in the recent plane crash in Libya a 10 year old kid survived. See, there is a chance you will live if the plane crashes!
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
I used to be afraid of flying. Then after 9/11, my fear was mysteriously gone.
I remember the trip we made after 9/11 and there was a suspicious dude on the plane who went into the bathroom with something odd in his hand. He had already violated the request of the captain who announced to remain seated, so this guy was a red flag in my mind.
As soon as he went into the bathroom, I looked across the aisle to the big guy (with his young wife and baby next to him) and said, “Did you see that?” He said yes. I told him I’m going to make a move if the guy comes out without the item he was carrying. The big guy said “I got your back!”
Luckily for the suspicious guy (and mostly for myself), he came out with the item in hand.
Anyway, that incident left me feeling empowered in that plane. Since then, flying is just a small nuisance, and not a fear. [/quote]
What was the item?
[quote]Yo Momma wrote:
I’m not afraid of flying. I HATE flying because the fatty squeezed into the seat next to me takes up all the room, usually smells bad, and breathes with his/her mouth open. Disgusting. I pray for the fucken plane to crash to put me out of my misery.[/quote]
The lack of leg room is the worst - I’m not that tall and I have no idea how tall people can stand to fly. When I can’t get comfortable then everything else starts to irritate the hell out of me.
Also hates to fly. Just hang out with a guy named Murdoch and he’ll drug you before every flight. You’ll be a little mad when you wake up but after the next commercial break you’re fine.
[quote]markdp wrote:
You know what’s scary? Turbulence. And I don’t mean the kind where the plane shakes a little. I mean the kind where the plane violently thrashes.
I have only experienced it once in my life, and I almost shit my pants. Luggage went everywhere, and hella people started crying and shit. LOL. I researched it when I got home and apparently planes can handle pretty rough turbulence. I just remember gripping onto my armrests so hard I almost tore one off.[/quote]
New Boeing 787 under wing stress test. 150% service load. These things can take anything.
You wanna know the secret to surviving air travel? After you get where you’re going, take off your shoes and your socks then walk around on the rug bare foot and make fists with your toes.
I know, I know, it sounds crazy. Trust me, I’ve been doing it for nine years. Yes sir, better than a shower and a hot cup of coffee.
[quote]PaddyM wrote:
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Maybe talk to a doctor? I believe some people are able to get a hold of a few xanax for flying.[/quote]
This. My friend is able to get it and I guess it is the only thing that allows her to get on a plane.[/quote]
I guess it’s worth asking my doctor about that, thanks.
[quote]AndrewG909 wrote:
^ This and I would probably rationalize it like this:
If this plane is indeed going to crash and kill us all, do I want to spend my last moments crippled in fear? Or do I wanna be the guy with his hands in the are screaming “come get some”. Life’s too short to be scared of ANYTHING. When it’s your time to go it’s your time to go, might as well make the most of every minute of every day.[/quote]
Well shit, I’m not letting my dread of flying stopping me from enjoying life on the ground. It’s only when I set foot in the fuselage that the evil thoughts start creeping in. So if somebody was to offer to punch me in the face and knock me out cold for the duration of the flight, I would gladly accept. Any takers?
[quote]Dustin wrote:
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Are you traveling to Tahiti, or to visit in-laws? Because that’ll have an effect on how bad you want to get on the plane.
[/quote]
Yes, will the OP be traveling over water?
[/quote]
I’ll be visiting a buddy of mine in Alberta, flying from Ontario. There’s really no other comfortable, time effective way to cross the prairies than by plane. So much for a water landing.
Even though I hate being on a plane, some twisted logic of mine dictates that the more I fly, the more likely I am to overcome my fear. I guess they call that Facing your fears.
[quote]aeyogi wrote:
I used to have to prune trees and I was afraid of heights when I first started. I learned to get over it; I got to the point where I could look down from the top of a tall tree and not feel anything.
The trick that I learned was to control my thoughts. I learned to stay focused on the present moment and present task and not think about the height or visualize falling; it felt like I was shutting off a portion of my mind. At some point, and after a lot of practice, my fear of heights just disappeared. It helped that I had a lot of opportunities to practice, as I would be up in the trees every day for weeks at a time.
Just remember, as long as the plane does not blow up, you are alive and have nothing to worry about; once the plane blows up you are dead and have nothing to worry about. [/quote]
Staying focused on something definitely helps. I realize fear of flying is a mindfuck and that the only thing you can do is calm the fuck down and occupy your mind with something else.
In regards to your last statement: I would actually prefer if the plane blew up and disintegrated into thin air. Instant, out of the blue death is the way to go. It’s the other types of crashes that blow major ass: the ones where you anticipate the impact, giving you just enough time to shit your pants and think of all stuff you have yet to cross off your life’s to-do list. I hate it when those happen.
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
I used to be afraid of flying. Then after 9/11, my fear was mysteriously gone.
