WTF: Sifan Hassan is going to compete in the DL in Zurich on Thursday night, then drive 7 hours to Brussels? Why not fly?

800 dude wrote: Even economy seats have plenty of space for someone Hassan's size, and she would probably fly first class.

As for the total time being comparable? Not even close. Door-to-door should be more like three hours.

Hmm... you obviously don't fly much. SN and LX - the nonstop options ZRH to BRU - use A319/320s and have no FC. Their intra-EU "Biz" class uses the exact same seats as economy - same pitch, width etc - but they block the middle seat. This config is not exactly supercomfortable.

I can see why she might do this. Stress of airport checkin/transit, and the risk of major delays caused by events like those at both FRA and MUC recently - security evacs of terminals. I spent five hours in a giant crowd @ FRA waiting for readmission to the terminal when this happened on Aug 7th and because of the delay, returned stateside a day late. These things happen during air travel, it's a complex system subject to multiple disruptions.

She wants control over the travel itin, so she can race both DLs and and get paid...

Let's not pretend like she will be driving.

Hassan will go to sleep in the back of some kind of luxury Mercedes minivan with the seats laid back whilst she is carted around and never needs to speak to a member of the public.

Hassan will redeem her refundable plane ticket and by splitting the ride with three others will come out $50 ahead.

HRE wrote:

Some of us hate flying and would use any remotely viable option to avoid it. Maybe she's one of us. For me, I'd drive for seven hours to avoid even a one hour flight in a flash.

Same here. I don't like flying, and greatly dislike airports.

800 dude wrote:

I agree with Rojo. The idea that driving SEVEN HOURS is more convenient and lower-stress than a 75 minute flight is ridiculous.

Your first mistake was agreeing with Rojo. Typically a losing move.

I've driven 10 hours over a supposedly much shorter flight and there's no comparison. The drive was far more relaxing and that's when I was splitting the driving time.

ground to air wrote:

800 dude wrote:

I agree with Rojo. The idea that driving SEVEN HOURS is more convenient and lower-stress than a 75 minute flight is ridiculous.

Your first mistake was agreeing with Rojo. Typically a losing move.

I've driven 10 hours over a supposedly much shorter flight and there's no comparison. The drive was far more relaxing and that's when I was splitting the driving time.

Same here. Hassan's 75 minute flight is really about a 4-hour travel stint at minimum when you factor in all the time spent in the airport. I know this b/c when I fly across California that's about what it comes to for an hour-long flight and I live very, very close to my local airport.

Whenever I can, I elect to do the 6-7 hour drive instead. No airports, no security checks, no turbulence.

If I was traveling like Hassan travels, I'd elect to take the roads in this situation without question.

I would be flying for sure. Airports are not "stressful" if you fly often (which Hassan does) and 4 hours (only 90 minutes sitting in an airplane chair) sounds a lot better than sitting 7 hours in a car.

Why am I happy that she lost to Obiri?

ground to air wrote:

800 dude wrote:

I agree with Rojo. The idea that driving SEVEN HOURS is more convenient and lower-stress than a 75 minute flight is ridiculous.

Your first mistake was agreeing with Rojo. Typically a losing move.

I've driven 10 hours over a supposedly much shorter flight and there's no comparison. The drive was far more relaxing and that's when I was splitting the driving time.

She's not driving. Why does anyone think she's driving?

This makes perfect sense.

7 hrs on the road: vs 30 mins to airport, 2 hrs in security, then get oxygen-depleted airspace, filled with possible germs, 30 mins drive after landing ...

Maybe have a private jet, but don't go commercial, already?

plan for losers wrote:

This makes perfect sense.

7 hrs on the road: vs 30 mins to airport, 2 hrs in security, then get oxygen-depleted airspace, filled with possible germs, 30 mins drive after landing ...

Maybe have a private jet, but don't go commercial, already?

That's the crux of it for me. Airplane 'air' is shite and its the last thing I'd want in my lungs in between races. Plus statistically there will be several people with colds/chest infections to share it with me.

rojo wrote:

There are plenty of nonstop flights between the two cities on Fridya. There is one leaving Zurich at 7:35 am getting in a 8:55 am. There even is a more convenient flight at 12:40 pm getting in at 1:55 pm.

Why us the 12:40 flight more convenient than the 7:35 flight?

I guess it's subjective and a lot of people just hate flying. I'm not a huge fan either, but the point where I'd consider driving instead is probably about a 3.5 hour drive. Still slower door to door, but a car is generally more pleasant than an airplane. While a 75 minute flight CAN stretch out if a lot of things go wrong, even then it's faster than a 7 hour drive. When things go right, which is 98% of the time, it a piece of cake. I routinely take one-hour flights to attend daytime meetings in another city, and I'm back home by dinner. (I'll admit I rarely fly in Europe, but I fly in the U.S. about 2-3 times/month.)

800 dude wrote:

I guess it's subjective and a lot of people just hate flying. I'm not a huge fan either, but the point where I'd consider driving instead is probably about a 3.5 hour drive. Still slower door to door, but a car is generally more pleasant than an airplane. While a 75 minute flight CAN stretch out if a lot of things go wrong, even then it's faster than a 7 hour drive. When things go right, which is 98% of the time, it a piece of cake. I routinely take one-hour flights to attend daytime meetings in another city, and I'm back home by dinner. (I'll admit I rarely fly in Europe, but I fly in the U.S. about 2-3 times/month.)

She's not driving.

All these anecdotes about driving instead of flying are irrelevant.

She's said herself she's not driving.

Rojo is sometimes mistaken.

For the last time, Hassan is not driving 7 hours.

She won't drive for even one minute.

She's just not driving. She will be driven.

Probably in a luxury people carrier with curtains and massaging seats.

ex-runner wrote:

ground to air wrote:

Your first mistake was agreeing with Rojo. Typically a losing move.

I've driven 10 hours over a supposedly much shorter flight and there's no comparison. The drive was far more relaxing and that's when I was splitting the driving time.

She's not driving. Why does anyone think she's driving?

I don't think she's driving. Why does anyone think I think she's driving.

ex-runner wrote:

Rojo is sometimes mistaken.

You're giving him way to much credit.

He's always mistaken.

Real air please wrote:

plan for losers wrote:

This makes perfect sense.

7 hrs on the road: vs 30 mins to airport, 2 hrs in security, then get oxygen-depleted airspace, filled with possible germs, 30 mins drive after landing ...

Maybe have a private jet, but don't go commercial, already?

That's the crux of it for me. Airplane 'air' is shite and its the last thing I'd want in my lungs in between races. Plus statistically there will be several people with colds/chest infections to share it with me.

Even if you picked up a cold virus it takes several days to have any effect on you. Not a factor.

ground to air wrote:

ex-runner wrote:

She's not driving. Why does anyone think she's driving?

I don't think she's driving. Why does anyone think I think she's driving.

I didn't mention you, you've taken it upon yourself to be personally targeted by my comments.

800 dude and rojo think she's driving.

However, you gave your anecdote about driving 10 hours Vs taking a plane, which is totally irrelevant if you thought she wasn't driving. It's a completely random statement to make.

I could give you an anecdote about a time I watched TV instead of going to sleep. It's as irrelevant.

A more relevant anecdote to the situation would be this:

I once took a coach between two Asian countries instead of the plane.