RV6,
Your last point is true, but having now discovered how often this sort of thing happens (I too thought it was just me) I wonder if we're just the tip of the iceberg. How many give up because of bad experiences? We know about DingDucky and Scottishburd's friend. A flying instructor friend of mine knows another (also female) who is too scared to fly again after being virtually forced to fly solo in marginal weather. But how many more are there? How common is this?