Flying has always been terrible: you're essentially cattle loaded into a big aluminum pringles can with flaps. However, it has gotten ridiculous the last 5 years or so, which is ironic considering the big reason for all the security happened nearly eleven years ago. Flying was much better post 911 until about 2008: cheap fares, half empty flights, great bundled deals. Sure, they toyed around with new fangled procedures, like shoe wipes and the like, but those were more-or-less marketing tests. That kind of stuff would be at an airport for a few months, then sort of disappear. I guess the five year studies came to an end in 2007, and all the worse ideas to denigrate flyers were implemented. It took a few years, but it was pretty much intolerable by 2010. Backscatter nudie shots? Yeah, right, I'm going to let some government flunkie operate an x-ray unit on me for no medical benefit. I doubt they get 3 months training, and I suspect most of that is image interpretation rather than safety fundamentals. TSA gropes? Liquid carry-on limits? Bag that noise, I'll drive. I haven't flown in nearly a year and a half, which is insanely low for me. I don't even consider flying for trips that can be driven in under 10 hours anymore, and I've driven as much as 20 hours in lieu of the cattle call (complete with prodding!).
The longer the trip, the more sense it makes to drive. In addition to having more direct control over your own fate, the practical matter of having a car at your destination should be considered. Once you add in the cost of renting a car, getting to and from the airport, and the rising price of airline tickets, it's a no brainer even from an economic perspective. From a dignity standpoint, it's no contest, and that's even ignoring the inherent breach of privacy associated with the end of anonymous air travel. So, I know I won't be flying anytime soon if I can possibly avoid it, and I know many people who feel the same way. Until they pass a law that requires annual airline ticket purchases, they won't get a dime from me. After all, the decision not to fly affects commerce, and therefore can be regulated by the USFG. Heh.
the secret to happiness is to have you pay for my cocaine and mountain climbing-p0157
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Wed Jun 27, 2012 at 08:45:02 AM EST
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The longer the trip, the more sense it makes to drive.
Was that a typo or did you mean it? I think that for a single traveler driving makes sense up to a certain mid-range (probably about 8 to 10 hours), but after that flying becomes cheaper, particularly if you put any kind of dollar value on your time. Driving REALLY makes sense, though, if you are going with someone else (a spouse, let's say). It might be possible to justify $400 or $500 for a medium range (equivalent of 8 hour car ride) round trip by airplane + car rental for one person if you're going to end up spending $200 to $300 on gas, tolls (a big deal where I am in the northeast - my wife and I usually spend about $30 in tolls when we go visit her father in Pittsburgh - less so other places), and wear and tear on your car, but if two people have to travel then it's $800+ for the airplane tickets, and the cost of driving is still pretty much the same (at worst you spend a few bucks more because your gas mileage isn't quite as good with two people in the car). If you have kids and you're looking at buying three or four plane tickets, the car becomes almost unbeatable (plus you don't have to worry about some pedo legally groping your kid's junk). Of course, spending eight hours in the car with two young children has its own downsides...but from a monetary perspective, definitely unbeatable.
Allons-y!
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Wed Jun 27, 2012 at 09:55:04 AM EST
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I meant longer in terms of time at destination. If you're going to spend a standard weekend someplace, solo effective range is pretty much maxed out at 500 miles for car travel, and even that's pushing it. Four day weekend, double that or so. Once you start adding additional people to the mix and/or extending time at destination, it scales up, but not linearly. Personally, no matter how long at destination, or how many people can share driving duties, I don't want to be on the road (actually driving) for more than about 24 hours in a one way trip, giving an effective range of about ~1500 miles. After that, flying is pretty much the only option.
the secret to happiness is to have you pay for my cocaine and mountain climbing-p0157
Well if you don't have anything to hide, you don't have anything to worry about- besides, once the TSA is fully privatized nobody on the right will complain about them ever again because who are we to interfere with a private business?
On the other hand, if you're like me and you have a lot to hide, it's still government employees for the next few months and since the government can't do anything right, their incompetence is a shield.
I got more styles than prison got bricks- ain't that some shit?
