PO'd Doesn't Begin to Describe It

[Oldgringo]

I drove to California in May precisely because of TSA. We were just talking about it last night, and my wife has decided, like I have, that there just isn't any place in the country that I have to be there fast enough to need to fly. If I can't get there by car, I'm not interested in going.

I haven't been on an airplane since the weekend before 9/11/01 and have no intentions of getting on another one. Like you, if the car won't take us there quick enough we ain't goin'...regardless of whose funeral/wedding/Bar Mitzvah, Graduation, etc. it is.

[Bart]

I drove to California in May precisely because of TSA. We were just talking about it last night, and my wife has decided, like I have, that there just isn't any place in the country that I have to be there fast enough to need to fly. If I can't get there by car, I'm not interested in going.

I haven't been on an airplane since the weekend before 9/11/01 and have no intentions of getting on another one. Like you, if the car won't take us there quick enough we ain't goin'...regardless of whose funeral/wedding/Bar Mitzvah, Graduation, etc. it is.

I'll make an exception for private and charter, but I JUST SAY NO to anything tainted by FAR Part 108 security theater.

[bnc]

They escorted my wife and daughter to a private room where they proceeded to strip search my wife down to her underwear and toss all of her baggage.

I see you've seen my recent post on this, and am sorry for what happened to your wife.


I was just starting to think I could bite my lip and my tongue long enough to fly to a family event later this year, but the horror stories seem to be stepping up a notch. I was patted down in '08 and '09 before these new procedures were even in place, I'm apparently suspicious looking , so I'm not really eager to take a chance now.

[Dadiggla]

Ive been witness to this in my MANY flights to and fro the last few years. And one thing I do notice is that "we"(general public) are taking our frustration out on the wrong people. TSA screeners really are "Just doing their job". They dont make policies or rules. Same with leo's. Ive seen people get just plain nasty with screeners about a bag needing a double look for whatever reason. In turn this guy or gal who has been gettin dirty looks and griped at all shift AND has the powers that be over their shoulders finally has had enough so being polite gets pushed to the side. They are only people and when push comes to shove are gonna say "to hell with it, let the others search you." By then 9 times out of 10 the person with the issue has been reported as hostile already...enter the heavy handed attitude TSA person. Most of them are there to earn a living like anybody else. Just my opinion based on my experiences but I can definitely relate to your anger tho.

[VMI77]

That said, imagine how you would feel if your wife and child were on a plane and because the TSA did not investigate a positive alarm, some skell hijacked the flight, or, blew it up.

Where's the logic in that statement? You think the TSA really believed she had explosives? Is what they did what you'd do if you thought there was a woman with explosives in front of you? Their actions demonstrate they don't take the results of their alarms seriously, since they don't take any measures to prevent someone from detonating an explosive device once they get an alarm. Furthermore, the whole screening system is not set up in the way it would be set up if they believed there was any credible threat of a bomb, since a "terrorist" would merely detonate his bomb as soon as he was pulled aside for screening, and absolutely nothing is done to counter that possibility. This is security theater, not real security.

No one likes TSA and their methods, but no one wants to return to the days when folks could hijack an airliner without much effort.

It still wouldn't require much effort --no one is trying. But if TSA could make it impossible, it wouldn't lessen the threat of terrorism --which is exaggerated anyway-- in the slightest, since terrorists would just turn to easier targets. And the easiest aviation related target is that crowd of people waiting to go through security screening.

[bnc]

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this in other posts, but it applies here too.

No airliner will be hijacked again, the passengers won't let that happen. Detonating a bomb on a plane can still happen, but the best way to screen for bombs is with bomb sniffing dogs not nude photos and crotch grabbing.

[glbedd53]

In Israel they don't do the crotch grabbing and nude photos, they seem to be on to something that works better.

[woodsong]

I had something similar (not as extreme, though) happen after my cat had peed on my suitcase, which set off a false-positive on the bomb screener.

[7075-T7]

That said, imagine how you would feel if your wife and child were on a plane and because the TSA did not investigate a positive alarm, some skell hijacked the flight, or, blew it up.

You make it seem like planes were falling out of the sky in the old says of metal detectors. Sensationalism at it's best, "I would rather be stripped instead of blown up"

No one likes TSA and their methods, but no one wants to return to the days when folks could hijack an airliner without much effort.

Hardened flight-deck doors, Air marshals, the pilots are armed (iirc), and the staff knows the procedures. That was all that was needed to fix the "problem". All the other enhanced security is a farce orchestrated to keep the sheep content.

In turn this guy or gal who has been getting dirty looks and griped at all shift AND has the powers that be over their shoulders finally has had enough so being polite gets pushed to the side.