I remember the trip we made after 9/11 and there was a suspicious dude on the plane who went into the bathroom with something odd in his hand. He had already violated the request of the captain who announced to remain seated, so this guy was a red flag in my mind.
As soon as he went into the bathroom, I looked across the aisle to the big guy (with his young wife and baby next to him) and said, “Did you see that?” He said yes. I told him I’m going to make a move if the guy comes out without the item he was carrying. The big guy said “I got your back!”
Luckily for the suspicious guy (and mostly for myself), he came out with the item in hand.
Anyway, that incident left me feeling empowered in that plane. Since then, flying is just a small nuisance, and not a fear. [/quote]
I’m not bothered by the idea of a terrorist attack. There’s at least a chance to take down a deranged motherfucker that plans to hijack your plane. It’s really all about the inability to seize control of a potentially adverse situation.
I would say that’s the primary cause of most people’s fear of flying. Ironically, that reason alone should combat the fear since you can’t do a damned thing about it anyway.
[quote]redleg32002000 wrote:
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
I used to be afraid of flying. Then after 9/11, my fear was mysteriously gone.
I remember the trip we made after 9/11 and there was a suspicious dude on the plane who went into the bathroom with something odd in his hand. He had already violated the request of the captain who announced to remain seated, so this guy was a red flag in my mind.
As soon as he went into the bathroom, I looked across the aisle to the big guy (with his young wife and baby next to him) and said, “Did you see that?” He said yes. I told him I’m going to make a move if the guy comes out without the item he was carrying. The big guy said “I got your back!”
Luckily for the suspicious guy (and mostly for myself), he came out with the item in hand.
Anyway, that incident left me feeling empowered in that plane. Since then, flying is just a small nuisance, and not a fear. [/quote]
What was the item?[/quote]
It looked like a small silver metal box (about the size of a cigarette pack).
I later assumed it was some sort of medication (perhaps he was diabetic) for which he felt he had to use the bathroom for its dispense.
I only hate flying becuase I cannot sleep on flights, I fucking hate it.
The first and only time I’ve experience high turbulence was in December on a plane back from SA. Pretty scary stuff I’ll admit.
[quote]Boangiu wrote:
[quote]aeyogi wrote:
I used to have to prune trees and I was afraid of heights when I first started. I learned to get over it; I got to the point where I could look down from the top of a tall tree and not feel anything.
The trick that I learned was to control my thoughts. I learned to stay focused on the present moment and present task and not think about the height or visualize falling; it felt like I was shutting off a portion of my mind. At some point, and after a lot of practice, my fear of heights just disappeared. It helped that I had a lot of opportunities to practice, as I would be up in the trees every day for weeks at a time.
Just remember, as long as the plane does not blow up, you are alive and have nothing to worry about; once the plane blows up you are dead and have nothing to worry about. [/quote]
Staying focused on something definitely helps. I realize fear of flying is a mindfuck and that the only thing you can do is calm the fuck down and occupy your mind with something else.
In regards to your last statement: I would actually prefer if the plane blew up and disintegrated into thin air. Instant, out of the blue death is the way to go. It’s the other types of crashes that blow major ass: the ones where you anticipate the impact, giving you just enough time to shit your pants and think of all stuff you have yet to cross off your life’s to-do list. I hate it when those happen.[/quote]
Yes, I’m like this. It isn’t the death part that scares me so much as the thought that I would have a few minutes to ponder the manner of my death. A plane exploding mid-air and taking you out instantly is a far palatable thought.
As a side - keep looking over at the air hostesses. In a recent flight, the turbulance got so bad that a few people sat next to me began praying - quite loudly - but I kept my focus on the air-hostesses who were just chatting to each other non-chalantly.
Again, I’m not attempting to rationalise for you. But in my experience, these little coping mechanisms can go a long way in easing fear.
I’ve always wondered about the plausibility of a large plane parachute.
Try flying a plane. Take some lessons or a ride-along or something.
When I was about 13 I was also afraid of flying. I was a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol, and part of our requirements for promotions were to go up in a Cessna and pilot the plane (over time you would eventually learn to take off and land, but I never got that far). Once you’re in the air, piloting a plane is cake. Obviously a Cessna doesn’t compare to a Boeing 747, but those pilots are professionals.
Whenever I fly now I tend to fall asleep during takeoff and wake up when we’re landing. And turbulence is fun!
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
I’ve always wondered about the plausibility of a large plane parachute. [/quote]
Me too, until I realized that most crashes occur during take-off or landing.
[quote]Boangiu wrote:
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
I’ve always wondered about the plausibility of a large plane parachute. [/quote]
Me too, until I realized that most crashes occur during take-off or landing.
[/quote]
I’m probably way off base, but what if every single seat could be an ejector seat with a parachute? Like the whole top of the plane ripped off and off you went!
I wonder what it’ll be like in a few hundred years.