http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/seattle-tsa-worker-arrested-voyeurism-charge-n613711
Maybe we’ve just been lucky, but my H (who travels often for business in addition to pleasure), kids, and I haven’t experienced anything but efficient, sometimes friendly/sometimes just business-like/never rude behavior from TSA workers, and we’ve flown a lot. Is the line annoying sometimes, even with pre-check? Yes. Did I appreciate being searched once more thoroughly (yes, bodily–ew–but not inappropriately) for wearing jeans with bling (which I’ll never do again when flying)? Nope. But, the person acted apologetic.
Socks on, socks off–whatever. It doesn’t bother me either way. The only reason I wear socks, including at the airport, is if my feet are chilly or I’m walking a long way and might get blisters on my tennis/hiking shoes. I always have a pair of socks in my carry-on for the flight. I’ll still probably just put them on based on temperature, not possibility of grossness.
“Did I appreciate being searched once more thoroughly (yes, bodily–ew–but not inappropriately) for wearing jeans with bling (which I’ll never do again when flying)? Nope. But, the person acted apologetic.”
it is called security theater and provides no safety! someday we will look back on this era in our history with shame and embarrassment. a person with “blingy” jeans is not a security threat that should be exposed to a “bodily” search. so many people would say oooo but it is keeping us “safe” ummm no it is not.
I know someone who got the “enhanced” search by US immigration (sound of rubber glove snapping…) After I heard his story, TSA pat down is no big deal.
“I know someone who got the “enhanced” search by US immigration (sound of rubber glove snapping…) After I heard his story, TSA pat down is no big deal.”
is that kind of like yeah I know you broke your arm and nose but…I broke both my arms my nose and both my legs so what happened to you therefore is no big deal?
So, I get to Palm International Airport 2 hours ahead of time, plus. I was sent to Pre side and walked straight thru. No exra, no taking off shoes. I wore sox under sandals. After reading this thread, I will never be barefoot. I’ve since ditched the sox. I was so early, I tried getting on the earlier flight, but that was full. For my first time, I have a middle seat.
Since I haven’t been traveling last few years, I have no idea why I was Pre.
You know something, zobroward? It’s the kettles – the frequent flyer term for people who don’t fly a lot – who get their panties in a wad over TSA and security lines and having to take off their shoes and pat-downs and the like. When you’re a truly busy person who spends time in airports, you just don’t care. It’s not notable. I couldn’t even tell you what my interaction is with TSA people because it’s not the Highlight of My Travel Experience. In one ear and out the other. Couldn’t care less if I go through the standard metal detector or the thing-y where you put your hands above you. Won’t spend one minute worrying about whether some security guard is getting the thrill of his life seeing the outlines of my body. Couldn’t care less about being patted down. Just move me through and get me on my way.
Having this loom so large would be like someone who has never driven, exclaiming about every stoplight they stop at.
Sigh, I just went to central america last week, and yes, they are still patting my hair. I thought after the big news story last year it would stop, but no.
partyof5 you can never be to safe!!! (sarcasm)
We traveled for 4 weeks and the most rude security people we encountered were back home. We saw one guard rudely address when a traveler didn’t have a required printout saying, "Everyone else in line has this, why don’t you? My daughter observed this and said, "In London, they would’ve said, “I’m sorry, ma’am…”
Going through Copenhagen, the lines were long but the travelers were patient and so was the security staff (especially with me trying to cram so many little bottles of liquid into one dinky plastic bag). Each one of us was targeted for advanced screening at one time of another but it was no big deal.
@zobroward wrote
Just making sure we’re talking about the same thing: body cavity search.
Pizzagirl, if TSA begins to paw through your hair like they do to partyof5, your opinion of TSA might become a bit different. Such hair patdown serves no legitimate purpose. I was completely disgusted when I saw a TSA employee stick her dirty gloves in the hair of a black lady who just went through a scanner - and it was clearly visible on the little screen that the hair was in the clear. Really?! Are you telling me that the scanners do not do the job they are supposed to do or are you discriminating against black folks?! Neither is acceptable.
Thank you! @BunsenBurner
I physically shudder when they do it. As some of you know from the other thread, we are very sensitive about our hair being touched, but ESPECIALLY when it serves no purpose other than satisfy some weird curiosity or to imply that we are smuggling contraband in our hair.
I posted that before I saw the post about partyof5’s hair being patted down. Sorry.
@pizzagirl thanks for the apology!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/03/tsa-hair-pat-downs_n_6996790.html
We live in Philadelphia and my family uses public transportation all of the time.
I think the jury is out on the safety of the current naked scanners (civil rights aside) but the back scatter ones they quickly yanked after info leaked that they were much more radioactive than admitted…the tsa cancer clusters and the fake logs for safety/calibration…the tsa made some excuse up…nobody in the media questioned what really had happened and the TSA/federal governemnt got a pass.
the security theater is one thing , harassment and civil rights violations go to the next level and damage to ones health is the next level after that. when you hear stuff like for security reasons we can not allow machines to be independently tested for safety but they are safe trust us, or we have multiple layers of unseen security at the airport or they need to take a babies apple juice or play with peoples hair you got to question this activity. to many people give the government a free pass when it comes to health/civil rights or common sense because they think it is keeping them “safe”
p.s. when a terrorist finds a way to formulate explosives to look like a hair weave I promise you the TSA person will not know or catch it because they are playing with her hair. if you want to do something bad just get a job in any number of 100000x of positions across the country in an airport(including as a TSA agent) and you can bypass all the security and even drive a truck straight up to a plane or on the runway…and nobody will question you. but so many people think the TSA will protect us one apple juice taken from a 4 year old and hair weave check at a time…please!
“TSA Cancer Clusters”? I’d like to see a real source of such a thing.
Pizzagirl, the reference is made to the old backscatter machines that mysteriously disappeared from the airports due to the maker’s inability to meet contractual obligations to modify the software so it would not display nekkid bodies. Not able to modify the software? Sheesh.
http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/30/did-airport-scanners-give-boston-tsa-agents-cancer/
Maybe… maybe not. The TSA did not provide evidence sufficient to convince me beyond reasonable doubt one way or the other. I for sure would not trust the TSA goons to operate and calibrate a medical device.
I forgot the TSA also refused to allow TSA workers near the radioactive equipment to wear dosimeters. if a private company or hospital tried that OSHA would be all over that company and they would be shut down. ceratinly the TSA was not hiding anything and had zero reason to forbid the use of dosimeters used in every hospital and other setting where radiation is used. after all the back scatter machines were super safe…weird?(sarcasm)
http://www.tgdaily.com/hardware-features/56899-tsa-ignored-warnings-on-cancer-cluster