most people just line up for TSA security without stopping to think how silly it is(that is another issue) but if you are going to play security theater at least have socks on!
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-never-go-barefoot-in-airport-security-2016-7
This reminds me of a story. A few years ago I was in Logan and heard one TSA agent yell out to another agent " hey Julie, can you hand me some Lysol, it smells like feet over here". I wonder why…
If I have on sandals I always have a pair of footies in my purse to slip on. I never walk on those nasty airport floors.
Meh. I refuse to become a germaphobe (in spite of the intense pressure in the media to turn me into one). Risk is low.
my college boyfriend was from Hawaii, where they go barefoot all the time - even to school! He was perfectly healthy, with two intact feet.
I’m with MomCat2. I am almost always barefoot. Even outside. My husband puts his shoes on before he leaves the bedroom in the morning. Guess which one always has some kind of infection or fungus on his feet?
TSA Pre means never having to take your shoes off.
“TSA Pre means never having to take your shoes off”
that is actually not true. most of the time it is true.
I’m with all of the above. TSA Pre/Global Entry for the win. And I just simply can’t be bothered with the paranoia over walking on airport floors in bare feet as if you’ll die.
The differences between walking barefoot in Hawaii and through a TSA checkpoint are the amount of sunshine and the number of feet stepping on the exact same spot every hour. Plus, those porous rubber mats are a good spot for fungus to hide in. Guess how often they get sanitized?
We all get exposed to plenty of germs anytime we are in public places, coffee shops, gyms, etc. I have a strong constitution and I’m just not going to worry about it.
@zobroward, I am not challenging your statement, “that is actually not true. most of the time it is true.”. But, I am curious when you’ve had to remove shoes going through a pre-check line. Probably I’ve just been lucky, but I’ve never seen it happen. Of course, all bets are off even with pre-check if you set off some kind of alarm!
I’ve never had to remove my shoes with pre-check, but my mother who has a pacemaker can go through the pre-check line with her precheck clearance but still has to take off her shoes for some reason…her pacemaker is not located in her feet LOL. I find it confusing that they do all that to a 90 year old woman, good grief, let her keep her shoes on with precheck.
I don’t wear gloves when I touch things in public places…I don’t wear socks either…oh by the way…if you wear those socks…you need rubber gloves when you take them off otherwise those get my germs will get on your hands.
Pizzagirl, I am not a germaphobe, just a practical person. It is highly unlikely I will catch MRSA or any bacterial disease from that TSA mat. It is, however, quite likely that foot and nail fungus is lurking in those mats. Just look at some bare feet stepping on those mats. There is a fundamental biological difference between bacteria and fungus, and that’s why we have not been very successful with developing anti-fungal drugs. The ones that are out there are either inefficient or very, very nasty. Fungus is not what I would ever want to deal with. It takes me a couple of seconds to put footies on and take them off. I think it is worth the “trouble.”
BTW, when TSA is short on staff and there are not too many pre people coming through, they close off the pre line. It happened to me in SJC. Everyone was required to do the same shoes off drill. They did not care that Pre was printed on my pass.
I am more concerned about touching the escalator handrail.
momofthreeboys… it is not confusing it is just silly. it is not about security it is security theater with burrecrats making it up as they go.
momofadult
"If I qualify for TSA PreCheck, will I receive expedited screening each time I travel?
The TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport. Therefore, while passengers with the TSA PreCheck indicator have been pre-cleared to access the TSA PreCheck lane no passenger is ever guaranteed expedited screening."
I know multiple people with pre tsa and sometimes they still get to play security theater. they are smart and do not complain…they just play the game. complaining this is the pre tsa line and I paid for global entry/pre tsa ,did a background check and got fingerprinted …will have you quickly escalated from just having to take off your shoes go into the naked body scanner…to a “security” threat. you will be shown who the boss is , no point in arguing with a government employee .
I really don’t trust TSA to clean up spots of blood or body fluids properly (with the right concentration of bleach to water, etc.).
The Hepatitis C virus can survive on a surface for up to three weeks.
(from the CDC website)
How long does the Hepatitis C virus survive outside the body?
The Hepatitis C virus can survive outside the body at room temperature, on environmental surfaces, for up to 3 weeks.
People are stupid. People walk through that area barefoot with open wounds, cuts, and all sorts of other nastiness. I’m sure the chances are very very slim but ugh. It’s one small thing I can do.
I am not a germaphobe, but considering Hep C is pretty life altering, I DO always carry socks for going through security.
“The TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport. Therefore, while passengers with the TSA PreCheck indicator have been pre-cleared to access the TSA PreCheck lane no passenger is ever guaranteed expedited screening.”
I’ve been pulled out several times. Twice got my hands wanded. Iirc, I also had to take off boots that had metal buckles on them.
bunsenburner is correct.
and I would add you are much more likely to have a tsa employee steal something from you than picking up an infection…socks are never a bad thing.
@Momofadult: me me me! I had to take off my (awesome) boots even with Pre Check bc there’s apparently so much metal in them that they can’t be cleared easily. I was, as the kids say, salty about it. 
Another who is meh about the bare feet. I’m lazy. I wear easy shoes to slip off (unless it’s my awesome boots!!) and know that a few seconds on icky surfaces actually has a low risk of actual infection.
It’s yucky but not dangerous, basically.