hesitant to commit to flights with the Iran situation

[THOscar]

Originally Posted by BerkshireBugsy

To be fair to everyone here - including OP we were asked for our opinions which we have given

Why dont we just accept that - as is often the case with opinions - they will be different.

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That’s not allowed on the dibb.

[PPM]

Originally Posted by BerkshireBugsy

To be fair to everyone here - including OP we were asked for our opinions which we have given

Why dont we just accept that - as is often the case with opinions - they will be different.

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If you’re not happy with some of the comments on here, report them .

[BucksBugsy]

Originally Posted by PPM

If you’re not happy with some of the comments on here, report them .

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Whoa ! I've not said that ! Like most discussions there are differences of opinions. There are no rights or wrongs

[PPM]

Originally Posted by BerkshireBugsy

Whoa ! I've not said that ! Like most discussions there are differences of opinions. There are no rights or wrongs

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Apologies, I read it differently, but I take your point onboard

[may]

Originally Posted by BerkshireBugsy

Interesting. Every day (when I am working in the london office) I walk from London Bridge Tube to the office which takes me past borough market.

My wife is more concerned (about me) than I am when i work in London. I just keep her informed of where i am and she tracks me on Google maps so she knows I am still moving.

Some concerns/fears are disproportionate to reality - my wife is scared of spiders but it doesnt mean she is at mortal risk from them

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I think it's logical that virtually all concerns / fears are disproportionate to reality .
We assess risk on the basis of the quantity and quality of information currently available to us. That information is rarely perfect and consequently our level of perceived risk will almost always be too high or too low based on that.
Then we have to factor in personal emotional responses. We all have things that scare us more than others. We all have people that we love, whose safety is crucial to us, that we are committed to protect.
However, what we all have to do is attempt to make, in as far as we can, rational decisions about how we allow our perceptions of risk to alter our decisions about actions.
Obviously, in my present case, the decision is not mine to make. Part of me would dearly love to wrap my girl up in a cosy duvet and keep her gently hibernating in the airing cupboard until she reaches safely marriageable age at around 45 :-) However, she is an intelligent adult and the occasional cold knot in my stomach is the valid price of her freedom.

[ERICSMUM]

Originally Posted by PPM

If you’re not happy with some of the comments on here, report them .

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I’ve got a better idea. Accept them and acknowledge them. All posts on this thread are personal opinions. None are better, correct, daft etc.

I’m a minority of one on here so have taken criticism. I’m not going to report.

What I want to say is don’t be such a smart-a! But I’d be excommunicated if I did. x

[Nimbus]

Humans have a weird sense of risk.

Even though more people are shot by a toddler in the US or killed by a lawnmower (as pointed out here), people are still far more concerned by the threat of terrorism. They're not bothered by the risk of, say, being run over by a rogue lawnmower whilst walking around the grounds at their Disney resort but are concerned by the less likely chance of being attacked by a terrorist. Florida is known for it's storms, but millions of people don't worry about heading over there between June and October even though they are more likely to get hit by lightning than be a victim of terrorism.

And, of course, being involved in a road traffic accident is far, far more likely than any of the above and yet lots of DIBBers drive cars or use buses whilst over there. And never once do they think as they are stepping into the vehicle, "I'm having second thoughts about doing this". We just accept the big risks whilst stressing about the smaller ones.

Yes, there is a threat of potential terrorism whilst in the USA and that threat is now a little higher because of recent events. But the risk is still a lot less than many other things that might harm you. You're still far more likely to be shot by someone who has mental health issues than by someone who is pro-Iranian.

But, of course, the media continues to report threats of war and we still get overly concerned about terrorism. Because we have this weird sense of risk.

[duchy]

Ah the Caterham Arms , a very real target as it was a squaddies pub (I lived up the road in Purley at the time). Not a “normal” pub (not for one moment downplaying the horror of it but at the time you knew places where soldiers congregated came with a higher risk )

Not just driving to the airport but choosing to vacation in a country where carrying a gun is commonplace comes with risks infinitely greater than working in London.
This struck home when we drove with friends to KSC from their home in Vero, both have permits to carry and there was a loaded gun in the glove compartment . It’s their “normal” (both comfortably off retired professionals)

Life comes with risk, we all have our own level of acceptable risk .

Originally Posted by Sew109

Sorry I am with Kev it’s how you deal with incredibly small risks.

I was in bed as a 5 year old 500 yards when the Caterham arms was blown up in 1975.

I was in the privy council when mortars flew over our heads into the garden on 10 Downing Street.

Like you working in London through out the 90’s we had our windows blown out in 1992 by the Bishopsgate bomb.

I walked back over London Bridge in June 2017 about an hour before the terrorist attack.

Terror attacks could affect my life in a horrible way and I can’t prevent this, however the risk of this is minimal.

We cannot allow terrorists to win, the moment we allow the threat of terror to change what we do we strengthen their cause and prove that what they are doing is worthwhile.

You did not stop working in London when the IRA were active you just got on with what you wanted to do sure no doubt you were vigilant but you still did everything you needed and wanted to.

You risk driving to the airport is a far higher risk to your family than terrorism in Florida.

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[novocastrian]

Never even crossed my mind... going in August...

Iran has no real way of 'attacking' the mainland USA.. the USA however could turn Iran into a car park tomorrow

as for a 'war' to pinch a line from Bill Hicks wars are when there are two sides fighting.. any war would be very one sided ... think gulf war(s) for example..

If i was going to the middle east i may have a rethink but not really on my radar for holidaying in that area anyway

so in conclusion.. crack on

[landandword17]

We’re in the US twice per year and the risk of being caught in a mass shooting is always in the back of my mind. I accept the risk and don’t let it ruin my holiday but I’d be lying if I said if wasn’t there.

If you look at the statistics the number of people shot over there is far, far greater than the number of people caught in what people consider a terrorist attack and that’s including 9/11. There’s probably been more people shot this year alone than died in 9/11.

So for me, even now, I still think the greatest risk of a US trip is gun violence and not a terrorist attack which have been more common in the U.K. in the last decade than the US.

I feel like history will repeat itself and we’ll all be in high alert for an Iranian attack and sadly the next big loss of life over there will be another homegrown lone loon who cooked up his attack in his bedroom.