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Wed Jun 27, 2012 at 07:41:54 PM EST
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You can privatize the TSA. They are NOT a law enforcement organization. They are NOT a "counter-terrorism" organization. They are a bunch of rentacops whose sole job it is to keep weapons off the plane. Which they suck at. If they were privatized a bunch of mouthbreathing airport square badges could do the same thing. In a perfect world the TSA would be prohibited from contacting local law enforcement about anything beyond the discovery of weapons or explosives at the checkpoint. Dude carrying a couple grand in cash? Guy with some bricks of righteous Canadian Red? Have a nice flight. No weapons, no problem. Instead we end up with a bunch of quasi-law enforcement wannabees who have serious mission creep out of an effort to justify their own budget.
Anyway, F this. As a believer in the free markets I've decided to get wealthy, get a private pilots license and then buy my own aircraft. Then I don't have to deal with this bullshit. Of course this may take about 30 years so I will let you know how it goes.
On a related note, I would like to point out that I was under the impression that Standard TnT convention suggests that profanities be limited to the diary. Informed debate is for the front page. Seeing as how the mods decided to promote this, perhaps it would be best to flag the story so that newcomers aren't confused by the sudden relaxation of decorum? T-Bone knows what I'm talking about.
America! I could teach you, but I'd have to charge.
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Wed Jun 27, 2012 at 09:28:31 PM EST
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I was under the impression that Standard TnT convention suggests that profanities be limited to the diary.
WTF? I hadn't heard of that one and profanity has been common on this site from the beginning just like it was at the Old Place, in the Before-Time.
Posters can exercise a little Personal Responsibility and not let their small children read the site if profanity concerns them.
There's already plenty of guns, drugs, fringe political views, racist & homophobic comments, video games, etc on this site; so profanity won't make a difference either way with TNT setting off any filters at the workplace.
I got more styles than prison got bricks- ain't that some shit?
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 07:30:46 PM EST
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It's not just me. I had lunch with T-Bone the other day, who we will all agree is a sensible moderate and he was on board with the fact that profanities and obscenities in the story itself is relegated to the diary section. We gotta keep it classy. Perhaps they do things differently in Arizona, due to the fact that Sheriff Joe sucks.
America! I could teach you, but I'd have to charge.
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 08:13:33 PM EST
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In that case I defer to the refined & learned judgment of two such urbane gentlemen.
If my Lord(s) would briefly humble a savage desert barbarian, though, what is the reasoning (wise as it may be) behind such a decision?
I got more styles than prison got bricks- ain't that some shit?
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 08:15:02 PM EST
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If you wanted to be involved in such a decision you had the opportunity to show up. It was held in a public forum and in full compliance with the open meetings law or whatever the hell it is these days. Ha ha! Bureaucracy!
America! I could teach you, but I'd have to charge.
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 08:18:44 PM EST
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Some of us work for a living, what can I say.
I got more styles than prison got bricks- ain't that some shit?
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The reasoning
Fri Jun 29, 2012 at 10:00:23 AM EST
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Please note that what we were referring to (in a conversation lubricated by many high ABV beers that included much cussin') were the stories themselves, NOT the comments. Anything has always been ok in the comments as far as I've ever known. I certainly use profanity in comments all the time.
The body of the story itself - and I think this was true of plastic too - should be a place where the author at least tries to achieve a semi-journalistic tone. Looks better on the front page in case we get lucky and actually manage to snag a new contributor.
My inflation-adjusted two cents.
[I'm not that guy.]
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Re: The reasoning
Fri Jun 29, 2012 at 11:34:57 PM EST
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That makes more sense, I had thought he were referring to the comments.
I got more styles than prison got bricks- ain't that some shit?
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Re: TSA (Continues to be) Populated by Retards
Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 09:11:18 AM EST
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You can privatize the TSA.
Or you could just admit that the TSA was a stupid idea that did nothing but shift millions of taxpayer dollars into the pockets of private "security" contractors and go back to the pre-9/11 system.
But since those private contractors have been using a portion of those taxpayer-provided profits to buy politicians (or should I use the PC term, lobby) that'll never happen.
If you're travelling on the northeast corridor, the Acela is a pretty good airplane replacement. From D.C. to NYC or Philly to Boston it's about as fast as a plane trip, 'till you factor in driving to the airport, getting through security, etc., etc. If you're doing a longer haul (D.C. to Boston, let's say) it's definitely slower, but still way more pleasant. It's a shame HSR isn't feasible in more areas.
Allons-y!
