casual conversation for the duration of the flight. Unfortunately, in other situations, a traveler may get stuck sitting next to the guy in a trench coat who he or she thought was a terrorist upon first glance at the airport! On the other hand, although driving may be a more time consuming process, this type of traveling provides time for more interaction, as well as extra sights to see. Unlike a plane experience, in an automobile, travelers are most likely always riding with someone whom they have some form of a relationship, whether it is family or friends. Depending on how the riders or drivers view the circumstances, they might see traveling alone as a more positive situation because they can listen to their own musical preferences and refrain from carrying on casual conversation. However, for most individuals, the thought of being in an overcrowded car with people they know is definitely more preferable than the thought of being anywhere near a stranger that could be a potential convict or serial killer on a plane.
When flying on a plane, there is a strong chance that travelers will be seeing and meeting at least one person sitting beside them for the very first time. Each person will have different physical traits and personalities that might negatively affect their traveling experience. Perhaps a traveler could be positioned next to an obnoxiously loud lady who is incessantly laughing and singing along to her 1970’s oldies on her iPod, or he or she might even get wedged into the window seat next to a three-hundred pound man who has a smell resembling old cottage cheese. Completely different from this possibility, when riding in a car, travelers are more adapted to the environment in which they are engaged. They know how their family will act and how to avoid stirring matters up by not carrying out their pet peeves, which is a favorable aspect of this type of traveling. As well, they have freedom of speech to say whatever they want to their comrades, such as “Shut up! I’m trying to sleep!” Obviously, on a plane, such a forceful statement could cause a controversy if spoken to an unfamiliar person.
Food is one of the main features of traveling. Whether eating is used as a distraction to bypass boredom, a time to converse with fellow travelers, or an opportunity to satisfy true hunger, food is provided on airplanes, as well as obtained by people during opportune intervals along road trips. On airplanes, unless people are flying first class or are on a flight of substantial length, they will not receive much more than a small snack. Flight attendants will generally stop by mid-flight to pass out food and drinks, which usually consists of either roasted peanuts or crackers and a limited selection of beverages. This insignificant choice of food is one of the downfalls of flying. While riding in a vehicle, however, this problem does not exist. Automobile travelers have the power to decide at what time and at what place they will stop to get food. They might even decide to go through the drive-thru of Taco Bell to enjoy cheap snacks, whereas on a plane people have little to no chance of getting the size 43 guy beside them to give up his share of the peanuts!
The length of the trip and the possibility for interference are also two of the differences travelers should consider when choosing between flying and driving. The truth of the matter is that at any moment during both methods of transportation, a setback of any degree of severity could occur. For instance, flying often involves the lengthy process of checking in two hours ahead of time for a flight that may likely be delayed anyway. While flying on a plane, travelers also might run into the problem of weather delays or turbulence during the flight itself. The pilot may even be late! On the other hand, while driving may take less scheduling, a trip will take longer. Drivers also face possible interferences such as getting stuck in traffic, being pulled over by a cop, or even getting caught in a horrific wreck. Unlike on planes however, at least on a road trip, travelers may go at their own pace. In fact, they can leave at whichever time they desire and can decide to visit tourist attractions, stop at rest areas, or use the bathroom at convenience stores or restaurants.
As one can see, flying on a plane or driving/riding in a car is different in many ways. The main domain of issues, however, remains the same. Whether being compacted next to a person on a plane vs. riding in a car with friends or eating simple airplane food vs. eating a variety of favorite foods, choices must be considered when deciding which travel method is the more convenient of the two. The outcome will always depend on how travelers personally view the different features of either flying or driving and how the ychoose to respond to any setbacks that may occur.