Digital Parsimony

Found quite an interesting article on Wired today…and I always assumed that driving was going to be cheaper and safer than taking a plane.

Yesterday a plane crashed in the Congo and at least 30 people died. The week before that thousands of Americans watched their flights get canceled. Last month a Texas woman had to bare her breasts while passing through airport security. Every day brings another new story about why it sucks to fly. Cancellations, delays, price hikes, service cuts, pillow removal, fewer snacks, more fees — the list goes on and on.

We all love to bash the airlines, it’s easy and fun. But here’s something that usually doesn’t make the headlines: When you sit down and really do the math, flying has a lot going for it. Compared with driving, it’s safer, faster, cheaper and cleaner.

Here are some simple stats straight from the article:

Safety:
42,642 annual auto deaths, 1,500 aircraft deaths. Advantage: plane

Time:
25 hours to drive, 10 hours to fly. Advantage: plane

Price:
This includes fuel to drive there and back, plus an $89 night at the hotel and some snacks.
$354 to drive, $236 to fly. Advantage: plane

Emissions:
850 pounds of CO2 driving, 577 pounds flying. Advantage: plane

Yes, when you fly you have to put up with the sounds of babies being cut by razorblades, curry-smelling hairy men, vomit bags, “security” checks, delays, pretzels, and stewardesses with face lifts. Pretty crappy, but I’d rather save some money and not die.