Posted on 05/24/2011 5:44:24 PM PDT by depressed in 06
As a less than frequent flyer, last time 5 years ago, I went through TSA security screening without my belt and shoes, passed thru the magnetometer and full body scan, the screener said that he needed to pat my butt, more like a athlete attaboy. But, then he wanted to swab my palms. Clean. Nothing he did seem unprofessional. Anyone have a similar experience?
I had made some hand loads two days before.
I wore a grin all the way to the gate afterward. What kind of maroon wears an Obama 2008 baseball cap these days?
>>Soooooo, how do you do it then? I fly quite a bit too and I always “opt out” of the scanner, but it has never been followed with “Okay, just go on then.”<<
I go through the scanner if they ask me to: moose ears and all. But if you have anything in your pockets — even a dime — you will get patted after the scanner.
I wear travel gear that includes integrated belts in the slacks (and zip-off pant legs for when it gets hot) and multi-pocket vented shirts (which I fill after security).
My son has failed the swab test! Several times.
One year it was a previous use of firecrackers. Another time it was right after going to the range. (Boy howdy, did he fail that one... and his bags failed... and his hair and his shoes... They swabbed everything and everything came up hot. Thank goodness the people searching him had a sense of humor.)
>>Yup. And some, even here on FR, will willingly bend over and take it. It’s for their safety and perfectly safe....<<
Better to let the gummint tell you you can’t travel at all.
Who is the slave here? Those of us willing to put up with 10 minutes of slight hassle? Or those who throw themselves on the ground in a tantrum and basically circle their world at a few hundred miles around their home?
I can go to Fiji or Australia or Ireland (the land of my ancestors) or Bora Bora or Alaska tomorrow with a small shrug of my shoulders.
You tantrum-throwers OTOH, are imprisoned forever. And the very government you decry has jailed you. At your request.
*CLANG!*
Just accuse them of picking you out because you are Muslim. They will shit their pants while apologizing.
>>And being rude doesn’t accomplish anything either.<<
Not sure what you mean by rude. If you believe my denotation of people who won’t travel because the government won’t ;et them do it on their own terms as “tantrum throwers” then maybe you don’t know what a tantrum is.
>>If you believe your “research” sponsored by who-knows-what, good luck to you.<<
Thousands of web sites including conspiracy theorists sites over the last 5 years. But YMMV.
Enjoy your self-imposed imprisonment.
I, OTOH, am free.
I travel frequently. I often set off the chem alarm and get swabbed on outbound trips. First, I do a lot of gardening so I pick up fertilizer dust on my shoes and clothes. Second, I keep my passport and cash in my safe with guns and ammo so I pick up gunpowder residue when packing for a trip. I rarely set off an alarm on the return trip except once it happened in Europe.
Oh. For a minute there I thought you had found a way to keep your freedom as an American citizen and avoid all the gestapo tactics.
I keep hoping for a pat-down because I want to tell them I am gay and want a female to do it.
But timing is all important. There are couple of cuties here that I will volunteer for (not many, that is why the timing is so important).
As is the case with any transaction
price is always negotiable.
Nice name-calling, means you lost your argument.
I am quite honestly disgusted by your rudeness.
Just because you believe their propaganda, or maybe even sell or have a vested interest in their machines, doesn’t mean everyone you disagree with is “throwing a tantrum.”
They PROFILED your son! Time to sue! s/
>>Oh. For a minute there I thought you had found a way to keep your freedom as an American citizen and avoid all the gestapo tactics.<<
A few seconds going through a metal scanner is gestapo tactics?
Got hyperbole?
In the meantime, all the “I AM CITIZEN AND I KNOW MY RIGHTS!” folk are stuck in Deluth for the summer (and the winter).
Who is free here?
LOL, yup! I was thinking it was because she was a swimsuit model when she went to UCLA .... (seriously! maybe they're just profiling the cute ones, like always)
>>Nice name-calling, means you lost your argument.<<
I know a tantrum when I see/read one. This was denotative, not connotative.
I fly where I want to go and put up with a few minutes of line waiting usually. I haven’t been touched by an agent in 6 months (that’s 200 flights).
If you want to let your misinformation ground you, I leave you to your ignorance (also not rude: “ignorance” is lack of knowledge, not the ability to assimilate it).
Do I want better? Heck yeah. Do I deserve better? heck yeah. But I work within the system we have to make the changes we need.
I don’t cross my arms and pout and say “I am gonna eat worms!” because I don’t like the system.
>>As is the case with any transaction
price is always negotiable.<<
And as with many, freedom requires a price some will not pay.
>>I travel frequently. I often set off the chem alarm and get swabbed on outbound trips. First, I do a lot of gardening so I pick up fertilizer dust on my shoes and clothes. Second, I keep my passport and cash in my safe with guns and ammo so I pick up gunpowder residue when packing for a trip. I rarely set off an alarm on the return trip except once it happened in Europe.<<
That doesn’t make any sense. Why do you travel in clothes you use for gardening?
And why store your cash with your ammo, knowing it will probably set off the sniffer?
I plan every aspect of my travel, from my packing to my clothes.
Do you just “wing it?” (no pun intended). If so, you are a freer spirit than I could hope to be. But I am ready for darn near any situation that may come up and I am super comfortable when I fly.
“Free”
When you have to submit to fondling by government officials?
Strange notion of “free” you have there.
BTW, I would not equate claiming my 4th Amendment right to freedom from UNREASONABLE search as being a “tantrum-thrower”.
>>“Free”
When you have to submit to fondling by government officials?
Strange notion of “free” you have there.
BTW, I would not equate claiming my 4th Amendment right to freedom from UNREASONABLE search as being a “tantrum-thrower”.<<
I have never been “fondled” by anyone. In 2 million miles. I have had a few backhand pat-downs but they were non-intrusive.
As I said, I ain’t thrilled with the procedures and they owe me Trusted Traveler.
But I am free to go anywhere in the world I please. The rest of you can hang around as far as your childish pouting chains will hold you.
Which ain’t far.
Enjoy your prison.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.