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Is airport security necessary? (Page 3)
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 2012-12-19 1:33 PM in reply to: #4541574 |
Sensei  Sin City |  Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary?lisac957 - 2012-12-19 11:28 AM BikerGrrrl - 2012-12-19 1:14 PM lisac957 - 2012-12-19 1:01 PM While this would undoubtedly slow down the process (or would it?), when I traveled internationally a few months ago, upon re-entering the US I was asked a series of questions that I'm assuming was a profiling/psychological test. Things like: Why did you travel to that country, business, pleasure, etc.? That's standard for customs questions. You were probably looked at more suspiciously for traveling alone (i.e. a possible courier). In many countries they will then select a sampling of folks for the extra search. I think it's in Mexico that they have you hit a button and get either a red (will be searched) or green light (exit). They are more geared towards making sure you're not trying to smuggle something into the country and this would happen if you were in a car, on foot, or at the airport. I was hard-core stared at and checked when entering China on a ferry, for instance. I had to make my face look just like in my passport picture (smile a certain way, take my glasses off). No one cares when you are leaving a county. Yep but my point was maybe they should start asking those domestically..? I don't know their success rate in foiling criminal activity, I wonder what it is? Maybe it's me, but those types of questions were around since as long as I can remember at immigrations/customs for international travel. I think that's been the normal procedure for a long time, not really in response to 9/11 and such. |
| 2012-12-19 1:35 PM in reply to: #4541574 |
Champion  14571    the alamo city, Texas | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? lisac957 - 2012-12-19 2:28 PM BikerGrrrl - 2012-12-19 1:14 PM lisac957 - 2012-12-19 1:01 PM While this would undoubtedly slow down the process (or would it?), when I traveled internationally a few months ago, upon re-entering the US I was asked a series of questions that I'm assuming was a profiling/psychological test. Things like: Why did you travel to that country, business, pleasure, etc.? That's standard for customs questions. You were probably looked at more suspiciously for traveling alone (i.e. a possible courier). In many countries they will then select a sampling of folks for the extra search. I think it's in Mexico that they have you hit a button and get either a red (will be searched) or green light (exit). They are more geared towards making sure you're not trying to smuggle something into the country and this would happen if you were in a car, on foot, or at the airport. I was hard-core stared at and checked when entering China on a ferry, for instance. I had to make my face look just like in my passport picture (smile a certain way, take my glasses off). No one cares when you are leaving a county. Yep but my point was maybe they should start asking those domestically..? I don't know their success rate in foiling criminal activity, I wonder what it is? they used to - even on domestic flights - we used to have to actually go to the airport and talk to another human being to check in and they would ask you "who packed your bag? has anyone else touched your things?" etc etc etc. they still do this in germany, and i'm guessing other countries as well. but we have completely taken that human interaction piece out (back to kido's point - in the name of airline's cost cutting!) Edited by mehaner 2012-12-19 1:35 PM |
| 2012-12-19 1:44 PM in reply to: #4541456 |
Champion 7821 Brooklyn, NY | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? GomesBolt - 2012-12-19 12:42 PM Kido, you make a great point. The majority of the delay at TSA is not for screening, it's for people taking forever to get all their stuff on the belt/in the bins. or forgetting that they have stuff in their pockets or in their bags. I travel with pretty much the same kit and I have never made someone wait on me. I also have never been stopped by the agents because I keep moving. So maybe I'm not as annoyed as others. The trick from the movie “Up In the Air” is a good one—if they let you pick which line to go in, pick the one with the highest percentage of business travelers. Look for the people with the black rolling carry-on bags. Those people have it down to a science-- slip-on shoes, no belt, no extraneous jewelry, pocket change and cell phones already packed away, laptop easily accessible, no prohibited items. You’ll be on your way in no time. |
| 2012-12-19 1:46 PM in reply to: #4541614 |
