Safety First

[plumtreeblossom]

It looks like beowabbit has some mild and easy weather in which to drive from Boston to Rochester to retrieve me. But if the weather was bad, I would insist he stay safely put and would take the Amtrak back.

I've developed some strong feelings about obligatory December holiday travel in treacherous weather. In short, I don't feel anyone should do it if they don't feel safe about it, and no one should pressure their loved ones to endure airport strandings, fearsome traffic on icy roads or other utter messes in the name of one holiday out of many throughout the year. It is uncountable, the number of travel agonies I've read about here on LJ or seen on the news or experienced myself, all on account of annual wails of "BUT IT WILL RUIN CHRISTMAS IF YOU'RE NOT HERE!"

Barring life-or-death emergency, I never want to set foot in an airport during the two weeks surrounding Christmas again. "Connecting flight" is a swear word to me, having spent enough oh-so-not-merry nights on the floors of various airports of the world at Christmastime to last the rest of my life. If it's winter and I can't get there safely by rail or non-hazardous car travel within roughly 12 hours, I'm probably not going. Also, I will never pressure someone to risk weather-related danger or discomfort in order to come to me at Christmas (or any other time of year, really). If I love them, why would I want to put them at such risk? I will make merry with whomever is available nearby and can see the traveler at another time of the year when its safer to travel.

Comments

[hermitgeecko.livejournal.com]

I hope you didn't interpret my travel woes as being caused by anyone other than me. Not only will my parents forgive me if I'm not there for Christmas, but they have delayed celebrating Christmas as far as a week off normal schedule in order to accommodate my work schedule.

With that said, *I* want to be home for Christmas, and I exert a decent amount of internal pressure over the matter. Until my first year in Boston, I had never been gone during Christmas, and it completely broke my heart to be away from my family at the time that mattered most to me. I didn't make it home for Christmas last year, either, and so this year is even more precious to me.

[kalibex.livejournal.com]

"If it's winter and I can't get there safely by rail or non-hazardous car travel within roughly 12 hours, I'm probably not going."

Uncommonly common sense.

In the old dayz...if people wanted to be able to see relatives, &tc., on any regular basis....

...they would settle down within a reasonable traveling-distance.

Sometimes, a culture needs to take possibilities to illogical extremes....until it figures out what works... and what doesn't.

[heatherp8.livejournal.com]

AMEN! Well said, sister!
Aside from the joy of being with my Boston family, I'm not looking forward to flying there and back the weekend of 1/16 to 1/18. I'm sure your weather will be winter-like and being a timid flyer anyway, I worry about the ice 'n stuff interfering with things--to put it mildly.
But it's my Mother's 80th birthday surprise party and well, it's kind of a Command Performance, if you catch my drift.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

all on account of annual wails of "BUT IT WILL RUIN CHRISTMAS IF YOU'RE NOT HERE!"

Geez. Could people be more selfish? Because that's how I see it, and that's how I've called it to bio-family, including my mom. Because my safety and comfort are worth a helluvalot more to me. ;-p

::supportive hugs::