[wingswheels]

alright, am I the only one that thinks its gotten ridiculous. on both of my flights this break, i got "randomly selected" for extra screening. 20 year old white male, in a school athletic uniform, people can blab on about profiling all they want, but theres a reason people fit into profiles,

on my first trip (SD to san jose) next to me was an 70+ year old white man in a wheel chair. give me a fvkcing break, im more concerned with him not getting to the bathroom in time and having to smell that, then him wheeling himself forcefully in to the cabin.

then theres the whole, checking my laptop for a bomb, hey moron, it just went thru the xray machine, along with my shoes which you're also checking, then you go thru and check every rivit on my pants.

I really pissed this guy off today to. when he went to do the pat down and metal detector thing, I stood legs apart, and put my hands on the back of my head with interlocked fingers, like i was being arrested.
hes like- You can put your hands down
me- its alright
him- put your hands down sir
me- if your going to search me like a criminal, Im going to look like one.
him- do you want to do this in private
me- no I want everyone to see this
him- well
me- do your job, im not stopping you

what a fasade

 

[f2benny]

next time when you're mad about be inconvenienced, say "[censored], do I look like I have a bomb?" They like that a lot.

 

[wingswheels]

i have a better idea, walk thru the metal detectors with a huge erection and a metal cock ring, and when they go to search me say "careful its been known to go off with no warning" :lol:

 

[Dunno]

I wouldn't recommend saying the "B-word" anywhere near an airport these days. In Canada, it's a criminal offence to make jokes about stuff like that inside an airport, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is in the States as well.

I've said many times that, if I made the same lousy money they did, worked the same lousy hours that they do (well, I guess I do already), and had the same monotonous job they do, I'd be a bit of a prick as well.

I flew home from Roswell, New Mexico to Toronto once, with connecting flights in Albuquerque and Dallas. I was singled out for a "random" check at both airports. I figured the best thing to do was just be cooperative, since I had nothing to hide anyway.

I remember when a guy from the FAA came out to talk to us just after September 11, 2001. It was a day or two before flight operations resumed at the airport I was working at. His specific instructions for me were to make sure I went through the security checkpoint, metal detector and all, before I did my walkaround of the airplane I was looking after. He admitted that it seemed absurd that the mechanic whose airplane it was should have to do that, but it was solely for the benefit of the passengers. That way, they might not freak out so bad when they saw me poking around outside.

I think that same idea has carried on in the security you see to this day. Like you said, some of it can seem like a façade, but the memories of that day are still fresh in people's minds.

 

[SBW-ADRNLN71]

I know what you mean about being "selected" for further screening. I'm a 33 white male, clean cut, and couldn't speak any foreign language if my life depended on it. I get sent to schools all over the country for training for my job, but always get pulled out of line at every airport. The last time I was coming home from Chicago I got pulled out and missed my flight, has to spend an extra 8 hours there for the next flight out. I've told my company that if I can't drive to the school them I'm not going. Sad thing is I love to fly, just hate the hassel to get to the plane.

 

[wingswheels]

i love to fly too, and if anything happened to pilot/copilot, odds are im the only one left on the plane thats ever actually landed an airplane. if i had the option, id much rather do the 500 mile 8 hr drive then spend the hour at the airport

 

[bxr140]

[ QUOTE ]
people can blab on about profiling all they want, but theres a reason people fit into profiles

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately, many people in this country (or probably more likely a couple VERY vocal people) are afraid we might offend someone by profiling. I'd profile those people who are opposed to profiling, but that will start another useless political debate.

[ QUOTE ]
I really pissed this guy off today to.

[/ QUOTE ]

How bout this--next time they pull you aside, JUST COOPERATE with them. You think they LIKE dealing with pissed off travelers?

Its like the lady last night picking up someone from SJC...for those that don't know, the arrivals curb for terminal C is a whopping 15 cars long. This lady parks there for literally five minues, then finally gets told to move by the cop. She then starts giving him an attitude like she SHOULD be able to park there and wait indefinately. Like she was the only one there trying to pick someone up. Absolutely ridiculous.

Consider this--I look like your typical suburban hood when I travel. (Especially amusing when I'm in the front cabin...but I digress) I'm 27 and I'll have on skate shoes, baggy cargo pants, and a baggy hooded sweatshirt, and I'll have a backpack as a carry on. Since 9/11 I've flown probably an above average amount of times (~40 flights), and I've been pulled aside four times. Regardless of my personal situation, I'm always very cooperative and cordial while waiting to go through the detector--which NO DOUBT is why I haven't been pulled aside more often. And each time I was pulled aside, I remained cooperative and cordial and was finished in a matter of 2-3 minutes--and one of those times was in Guadelupe, where there was a language barrier.

People who don't have respect for other people's jobs REALLY piss me off.

