Word for fucking word:

Unless really pressed, I would much prefer to drive rather than fly anywhere within a full day's drive, meaning 500-600 miles. Even a short flight is deceptively time-eating when you count getting to the airport, getting through security, waiting for your late plane, waiting for your connection that sometimes isn't, missing that connection because your first flight was late, waiting for any checked luggage at the other end (if it makes it), etc.

And the rest of what Tully says, too. I could just cut and paste it all. Especially the joy of having your own car, which I'll address in a subsequent post.

Now, my own addendum: our airports are a fucking disgrace. JFK? OMG! Foreigners come here and this is the first thing they see? JFK would embarrass a third world nation. Bulldoze it. Destroy it! Hide our shame from the shocked and pitying gazes of the world.

Atlanta Hartsfield? Sweet Jesus, bring Tecumseh Sherman back from the grave, hand him a torch and he can start on any concourse he chooses. LAX? Nothing wrong with LAX that a catastrophic earthquake wouldn't fix.

Airports are so awful in this country that I'm actually relieved when I can lay over at O'Hare. O'Hare! At least I can get a decent hot dog once I fight my way through the omnipresent crowds. Just, God help you, make sure you have a club membership if you want to take a pee at O'Hare. A club membership or a gas mask and a gallon-sized Purell.

As for our airlines, American Airlines, Delta, United, and especially the despicable Northwest and US Airways cannot go out of business fast enough. (I give a pass to Continental because they did me a solid once.) Let me say this: I'd rather be in any standard coach seat on Jet Blue than in Business Class on US Airways. And I'd rather be in Abu Ghraib than on any Northwest flight.

This entry was posted by Michael Reynolds, on Tuesday, October 09, 2007. You can leave your response.