I agree with that.
But given the wildly disproportionate death rate per mile traveled for car vs. airplane, I’d simply note that the emotional reaction is not based on facts.
In fact, while accurate statistics are hard to come by, it is probable other modes of transport are not as safe as we think they are. Cycling and walking are 10x to 15x more dangerous per mile traveled than driving. Motorcycles, of course, are the most dangerous standard mode of transport, at 30x to 50x more dangerous than cars per mile traveled.
All this goes to show is that emotional reactions are not a particularly good basis for making decisions about risk.
Would also like to point out that if you’re a passenger in a car you have just as little control as a passenger in an airplane.
Of course it’s not based on facts. That’s why the discussion is fascinating....that is assumed. If it were simply fact based, it would just be a thing, not a fascinating human nature thing.
Altho there is one fact that is important: the horror of knowing for many minutes you’re going to hit the ground and die is a horror that is only maybe a half second or so in a bad car crash. And in some cases, these poor souls know at 30 thousand feet they’re doomed. (not the case with Germanwings - they apparently knew for just a few seconds.)
Altho, seeing the captain try to break into the cockpit with an axe could not have been comforting.
“Why is risk so risky?” —Seinfeld