 

[wingswheels]

well, since 9/11 ive flown twice, both times i got pulled aside, the first time the guy was very polite, and I gave him no trouble, this guy was right off the bat a dick. the first guy I did the hands behind my head thing, and hes like "ha, thats not necessary". This guy, the second he came up to me is like "whats your stuff" I pointed to it, and touched one of my bags(laptop case), and he barks at me. Hey [censored], this is my [censored]

 

[TravellinJones]

If you want the cop to give you a ticket when he stops you, be sure to act impatient and irritated. Tell him that other people are driving faster than you were. Demand to see the radar gun readout. Ask him why he isn't out catching real criminals, and maybe throw in a crack about doughnuts. In general, make sure he knows you think he's a jerk.

Works every time.

 

[SBW-ADRNLN71]

I've flown 4 times and got pulled out for inspection 3 times, all in larger airports like O'Hare, Dallas/Ft Wort, and Charlotte. I was just standing in line minding my own business and looking around at the amount of people there. I've always been respectful even after being pulled aside and usually joke about it now. The only place I don't get inspected is at the local terminal, mainly because I know the security guards ( I work on their bikes ). I think some people just stand out even if they aren't trying to so now I decide to drive instead.

 

[evilmink269]

Gotta admit TJ has sage advice, Wings honey; wouldn't you rather be delayed and a bit inconvenienced for a short duration rather than have your family have to bury an empty casket /wwwthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I mean yeah, 9 times outta 10 I am stopped and pulled aside too but its because I have a metal bracelet I wear that does not come off with out major effort so I leave it on but it always manages to sound the alarm depending on the strength of the detector. But I look at it this way better safe than sorry :waytogo:

 

[SpikedLemon]

Most searches done at airports are laughable.

I set off the metal detector all the time: I keep forgetting I have steel toed boots on. Pass thru again, set it off somehow... a quick wave of the wand along my arms, torso and legs and I'm "OK".

Unless the criminal is absolutely pathetic: they should be able to get weapons aboard a plane without much trouble.

 

[wingswheels]

i think the penultimate solution, have everyone board naked, no carryon,

the thing is these procedures completely defy common sense, take for example your bracelet, all you have to do is stick your arm thru, they can see its the bracelt that sets it off, and then the rest of your body passes thru, whala, done. takes 3 seconds

 

[CRE34]

You are randomly selected when you check in. They don't walk up and down the security checkpoint lines looking for people to "screw with".

I have flown about 20 times in the past 3 years and I have only been selected to get "rechecked" MAYBE twice. Both times I just BS'd with the guy searching me and it was done in less than a minute or two.

When I flew commercial out of Frankfurt, Germany, I had to got through about 3-4 different check points and was searched again at all but one. Took less than 10 minutes to go from the check in counter to the gate, where I had to get checked once again.

I have a GREAT idea, just so people like you don't get offended, maybe we should ALL get searched, at least twice, before we get on the plane. :rolling:

 

[OldFatGuy]

The people who bitch about getting searched are the same ones who cry about how nobody is doing anything to ensure our security any time somebody gets through with a razor blade or something.

Last time I flew, my wife was selected for a "personal" search. The woman felt around her breasts and even looked inside the waistband of her pants. We were cooperative, so it was done in about a minute. Hell, I was kinda turned on by it. :wink:

 

[wingswheels]

i dont' know about you, but im not afraid of some guy with a razorblade on an airplane. only way they get to the cockpit is if im already dead,

 

[OldFatGuy]

Easy for you to say, but IIRC, the 9/11 hijackers used only box cutters as weapons. Seems like they were pretty effective.

 

[swjohnsey]

Airport security is mostly eyewash to make the public feel safer. The people doing the screening for the most part are barely above the minimum wage slugs who are flippin' burgers at Mickey D's. I had some bitch catch the teeny little Leatherman tool in my shaving kit (the one that is about 2" long). She didn't say a word about the aluminum container (opaque to their X-ray machine) that was approximately a 9" cube and could contain 2-3 pounds of C4 easily. On another occassion I traveled all over Europe with a Haliburton case (again aluminum) inside my carry on and was never asked about it.

 

[SBW-ADRNLN71]

Don't assume that all people that say they don't like the hassel at airports also say nothing is happening, thats a pretty braod statement OFG. I'll agree that most security doesn't get paid much and they really don't get the training they need. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing armed military personnel all over the airports, but considering the security personnels lack of training or in "some" cases lack of caring about their job I'll pass on flying and drive anywhere I need to go. Just to be clear, it's the ones that don't seem to care about their duties that really bother me, and I think thats what the first post Wings made was about also. If Wings was trying to make a different point then sorry for the interptitaion Wings. I enjoy driving also and in good weather I'll ride my bike to my training locations if possible.

 

[evilmink269]

Heathrow Airport in England is the major Hub to Europe and beyond. It has the second most stringent screening processes I've ever encountered, Israel is the most strict. My girlfriend whose been to Israel told me they will strip search uncooperatives there, no if's ands or butts about it and, if they feel you specifically giving them a hard time you can be subject to immediate arrest doesn't matter what country you are from.

Spiked, I have no idea where you fly where they allow you to keep your shoes on now but, all the airports I've been in since 9-11 make you remove your shoes before you walk thru the checkpoint, period.

I don't mind the extra check if it means some ass-hole won't sneak onboard with a weapon, what I don't like is being felt up by some ugly fat old lady :lol: