Originally Posted by
Nadar
When you drive a car you can to a large extent decide the risk yourself. In an aircraft you're to a larger degree depending on procedures made by someone else that you just have to trust that is safe. To me at least, the degree of control I have if something bad happens is a vital part of my risk assessment.
...
Here is a couple of links for anyone interested in the subject:
Flying Or Driving: Which Is Safer?
Driving Versus Flying: The Debate Is Settled! | Observer
True enough. But it reminds me of the well known statistic that the large majority of motor vehicle drivers believe they are above average drivers ;-)
Illusionary Superiority
By the way, if anybody reads your first citation, please also read the comments of the author (scroll to the end way past the links with the curvaceous girls). There the author admits that he miscalculated when he stated in his initial paragraph that the 'usual' stats where off by a factor of 66!