Steering on the taxiway

MX,
You do raise valid points, and I appreciate that you at least replied.
Now I'm going to be sentimental....There is one underlying thing for
you to keep in the back of your mind here, however. There is an
underlying principle that bonds pilots subconsciously together- that
mistakes can lead to death. Being a pilot doesn't guarantee anything,
you are right. A lot of us have friends who have died flying, with
their license providing no help. But, despite that, we love flying, and
it is safe. Not knowing the perfect taxi speed might not hurt anyone,
but the collective package of knowledge a pilot possesses makes him/her
safer up there. It takes a lifetime commitment to being a safe pilot.

Try to get to the right answer, but be sensitive to the fact that this
group of people's differing opinions stem from a deeper belief that
their well being (as well as their passengers) depends on their
ultimate actions in the cockpit. Often times there are multiple ways to
do the same thing, and everyone who has done it their way safely wants
to tell others. (And yes, some people just want to show off...). But
what is good for one pilot might not be for another. So of Course there
are different answers. Examples:

You are too high on final. Do you sideslip or go around?
How much do you lean the mixture while on the ground?
What visibility is too low for takeoff? Part 91 lets me go with 0.
Am I safe at 9000ft at night without supplemental oxygen? FAR says it's
legal
When you taxi, how fast is too fast?
Is that runway too short today?


I know my abilities and limitations. For instance, I have great
crosswind landing skills, but am more timid with small mountain strips.
Most people here have different opinions OR experience levels, and you
can't just poke them with sticks when they know that you are detached
from the issue. If you screw up, no problem. If I screw up, somebody
might die, and that's why we try so hard to tell each other what we
think is best. Sometimes it seems you toy with this principle (without
knowing it, I hope) and it really ****es people off. Just my 2 cents.


Being a pilot isn't a guarantee of anything, unfortunately, except
that one holds a pilot's license. As a group, pilots are likely to
know more about aviation than non-pilots, but this general observation
is useless for predicting the reliability of individuals who call
themselves pilots.