Airport security horror - alternate travel ideas?

[Trethsparr]

Except this one violates personal space and could be traumatic for people who have been sexually assaulted or molested

Woah, I hadn't even thought about that! That's a good point!

[Prophecy]

I believe they cannot have a member of the opposite sex pat you down, by law. If not, I'd ask for a female officer. And as for the full-body scanners? I've seen images and truthfully, it looks like someone wrapped in tons of saran wrap. Nothing is really discernible. You see an outline of breasts and the face, but nothing sexual. It isn't as bad as people make it out to be. I was pat down in Argentina by a female military officer and I was sexually molested when I was a young teen. Didn't bother me.

Honestly, I'd rather be pat down and have a 2 hour flight than a 10 hour drive. If anything makes the decision for you, think about the cost of gas and the hotel as well as the risk of getting in a car accident or coming in contact with someone who has ill intentions at 2AM. Call me paranoid, but I'll take a pat down from an officer of the law any day over a potential creep sitting outside my hotel room while I'm alone.

[mllebamako]

@Prophecy...I agree that usually the pat-downs are that bad. I have had countless pat-downs and haven't been bothered by it. It's just that the new "enhanced" pat-down is what is worrying people because it's more invasive.
But I agree with you, this isn't stopping me from flying. I mean, I really have no other choice but to fly.

I just think that our government has taken things too far.

[sam]

If nothing showed up on the scanner, why would they "pat you down"?

Lets be real, there isnt gonna be some twisted, pervy men sat behind the screen waiting for all the hot ladies to walk through and save their image to his mobile to take home with him. It'll be some guy/woman who is sat doing their job professionally knowing that they're pretty much solely responsable for the lives of thousands of people if they miss any bombs/knives/whatever on someone. That and they're probably thinking how tedious their job is and they just wanna go home haha

So some stranger sees a "naked" (harldy photo-like) image of you for a couple of seconds. If you're a "larger" person, they're hardly gonna stand up pointing, shouting "hah, fatty!"

I dont really know what the problem is, but that's just me.

About the pat down thingy.. again, its just a person (of the same sex) doing their job for a few seconds.. they're not gonna be thinking "god, she/he's hot.. I'm gonna quickly go take a peek at the image *licks lips*


If it was that bad, it would be violating human rights and wouldnt be there

/rant

[mllebamako]

I don't want to sound like one of those crazy people. But, I will take that risk anyway. This IS a violation of our rights. The health effects of these scanners is not fully clear yet.
I don't really care if someone sees my naked picture for their job, like I don't really mind taking my shoes off. And it's not the end of the world to put my liquids in tiny containers inside of a bag.

But it's the principal of the matter.

None of these "security measures" are actually making us any safer.

[Rane]

When I flew out here (Kansas) from YLW, Kelowna, BC (Canada), I was flying out early, I think my flight was 7:00AM departure or something? And they had the full body scanner, and I was lucky enough to be the random selection for it. Given the choice between being felt up by some strange man and stepping into a machine, I felt the machine seemed like the easier, quicker option. I guess it's not quite the same thing for a guy to worry about, I don't worry if they're going to save my picture and have a good time with it. >.>

That being said, I've always thought that the whole extremity of airport security (Which I have a fair amount of experience with, flying since I was 14?) is such a load. It just makes me think of an xkcd comic, where he's convincing a guard to give him back his bottled water by explaining how he could make a sizable explosion with his laptop battery if he overvolted them and breached the cells.

(I was able to find the webcomic, in case anyone is interested in some airport security mockery. :P)

Bag Check

[Love Duck]

I am also concerned about the radiation, not just the image itself. However, apparently I heard wrong that everyone either gets the imaging or the pat-down. So it's only randomly-selected people? If so, at least there's only a small chance that we have to make that choice in the first place...

I'm starting to hear talk of "refining" the security measures, so maybe there's some hope. Kinda doubt it though, they seem to be digging in their heels in regards to this being necessary for our safety and blah blah blah.

[PaperbackWriter]

What I'm really curious about is this: Exactly HOW invasive is the "enhanced" pat down?

Will the TSA agent pat me down on the outside of my clothing (lets say I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt), running her hand up the insides of my thighs, under my breasts, etc? (This is "okay", meaning while I'm not happy about it, it doesn't bother me)

OR (and this is what I'm afraid of, lol)...

Will she be sticking her hand in between my jeans and panties (so no direct contact with personal bits) and patting, or will she be sticking her hand between my body and my panties (ie, direct contact)? If either of the latter are the case (inside any layer of clothing), I think I'll just take my chances with the scanner machine.

Does anyone know?

[mllebamako]

From what I know, they (TSA) haven't released any official description of the "enhanced" pat-down. But from most people's descriptions it has involved a "sliding motion" across the groin. And I have read several descriptions where they put their fingers between the persons pants and their skin.
But who knows? I think it all depends on the TSA agent you get.

[Insanity]

Out of pure curiosity can those scanners even see something such as a tampon and if so it seems a little impractical, can't assume every woman wearing a tampon is harbouring prohibited substances. Can't they just do the pat down and test for drugs and explosive residue, that would be a better indicator.
I'm glad my SO lives in the UK lol I'm fine with being pat down, though I do think the example above is excessive. I'm all for security but it seems like security is being used as an excuse to violate peoples rights.

[Čternity]

Yea probably avoid Denver International as well https://www.dailysquib.co.uk/?c=124&a=2389

[sam]

Yea probably avoid Denver International as well https://www.dailysquib.co.uk/?c=124&a=2389

That made me laugh

[Riyko]

Yea probably avoid Denver International as well https://www.dailysquib.co.uk/?c=124&a=2389

Wow that's creepy. I also can't believe what the TSA guy said at the end of the article "What do you want to do, get blown up by a goddamn Arab at 30,000 feet or we get to see your private parts? It's up to you, the ball's in your park," head of the TSA's scanning department, Rodney Schroeder, told CNN.

I think with the body scanners if you can see everything that detailed they should have a female operator for women and a male operator for men. I hope they just stop using the body scanners all together.

[mllebamako]

I don't really know that website (Dailysquib) but normally in writing, a squib is satire (ironic, exaggeration). There is no way a TSA head could get away with saying something so blatantly racist.

[sam]

If you look at the bottom of the page where the article is, it says..

"The Daily Squib is a curious satirical publication and should therefore be taken fu**ing seriously "

It's not real..