A Real-Time Map of Travelers Suffering From the Thanksgiving Storm

Daniel_Stuckey writes "Travel officials expect about 3 million people to venture by plane to their turkey dinner, and already hundreds of flights have been canceled and thousands delayed—including more than a third of routes at the major airport hub in Dallas, which will have a ripple effect down through the airline system as thwarted passengers try to hop on other flights. This inspired flight-tracking site FlightAware to develop an interactive 'Misery Map' visualizing flight statuses in real-time and the megastorm traversing the country simultaneously. Because who doesn't love a little data viz schadenfreude?"

Great idea for a graphic

[GodfatherofSoul]

I love these clever UIs that maximize visual cues. I would like to see a 3rd pie slice separating delays and cancellations, though.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[MoonFog]

For most people that's not an option though, since they leave as soon as they can after work and for many there are no alternatives to airplanes. Basically, they're idiots for moving so far away from their families they can't get to them in a short drive and idiots for not getting themselves jobs where they have a flexible schedule? Either that or you have an incredible naive way of looking at the world.

No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[coder111]

Even though time and time again studies show that well rested employees are more productive, people in USA keep working longer hours with fewer holidays. And that is the reason for 80% of those last minute flights.

Why cannot the state mandate that each employee gets X days of holiday per year guaranteed, and is forced to take them? That's how it works in quite a few countries in Europe.

--Coder

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[wcrowe]

I don't know that I'd go so far as to call them "idiots", however, it surprises me that so many people practically kill themselves to get somewhere hundreds of miles away merely to spend a day with their extended family. In my experience, it's something that is highly overrated, and I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. I don't feel the need to go into detail, but it's virtually impossible this year for me to be with family, and I am okay with that. Thanksgiving, like Christmas, has become a holiday filled with obligation and guilt. You MUST be home for Thanksgiving. You MUST buy presents for everyone. It is no wonder that for some, the holidays are nothing more than a time of stress, anger, disappointment and depression.

 

Re:TSA Misery Map

[CohibaVancouver]

Why do anti-gun people feel the need to ask this question every single time the subject comes up?

Because it's puzzling to us and we continue to seek out someone, anyone, who can explain it to us.

As a Canadian, our country has many, many cultural traits in common with the USA. However, what boggles my mind most about Americans Is the whole âgun thing.â(TM) I just donâ(TM)t get it. I live in Vancouver, I donâ(TM)t own a gun and amongst my wide circle of friends I only know one person who owns a gun (and heâ(TM)s a police officer). Now certainly my friends in rural parts of Canada own long guns for hunting, but thatâ(TM)s different. In Canada to buy a gun you need to be licensed, the same way you do to drive a car or own a dog. To Canadians this seems perfectly reasonable and the fact that many of my American friends go bananas if you even suggest such a thing is a complete and utter head-scratcher to us.