As a licensed pilot for nearly 10 years, I find it interesting that people are so quick to suggest that area planes are a safety risk and nuisance. Pilots and the planes they fly are subject to much scrutiny by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Statistics have long shown that flying is one of the safest modes of transportation available.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for drivers of the many sport-utility vehicles around town, who frequently ignore and seem oblivious to local speed and traffic laws, sometimes causing serious injury or worse to people and property.
These 10,000-pound, noisy, polluting, global-warming behemoths present much more risk to the average driver, public and environmental safety than most other more fuel-efficient and practical modes of local transportation (ground, air or rail).
These drivers are often seen speaking on their cell phones, while being further oblivious to local speed and traffic laws. (Remember the hands-free cell phone law, which doesn’t appear to be receiving the level of attention it should from local law enforcement?)
Rather than worry about an occasional airplane flying overhead, think about the risk to you and your family the next time you’re sharing the road with these giant, ugly SUVs operated by oblivious, reckless or negligent drivers.
Also close by are the many refineries in Marrtinez and Pinole area.
Many of the older trucks and Suv's do not help our pollution, the newer ones are much better. Also, before you throw stones, do you ever have a fire in the fireplace or have a firepit in your yard? Big problem there too.
Also you can thank the greedy oil companies and oil rich countries for the high prices. They just want to line their pockets with green. Also, global warming? Yes, pollution (mostly China's) has an effect. However, over the years scientists have found that there has always been a shift in weather patterns. Different cycles, if you will. Much of global warming can be attributed to that.
Once again Ornley, you made sense!
Still, it's not good to lump all people into the same basket. An makin exaggerated claims about others certainly doesn't help yer case.
Fer instance, one of the major complainers about aircraft noise around the airport, including the aerobatic flyin box, claims to be a pilot himself. So are we ta think all pilots have thair shorts on a little tight becus of the yammerin on from one?
Yes some, and not all, SUVs are driven by people who really have no practical reason ta be drivin them and they drive em unsafe. Honestly ya can say that about a lot of drivers of a lot of vehicles on and off the road today.
Equally true there are some, and not all, pilots that are doin the same when they get into the cockpit of their aircraft. Does this mean that all pilots are doin the same? I don’t think so.
And yes, some people cell phone and text message while they are driving, and I’d be willin ta bet even money there are some who do it while piloting an aircraft. But it seems ta me there are a lot of people in other vehicles doin the same and no one seems ta get to worked up about it, otherwise the cops would be issuing more citations for breakin the law than they do now.
Some folks even got the notion that citations are issued as a form of local revenue enhancement. Well if that were true it seems to me that writin tickets for cell phone violations would be a no brainer and much easier than pullin over speeders and chasin suspected bad guys all over town. Nope, don’t think that’s what the cops are doin and I do appreciate the job they do ta keep us safe.
Also, just because it's an SUV doesn't mean its 10,000 pounds, noisy, pollutin or any more unsafe than any other vehicle on the road.
Fer instance, lookin aroun the Internet, it seems the heaviest SUV is somewhars around 7,500 pounds. An I doubt ya can hear it commin at ya from 6,000 feet, as compaired to an aircraft flying at that height over yer head.
I got no beef with aircraft or SUVs. But I do have a beef with those who think their crap don't stink an feel they have the right to obey and disobey laws as they like. Those who and sanctimoniously excuse their own errant actions because, "everyone else is doin it so why not me?"
I also have a beef with the bozos that moves next door to an already known high noise area or a smelly place like a dump, sewage treatment plant or a dairy and expect me to feel sorry for em.
Years ago out in the country and standin down wind of one of my friends old dairy farms years ago, I commented, “Doesn’t that smell bother ya? With a grin he replied, “Don’t know about you but it smells like money ta me.”
Funny, the bozo who bought the property down wind of the place an built himself a mansion, didn’t think so. So, he set about shuttin down my friends dairy farm that had been there for over 60 years. But bein in an area where lots of dairy farmers and ranchers lived, he didn’t get very far an eventually sold his place at a loss.
So who was at fault? My friend whose family had been runnin the farm for 60 years or the bozo newcomer that foolishly lost his money in his little empire building scheme?
Seems like people have forgotten the lessons in the good book. Ya know, the part about doin to others as you would have them do unto you?
Here's a hint for most of ya folks, clean up the mess in yer own household before ya start yammerin on how bad the other guys mess is. If everyone did that we’d all be much happier.
By the way, I own an SUV and have for many years. It has a GVW of slightly over 5,500 pounds and gets over 28 MPG in town, better than a lot of convensional cars on the road today.
So next time any of ya got a beef about yer neighbor, ya better make sure ya got yer own act together before ya come of soundin like a fool complainin about someone else. Odds are yer doin somethin that's just as irritatin to someone else.
Might hit a cute bird?