Is driving really safer than flying from Florida?

[MoreTravels]

• You have to stop many times often in roadside public washrooms, which may not have be disinfected or cleaned for a long time.
• You have to stay alert and cannot nap during the trip. This lack of sleep may lower your immune system.
• You have to stay at an unknown hotel in the middle of trip where you do not know or get to choose the quality of such hotel.
• You have to eat in service stations where there would be crowds and some might be coughing. You will need to eat at least 5 meals along the way.
• You have to go through states such as NY and NJ where there are currently over 700 cases and counting. You may encounter gas station attendant and toll collectors. You would need to touch all kinds of equipment to keep your car running such as gas pumps.
• And finally, you have to hope you do not develop fever and symptoms along the way as you probably don't know where is the nearest ER for COVID-19. If you travel partner does not drive, your family may be stuck in a small town with no resource while the world is falling apart.

So I am not sure if driving is really safer than flying at this time. What do you think?

 

[FigmentSpark]

Those are all valid things that went through my mind these last 4 days. However, you're mostly in your car, an environment which you control. While you may get coughed on, you can control how close you are to people in the gas station or restaurant. Rest stops may not have been cleaned any more than an airport rest room, but the virus needs a host to survive. It can't live forever on that surface that isn't a high traffic rest stop.

You can keep wet ones or other wipes in your car or even gloves to use to pump gas or even to touch things like money. We've gotten away from gloves in the last 50 years, but there was a time when a lady didn't go out without them. Maybe they should make a comeback.

If you have a phone with data, you have a map of the nearest hospitals.

Yeah, if you only have one driver, stay home.

 

[Disneylover99]

Car travel seems safer in that I haven’t heard of anyone becoming sick because of a road trip.

 

[starvenger]

I don't know that a road trip is safer, but there are more things that are within your control versus taking a plane. But each has their own set of variables you need to account for.

 

[isabellea]

I would choose car vs plane. In a plane the air is re-circulating. Yes there are filters but it’s still much worst than fresh air.

 

[AnnaS]

Where is someone driving to? Are they driving back home? Two weeks ago we were thinking of cancelling our end of March reservation. We were even willing to hang out at the resorts and not go to the parks. But what about all the people around the resorts and touching/coming into contact with? Then we considered driving - it would be "safer". We then decided to cancel the whole reservation - not just worth the risk. Of course we know that Disney ended up shutting down anyway.

I personally would not be going anywhere right now unless I had a second home I could drive too. But that is just me. Little by little everything is going to shut down/close - keep your distance, curfews, etc. etc.

Everyone is going to suffer unfortunately - economically. If the spread does not stop/slow down........and they are talking "maybe" the fall - I would not be adding any stress and disappointment.

We have had October reservation since last November - I think this is up in the air too now. (we also cancelled June cruise/Alaska tour a few weeks ago - and eventually that was shut down too a few days ago - no ships docking in Canada until July I think ).

If I had a choice though - I would definitely drive during these times.

 

[bankr63]

Okay, so on the drive down, we interacted with two people on day one, the US Customs Officer, and the desk clerk at HI Express. Try getting through an airport with that few interactions. Hotel room had nice fresh clean laundered linens, how well sanitized was that airplane seat (have you watched the Marketplace episode on how dirty airplanes are?) We took 4 tanks of gas, paid at pump, wiped hands with Lysol wipes after each fill (never went inside any of the stations). Bathrooms at Interstate rest stops all are pretty much fully automated, you don't really need to touch anything (toilet, tap, soap and towel dispensers are all automatic). We brought lunch and dinner for first day, did have to stop for breakfast and lunch on day 2, but we used the I-81 corridor where there are very few reported cases; did not take coastal I-95 where many clusters are located. Everyone seemed healthy and cheerful.

Here in SC today, things are interesting. There are 3 reported cases in the Low Country. A bit of panic buying, but weird stuff. Nobody buying frozen stuff, wouldn't that makes sense? Walmart pretty much sold out of laundry detergent and stain stick; does everyone plan to go into the zombie apocalypse with clean undies? No problems finding the meat and veggies we wanted. We have stocked up so we can have more meals in our villa. Pretty easy to practice social isolation here; keep your pool chairs away from others, lots of bike riding on the trails, and long walks on the beach. If this is the end-of -the-world (and it's not), I'm pretty good with it.

If we do come in contact with the virus, both DW and I are very healthy individuals with low risk factors. We are not in the high mortality age groups and should most probably survive. If we do get pneumonia and die (about 2.5 in one million population in China did), well, at least we had a good time! If Canada and US follows the China mortality rate, about 81 Canadians will likely die by the time it calms down. I hope and pray I am not one of them, but I am philosophical about that too.

That's just my view from the trenches.