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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that most people on a plane don't know where they are going?

229 replies

sallysummer · 06/12/2018 21:12

When I talk to people they often have an appalling knowledge of geography - not knowing where Poland is, confusion which ocean is which etc; geography is my area of employment.

I think I could get on a plane and ask people to show me where they are going on a map and they couldn't - why do people not know where places are?

OP posts:
TurquoiseDress · 06/12/2018 22:58

littlemisscomper

Thanks for the link- I got 106

That's the kind of thing I LOVE!

Oysterbabe · 06/12/2018 23:06

Fuck off did people get on a flight to Australia thinking it was going to last 3 hours. That didn't happen.

TigerTooth · 06/12/2018 23:07

Well I suppose if they're interested they will know or find out, if not, they won't. Maybe they have other interests, why do you judge?

MrsTerryPratcett · 06/12/2018 23:17

funnyshit.com.au/aussie_tourism.html

Enjoy.

Donthugmeimscared · 06/12/2018 23:27

@UserMe18 I had no idea about time zones until I read your post. Probably because the furthest I have travelled is France. One day when I can I will travel more and it will probably be more relevant to me than it is now.

littlemisscomper · 06/12/2018 23:30

@TurquoiseDress

It's Africa that's tripping me up mostly, and all those darned diddly little islands!

Miscible · 06/12/2018 23:37

People have different levels of skill in different areas of interest. You may find, for instance, that historians or musicians or literature teachers are astonished at your sheer ignorance in their subjects, OP.

Raines100 · 06/12/2018 23:38
  1. Can't believe I forgot about Canada! Grin
halfwitpicker · 06/12/2018 23:38

What?

BumsexAtTheBingo · 06/12/2018 23:40

I’m calling bollocks that anyone thought their flight to Australia would take 3hrs! Presumably they’d also booked transfers/accommodation etc based on it taking about 3 hrs without checking their arrival time Hmm
AIBU to think some people make the weirdest shit up!

Sakura7 · 06/12/2018 23:44

I'm with you OP, I consider it basic knowledge that people should have but so many don't. How long does it take to look up a map?

CheshireChat · 06/12/2018 23:48

@sallysummer hi there, former geography teacher, still an arse I see!

I had 1 decent geography teacher and she was only there 1y, the other two make it difficult to even think about their subject without a serious grudge!

Also, I seriously struggle at reading maps even to this day, I have no spacial awareness even on paper it seems!

VanGoghsDog · 06/12/2018 23:52

Maybe don't talk to people on planes? You sound a bit annoying really.

wafflyversatile · 06/12/2018 23:54

An ex, before going to visit his family in Barbados, asked me if it was near Italy.

anniehm · 06/12/2018 23:57

People aren't stupid, even if they cannot point exactly on a map of Spain where they are going, I'm sure 99% of people can point to Spain! Even islands people know roughly where they are. Personally I can name most the countries of the world and their capitals, I'm pretty sure I'll find them on the map and more to the point my teenage kids can also do this - we aren't unusual most people have decent geographical knowledge I find (history however not so much!)

SonOfSaturn · 06/12/2018 23:57

If none of your friends know where Poland is, I suggest you stop hanging out with morons

This. Sounds like your idea of "most people" is skewed by the fact that you obviously spend all your time surrounded by idiots, OP.

I don't think I know anyone who wouldn't be able to tell you roughly where Poland is or how long it takes to fly to Australia.

zzzzz · 07/12/2018 00:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

littlemisscomper · 07/12/2018 00:03

Oh, and if anyone wants a song in their head that would rival 'Baby Shark'...

Bambamber · 07/12/2018 00:04

I honestly couldn't give a flying fuck where the country I'm visiting is on the map

Grilledaubergines · 07/12/2018 00:08

I think perhaps OP, your circle of friends/colleagues aren’t too interested in geography and just want a break. Unless of course you’re saying you’ve conducted a survey of complete strangers outside your local Asda and this was the outcome.

Calvinsmam · 07/12/2018 00:11

We went on a beach holiday to Poland and it WAS hot.

YolandiFuckinVisser · 07/12/2018 00:14

I was once on a plane to New Jersey, we all got settled in and the pilot started his intoductory speech with "Welcome to your fight to Philadelphia..." left it just long enough for the passegers to register what he'd said, look at each other and start panicking about being on the wrong flight then carried on with "... just joking, we're on our way to Newark, estimated flight time, weather, etc etc"

Lockheart · 07/12/2018 00:21

I agree it’s a bit strange to not know where on earth you are going, but in this day and age you don’t really need to, so in the grand scheme of things it’s not something I can get worked up about. If you get lost your nearest and dearest are not going to have to navigate to your approximate location with a map and compass.

Tartyflette · 07/12/2018 00:25

I look at the Quora question/advice site (lots of U.S participants) quite a lot and I was somewhat taken aback recently by the person who wanted to know which was the quickest way to get to Dublin from London -- flying or driving?
They clearly hadn't looked at a map had no idea that Dublin was in a country that was separated from London, England by the Irish Sea.

Lockheart · 07/12/2018 00:29

@Tartyflette I’m fairly certain you can get a car ferry to Ireland, so you could drive if you wished. Granted you’d have to add the ferry time on though.