2007-07-24 02:20:03 · 12 answers · asked by allissande 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
It has its roots in the history of woman aviators - if it was a near collision - pilots used to assume that it had to be a miss flying the thing - soooo, it was a near collision by a miss .. near miss for short ..
2007-07-26 14:12:44 · answer #1 · answered by thefatguythatpaysthebills 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's sort of like referring to the glass as half-full or half-empty. But you have a point. If you really think about the use of the term "near miss" it seems to mean that it was a hit that was close to being a miss! So a logical person could interpret it to be a collision.
Another interpretation: it's sloppy writing and the writer is a journalist with no imagination who wants to convey that the planes came close to each other but didn't actually collide.
2007-07-24 02:28:10 · answer #2 · answered by Kraftee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it was a miss, but they came near each other. A far miss would be when they miss with plenty of room. You can't call it a hit, or collision, unless they touch... grammatically it is a miss, and the near is an adjective modifying to say what kind of miss.
2007-07-25 18:08:45 · answer #3 · answered by DT3238 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take the analogy of a glass half filled with liquid. Depending on your point of view, it is either half-empty or half-full.
In aviation terms, near-miss sounds better than near-hit. After all, they DID miss!
2007-07-25 09:23:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Somehow it sounds more dramatic to say "near miss." Perhaps it's not really incorrect to say it. Two planes came very near, but missed each other.
2007-07-24 05:21:11 · answer #5 · answered by Pat S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a glass that is filled halfway with water. Is it half empty or half full?
It's all a matter of perspective.
Anyway, I agree with you. A "near miss" sounds grammatically incorrect somehow.
2007-07-24 02:24:37 · answer #6 · answered by Oklahoman 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
listen if its in a book its gotta be correct, agree? lol
*edit*
think about it the planes are near and they miss capeech?
2007-07-24 04:08:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree, doesn't make sense to me either.
It means it missed but was near. They could call it a close miss but that doesn't sound right.
2007-07-24 03:18:38 · answer #8 · answered by Airmech 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
500 feet is very close!! i would say that is a near hit
2007-07-24 09:03:07 · answer #9 · answered by Dr. Illegal Morphine 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they were near each other but missed, hence "near miss"
2007-07-24 14:34:39 · answer #10 · answered by BM31 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