[skybrian]

"Apples and oranges" is a metaphor for things that shouldn't be compared. But that's just asserting that you can't compare two things without giving a reason. And I'm asking why not?

There are lots of statistics comparing deaths from different causes. Why not use them to make informed choices about risk?

[geezerjay]

> "Apples and oranges" is a metaphor for things that shouldn't be compared.

No it's a reference to comparisons that don't make sense.

You can compare as many apples you'd like with oranges, just as you can compare air travel with roadway traffic, but you'd be making absurd and meaningless comparisons.

[skybrian]

You're just repeating yourself with different adjectives. Why "absurd"? Why "meaningless"? Why "doesn't make sense"?

All I'm getting out of this is that you don't like it.

[perl4ever]

Elevators are even safer than airplanes. Why shouldn't we compare things to elevators?