Champion 14571 the alamo city, Texas | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? jmk-brooklyn - 2012-12-19 2:44 PM GomesBolt - 2012-12-19 12:42 PM Kido, you make a great point. The majority of the delay at TSA is not for screening, it's for people taking forever to get all their stuff on the belt/in the bins. or forgetting that they have stuff in their pockets or in their bags. The trick from the movie “Up In the Air” is a good one—if they let you pick which line to go in, pick the one with the highest percentage of business travelers. Look for the people with the black rolling carry-on bags. Those people have it down to a science-- slip-on shoes, no belt, no extraneous jewelry, pocket change and cell phones already packed away, laptop easily accessible, no prohibited items. You’ll be on your way in no time. I travel with pretty much the same kit and I have never made someone wait on me. I also have never been stopped by the agents because I keep moving. So maybe I'm not as annoyed as others. the problem is, just like the grocery store, i always pick the worst line in airport security. murphy's law or some such. like i will get in the shortest line of all business travelers, and they will let all the wheelchairs in front of me or something. every. time. |
| 2012-12-19 1:52 PM in reply to: #4541617 |
Sensei Sin City | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? mehaner - 2012-12-19 11:46 AM jmk-brooklyn - 2012-12-19 2:44 PM GomesBolt - 2012-12-19 12:42 PM Kido, you make a great point. The majority of the delay at TSA is not for screening, it's for people taking forever to get all their stuff on the belt/in the bins. or forgetting that they have stuff in their pockets or in their bags. The trick from the movie “Up In the Air” is a good one—if they let you pick which line to go in, pick the one with the highest percentage of business travelers. Look for the people with the black rolling carry-on bags. Those people have it down to a science-- slip-on shoes, no belt, no extraneous jewelry, pocket change and cell phones already packed away, laptop easily accessible, no prohibited items. You’ll be on your way in no time. I travel with pretty much the same kit and I have never made someone wait on me. I also have never been stopped by the agents because I keep moving. So maybe I'm not as annoyed as others. the problem is, just like the grocery store, i always pick the worst line in airport security. murphy's law or some such. like i will get in the shortest line of all business travelers, and they will let all the wheelchairs in front of me or something. every. time. I watched someone go through the metal detector about 4 times setting it off, checking pockets, setting it off again, backing out and trying again... I was just about had it and yelled "IT'S THE EFFING PHONE ON YOUR EFFING BELT!!!!". People have too much to deal with.
It's about 50/50. I like to NOT check bags because when you get to your destination, you are just out of there. OTOH, checking everything except a book and just strolling though the airport and plane and not trying to find space in a overhead compartment? NICE! |
| 2012-12-19 1:59 PM in reply to: #4541493 |
Champion 16151 Checkin' out the podium girls | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? lisac957 - 2012-12-19 2:01 PM While this would undoubtedly slow down the process (or would it?), when I traveled internationally a few months ago, upon re-entering the US I was asked a series of questions that I'm assuming was a profiling/psychological test. Things like: Why did you travel to that country, business, pleasure, etc.? When driving from Montreal into New York on I-87, the guy asked me those, but made some peculiar small talk. He asked" Oh, the've got good restaurants in Montreal. What did you have for dinner?" Seemed he was waiting for me to hesitate in case I knew the standard interview. Another time they made me pull over and open the doors of the rental mini-van I was driving as it seemed rather odd a middle aged guy alone was driving a Dodge Caravan. US customs is pretty thorough. |
| 2012-12-19 2:02 PM in reply to: #4541659 |
Sensei Sin City | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? pitt83 - 2012-12-19 11:59 AM lisac957 - 2012-12-19 2:01 PM When driving from Montreal into New York on I-87, the guy asked me those, but made some peculiar small talk. He asked" Oh, the've got good restaurants in Montreal. What did you have for dinner?" Seemed he was waiting for me to hesitate in case I knew the standard interview. Another time they made me pull over and open the doors of the rental mini-van I was driving as it seemed rather odd a middle aged guy alone was driving a Dodge Caravan. US customs is pretty thorough.While this would undoubtedly slow down the process (or would it?), when I traveled internationally a few months ago, upon re-entering the US I was asked a series of questions that I'm assuming was a profiling/psychological test. Things like: Why did you travel to that country, business, pleasure, etc.? Maybe because I'm American, or it was Christmas day. But I flew back home from a 3 weeks in Japan and the Philippines and had TONS of gifts (including obvious "knock off" items. I was prepared for a long time in customs when I got back to Vegas. They just said "welcome home" and let me in/through. Didn't check ANYTHING (other than the passport to stamp/scan it) |
| 2012-12-19 2:02 PM in reply to: #4541659 |
| Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? pitt83 - 2012-12-19 11:59 AM lisac957 - 2012-12-19 2:01 PM When driving from Montreal into New York on I-87, the guy asked me those, but made some peculiar small talk. He asked" Oh, the've got good restaurants in Montreal. What did you have for dinner?" Seemed he was waiting for me to hesitate in case I knew the standard interview. Another time they made me pull over and open the doors of the rental mini-van I was driving as it seemed rather odd a middle aged guy alone was driving a Dodge Caravan. US customs is pretty thorough.While this would undoubtedly slow down the process (or would it?), when I traveled internationally a few months ago, upon re-entering the US I was asked a series of questions that I'm assuming was a profiling/psychological test. Things like: Why did you travel to that country, business, pleasure, etc.? Try going into Israel..... I believe US customs recently (?) instituted a more "conversational" method of determining whether you are a bad guy worthy of an anal cavity search |
| 2012-12-19 2:41 PM in reply to: #4541659 |
Champion 10020 , Minnesota Bronze member | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? pitt83 - 2012-12-19 1:59 PM When driving from Montreal into New York on I-87, the guy asked me those, but made some peculiar small talk. He asked" Oh, the've got good restaurants in Montreal. What did you have for dinner?" Seemed he was waiting for me to hesitate in case I knew the standard interview. Another time they made me pull over and open the doors of the rental mini-van I was driving as it seemed rather odd a middle aged guy alone was driving a Dodge Caravan. US customs is pretty thorough. In October I fly in/out of Buffalo to visit Niagara Falls. My mom and I were quite stunned with the scrutiny of the border control agents both ways. The Canadian gal did ask specifically what city we staying in and why were going (hmmm... staying in a hotel in Niagara on the Lake..., what is there to do there?). |
| 2012-12-19 4:06 PM in reply to: #4540346 |
Champion 7821 Brooklyn, NY | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? Here’s my favorite Canadian airport security story: Back when I used to travel for work a lot, I used to carry a flask with me (this was before you couldn’t bring liquids on the plane). I could get to my room and have a drink or two of my favorite brand without getting gouged by the mini-bar or having to sit at the super-depressing hotel bar downstairs. I used to travel to Canada a lot. In Montreal, no one gave the flask a second look. In Vancouver, they’d always make me take a sip from it, and then let me go. The only place I ever got a hard time was Toronto. This one time, this female security guard pulled the flask out of my bag as I was going through security and asked me what was in it. When I told her it was bourbon she said, “You can’t bring that on the plane—you have to pour it out.” I was about to tell her that I had just flown into Toronto from Vancouver the previous day without a problem, but you can never win with those people so I stayed quiet. She called over a male agent handed him the flask, and told him to escort me to the nearby men’s room, and to watch me as I poured it out. When we got into the men’s room, he rolled his eyes and complained to me about how mean she was and how everyone hated working for her. He asked me what was in it and when I told him, “bourbon”, he said, “Is it good stuff?” I said, “Yeah. Pretty good.” He looked furtively around, handed the full flask back to me, and said, “Don’t worry about it.” We walked out of the men’s room. When the woman looked our way, he nodded at her and gave her the thumbs-up. She waved me through, and I went on my way, bourbon and all. |
| 2012-12-19 5:21 PM in reply to: #4541927 |
Elite 4435 | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? jmk-brooklyn - 2012-12-20 9:06 AM Here’s my favorite Canadian airport security story: Back when I used to travel for work a lot, I used to carry a flask with me (this was before you couldn’t bring liquids on the plane). I could get to my room and have a drink or two of my favorite brand without getting gouged by the mini-bar or having to sit at the super-depressing hotel bar downstairs. I used to travel to Canada a lot. In Montreal, no one gave the flask a second look. In Vancouver, they’d always make me take a sip from it, and then let me go. The only place I ever got a hard time was Toronto. This one time, this female security guard pulled the flask out of my bag as I was going through security and asked me what was in it. When I told her it was bourbon she said, “You can’t bring that on the plane—you have to pour it out.” I was about to tell her that I had just flown into Toronto from Vancouver the previous day without a problem, but you can never win with those people so I stayed quiet. She called over a male agent handed him the flask, and told him to escort me to the nearby men’s room, and to watch me as I poured it out. When we got into the men’s room, he rolled his eyes and complained to me about how mean she was and how everyone hated working for her. He