In many other industries, that's known as a bad employee, and are reprimanded. Plus we all know the real terrorists are going to try and stand out as much as possible and draw special attention to themselves, so the frustrated law-abiding citizen who steps out of the tightly controlled lines is likely to be one.

[SQLGeek]

Got a chance to talk to her some. Turns out they had taken the stroller off to the side and swabbed it. My guess is there was some false positive for explosives. For the life of me, I can't imagine what might've been on the stroller to set off their stupid machine. I've calmed down some but I'm still angry.

Do you reload?

Is the stroller kept in the garage with reloading components?

Just a thought.

I don't reload and the stroller has not been near any kind of gun supplies. Good thought though and something I will keep in mind when I do start reloading.

We do have cats though I don't know that they've peed on anything as the stroller is usually kept in my wife's car and not in the house.

I'm more than a little perturbed that some here actually find this treatment of people acceptable. Being with how our family is situated, I don't see us not flying any time soon but this is not going to be simply forgotten. I'm going to make as much noise as I can.

The "doing their jobs" mantra is hogwash. What do you think is going to be the reaction of people who are getting violated like this? If the TSA goons don't like being spoken to rudely, then maybe they shouldn't do a job where this kind of activity is going on. They get no sympathy from me, not before this and certainly not after.

Thanks (almost) everyone for their feedback and support. For those of you who are OK with this, I hope it never happens to your family.

[Dadiggla]

In turn this guy or gal who has been getting dirty looks and griped at all shift AND has the powers that be over their shoulders finally has had enough so being polite gets pushed to the side.

In many other industries, that's known as a bad employee, and are reprimanded. Plus we all know the real terrorists are going to try and stand out as much as possible and draw special attention to themselves, so the frustrated law-abiding citizen who steps out of the tightly controlled lines is likely to be one.

My point was this. Having a hissy fit at the gate will not help that individual get thru any faster. And like you said terrorist dont try to stand out. But throwing a fit could possibly allow something potentially dangerous to be missed. People these days are EXTREMELY rude. I keep reading "law-abiding citizen" like thats some kind of badge to disrespect employees everytime someone doesnt agree with a rule being enforced that the enforcer has absolutely ZERO control over.

[7075-T7]

People these days are EXTREMELY rude. I keep reading "law-abiding citizen" like thats some kind of badge to disrespect employees everytime someone doesnt agree with a rule being enforced that the enforcer has absolutely ZERO control over.

While I agree that people today are generally more rude than not.

The second point you are trying to make sounds more like an obstinate vendetta against customers who do anything not deemed "acceptable" by the service organization. And the OP's wife deserved the treatment for having the unmitigated gall to go "through the metal detector with the stroller, a TSA agent pulled her aside and informed her that she had triggered "an alarm". and should remain quiet lest she be subject to further humiliation.

[schufflerbot]

sorry this happened to you, i wish we lived in a world where these screens weren't necessary.

i understand that i wont be able to understand your perspective until it happens to someone i love, but i have to admit - im a little surprised at your anger toward the staff at the airport. if they were rude about the whole thing, then yes - send your letters with pride. however, if they were courteous during the search and really just doing their jobs, i don't understand where the reasoning is behind wanting more lax security.

honestly, would you rather the 'pass or fail' call be made by someone making $9 per hour to man a xray machine or explosive swabber?

if she set the alarm off somehow, would you (or any other passengers on that flight) be ok letting her go because she doesn't like a terrorist?

i know i wouldn't.

sorry, brother - but if my family and i are on a flight and i see them let some woman with a stroller pass through after setting off an alarm for explosives... im going to throw a fit!!

yes, the chances are slim that anyone with a baby in a stroller would blow up a plane but i'll tell you this: i'd rather security check that person pretty closely than not at all.

[mamabearCali]

I am so sorry that this happened to your wife. Unless she was under arrest they had no cause to strip search her. Look the stroller over for sure, but a strip search is entirely unreasonable. The terrorists don't need to bother sending anymore attacks we are terrorizing ourselves. The TSA and homeland security are ripping the constitution to shreds for security theater.

What I think about those perpetrating these crimes and those passing down policy giving these crimes the color of law cannot be said on a family friendly website.


We don't fly anymore because of the illegal. draconian, immoral policies of the TSA to terrorize American citizens. I share your anger and unbelievable rage.

[schufflerbot]

sheeple, huh?

wow - i understand you're angry, but c'mon... don't take it out on those who you asked opinions of - that's just rude.

if you want some magic solution that will end all false positives, or a crystal ball that will allow a TSA agent to determine what a person's intentions truly are... then enlighten me with details, please! what technology failures are responsible for this stuff and what need to be in it's place so that we don't have to deal with stuff like this?

tell me that and i'll write 10 letters to representatives asking to replace the faulty equipment.


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