TSA Stupidity

[wedivebc]

Nemrod, I'm just glad Richard Reed (The Shoe Bomber) hid his bomb in his shoe and not up his ass.

Just an update on this story. This passenger had his RB and all his luggage confiscated at the airport now I am told they have "lost" his RB and luggage and he can't get it back.

 

[HIGHwing]

As a Pilot, I expect TSA to know everything about the equipment I might carry on board, in addition as a SCUBA diver, I expect TSA to know everything about the equipment I might carry on board, as a pretty avid gun collector, I expect everything to know everything about the equipment I might bring along, and for that matter I'm sure there are a lot of other hobbies.

Interestingly, I really don't know if they're aware of my intentions. I could easily go to the airport with an aviation headset, a couple tanks, and a gun. Throw in a one-way ticket, and I'm either an enthusiast or a terrorist. The TSA officer gets seven seconds to decide knowing nothing about me other than I'm not dressed like a terrorist. You make the call...

 

[imwright1985]

I did an overnight trip to chicago and got searched like crazy, but they saw a guy traveling with a change of clothes a jacket and more electronics than radioshack in my bag, so i dont blame them

 

[allistoy]

I always carry on my regs., cameras, computers and a whole assortment of electronics, batterys, strobes, lights etc. and the only problem I have ever had was my allen wrench and 6" adjustable wrench were comfiscated as possible weapons but evwrything else has always been okay so now I check my allen wrench and adjustable wrench with the rest of my gear and all is well with TSA. I would now want their job for anything as everyone is always mad at them for something.

 

[TravisD]

There was also a small child in front of me about 3 - 4 years old that kept setting off the detector. The TSA people kept taking him and shoving him through again and again, the poor kid was in tears! This is just really absurd.

That's an easy one: Pick child up and put him thru the X-ray machine instead

 

[Belmont]

I had my checked dive luggage pulled from the cart because it contained my canister battery and knife, back plate and some lead. It missed my connecting flight and I got my stuff three days late. On a one week dive trip it sure was an inconvenience.

What I do now: I get my checked luggage (with diving stuff) tagged at the airline counter then I bring it myself to the oversize/heavy check point where it is x-rayed in front of me. Of course they open it up and check inside, I can then answer any question while they do their swab test. Once cleared it is sent on a belt directly to the pre-loading area. All this done ahead of time to be put on board without any delays.

My carry on stuff has always been checked. It sure looks weird on the x-ray screen. Usually it takes 2 minutes to do the swab test and explain what's what, faster if it's a person knowledgeable in scuba equipment.

 

[Cave Diver]

Everybody has a TSA story or two, but bringing this back to the original topic, why would you even attempt to bring the whole rebreather on a plane as carry-on?

Because I spent almost 10k on it and it's not leaving my possession!

If you know that cylinders are potentially controversial depending on the agent and how they're packed, why not just take them apart and check them (with HowardE's note displayed prominently). Or better yet, ship the cylinders and/or rebreather separately?

As already noted by several people in this thread many poster seem to have a slightly distorted version of what constitutes a whole rebreather. If I'm going to a rebreather friendly destination, sofnolime and cylinders are readily available. There is no reason for me to carry this stuff, I'll just get it there. The rest of the unit goes in my legal size carry on where I can make sure it doesnt get bumped, bruised, thrown or misplaced.

Yes, it's an additional cost, but so was missing this entire trip.

Hate TSA all you want -- everybody does -- but these are the times we live in. The less stuff you have in your carry-on, the faster you'll get through.

Crossing my fingers as I write this but so far, of the six airports I can recall going through with my CCR, about half of them opened up the carry on for a closer look, but I haven't been detained by any of them.

 

[sporket]

AND they wanted to confiscate and destroy the medal, and were refusing to even allow him to mail it until several levels up the ladder finally clued in as to how stupid they were about to look.

It's all security theater and of no practical value other than to mess with the average person in some kind of Stalinesque "show us your papers" masquerade to convince the average, security ignorant person that they are doing something useful.

WOW, really?

 

[Nemrod]

Pray tell what are these mystical chemicals that can turn the human body into a fireball? I majored in Math, Physics, and Biology (prior to going to medical school), and I have never heard of such a chemical that can be injested, and cause combustion of the flesh. It would have wonderful applications putting crematories out of business. Even a large plug of a reactive salt metal such as sodium would not have this kind of effect. I think I must call BS on Nimrod's post!!!

Also, with respect to profiling, I think it is stupid to profile. I say this not because I am some bleeding heart (far from it), I just don't want to underestimate how ruthless the terorists will be. They could kidnap some sweet 80 year old grandpa's grand-daughter, and tell Pop's to carry a weopon on the plane, or else they cut the grand-daughters head off. It's best to check everyone.

You misunderstand, the body is the delivery vehicle, the ingested device is the bomb, the fireball would be the result of the reaction. Call BS, whatever, if you want to know how, then maybe do your own research and then if you want to post the info to the internet, be my guest, I won't. There are people out there who like to play with fire and explosives for whatever odd reasons, you cannot arrest people ahead of time, before they do something, only after or at least until they have done something illegal otherwise the constitution is done for but I guess that is the problem. What laymen would have thought a little fertilizer and some diesel fuel would blow up with such force, well, lot's of people actually and some people are evil enough to do such things.

Your safety is never guaranteed, anybody with a little basic knowledge that wants to do something bad can, frisking grandma and harassing Joe Citizen is a placebo, if it makes you feel good to be harassed by ex McDonald's employees, I guess the sheep feel good, bbahhhaa, baaahhhaaaa, just before the wolf eats them.

N

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod, I'm just glad Richard Reed (The Shoe Bomber) hid his bomb in his shoe and not up his ass.

Me too, rather than a shoe, that would be an excellent place to hide a, uh, "device". N