asked me what was in it and when I told him, “bourbon”, he said, “Is it good stuff?” I said, “Yeah. Pretty good.” He looked furtively around, handed the full flask back to me, and said, “Don’t worry about it.” We walked out of the men’s room. When the woman looked our way, he nodded at her and gave her the thumbs-up. She waved me through, and I went on my way, bourbon and all. Oh airport stories - my DH is Greek and they have National Service there, getting through customs is always fun - they check and double check to make sure he's served his time in the forces. Failure to have done so means jail or a really hefty fine to be paid on the spot - thousands. One time we're leaving the island of Skiathos to fly to London - the customs guy looks at him and says you can't go through - a heated discussion ensues - then he hands us a wad of cash tells us to go into the duty free shop through customs, buy him cartons of cigarettes, perfume and booze and to place all in the trash can through there. We said yes - that or my DH goes to jail there and then - we put the goods in the trash, the cleaning lady comes empties the trash can into a big black sack, walks back through and hands to customs officer - he gives us the thumbs up and big smile! We shook our heads and laughed. |
| 2012-12-20 12:38 AM in reply to: #4541372 |
Veteran 698 | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? lkct01234 - 2012-12-19 10:07 AM I have mixed feelings. I think it's like locks on doors...they keep honest people honest and may deter a few. I think I've talked about this before, but I took fuel injectors through in my check-in. I explained what I did and what they were...and like meh said, I think because I look "fine" I got through. (Although there may be statistics about female terrorists?!?!?) Here are fuel injectors:
Nice injectors. No reason for them not to pass a security check. |
| 2012-12-20 9:46 AM in reply to: #4542263 |
Champion 14571 the alamo city, Texas | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? r1237h - 2012-12-20 1:38 AM lkct01234 - 2012-12-19 10:07 AM I have mixed feelings. I think it's like locks on doors...they keep honest people honest and may deter a few. I think I've talked about this before, but I took fuel injectors through in my check-in. I explained what I did and what they were...and like meh said, I think because I look "fine" I got through. (Although there may be statistics about female terrorists?!?!?) Here are fuel injectors:
Nice injectors. No reason for them not to pass a security check. not if it's bosch, then they are not nice. |
| 2012-12-20 11:13 AM in reply to: #4542634 |
Veteran 698 | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? mehaner - 2012-12-20 7:46 AM r1237h - 2012-12-20 1:38 AM lkct01234 - 2012-12-19 10:07 AM I have mixed feelings. I think it's like locks on doors...they keep honest people honest and may deter a few. I think I've talked about this before, but I took fuel injectors through in my check-in. I explained what I did and what they were...and like meh said, I think because I look "fine" I got through. (Although there may be statistics about female terrorists?!?!?) Here are fuel injectors:
Nice injectors. No reason for them not to pass a security check. not if it's bosch, then they are not nice.
Wellllll, I was sorta looking at the security aspect..... |
| 2012-12-21 7:25 AM in reply to: #4540346 |
Expert 764 | Subject: RE: Is airport security necessary? I have a theory that, while the primary objective of the 9/11 bombings was to kill a lot of people, the terrorists had a secondary objective. Knowing how the US reacts to every threat with a panicked overkill of security, I think the terrorists are somewhere laughing at all of the inconvenience they caused us. It's like a dirty bomb...sure, it kills people in the immediate area, but the panic it causes afterward is far more harmful than the radiation threat. My airport stories: A couple of Christmases ago, my mom gave me some white chocolate cocoa for Christmas. It came in this little glass snowman and for some reason didn't have a label on it. Maybe it came in a set and she split up the set. Anyway, TSA found it in my carryon and gave me the 3rd degree about what it was. I'm sure it looked like drugs or something. They let me through with it, though. Another time, I had a bottle of juice that I forgot was in my backpack. TSA pulled it out and I offered to drink it rather than waste good juice. They told me I wasn't allowed to drink it there, that I had to go back across the metal detector and drink it on the other side. I still have no idea what their reasoning was. Luckily there was nobody behind me (it was a slow travel day) so I complied. They used to give people the option of mailing the contraband to your destination if you didn't want it to be confiscated. I used to carry a small pocketknife on my keys and opted to spend the money to mail it from the airport rather than have it taken away. (It was a nice Leatherman mini). Do they still do that or do they just confiscate everything? |
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