I flew today … in a plane. Can you hear my groaning from your computer chair? I used to enjoy flying, but not anymore. Between the virtual strip searches — what’s next, body cavity searches? Shhh, don’t give them any ideas — and the confiscation of my personal effects I detest flying.
Confiscation? Yes. I flew to my parent’s house for the weekend to attend my grandfather’s funeral/memorial service. I left in a hurry so I just threw some stuff in a carry-on bag and off I went. Well, it turns out you can’t just throw toiletries in your carry-on bag.
As I was going through the metal detector, enduring the police-style manual body search and me taking off everything but my pants and shirt, one of the TSA officers opened up my carry-on and asked me to name all my toiletries.
This was asked me as I was threading my belt through the loops while hobbling forward to put my shoes on and I forgot to mention my shaving cream and hair putty. I did remember my deodorant … so I could keep that. But since I didn’t mention my hair stuff or my shaving cream they kept that. Freakin’ … mumble mumble mumble.
Actually, I could have kept both of those effects … if I wanted to go back to the ticket counter, purchase a $1 baggy, put my stuff in it and then wait another 30 minutes in line to be strip searched again.
I declined.
Truth be told, it’s somewhat comforting to me knowing that such extreme measures are being taken to ensure my personal safety. But said measures have ruined the whole experience.
I hate flying.
10 Comments
Don’t worry, you are no safer now than you are before the government enacted cruel and unusual safety procedures. Taking people’s tweezers and shampoo does not make anyone safer. And removing passenger’s shoes makes everyone unhappy.
I understand your pain. Security can be a real pain.
However, if you’re aware of what security checks to expect it’s not that bad. When I flew this summer, I made sure I was up on the TSA rules and did my best to follow them. It paid off because I made it through security both times without any issues.
Now I know in this case it’s difficult. What to expect at a security check point was probably the last thing you were thinking, so I don’t think think anyone can fault you.
I don’t know, it could be that I never flew before 9/11, but even with security I still find flying an enjoyable experience. Of course my flights so far have been for leisure purposes, so flying for work or family issues may be another matter entirely.
hey ben, my cousin chris (from church) hasn,t bought toiletteries for the past 5 years. he works for TSA. talk about the cops being crooked.
Actually, flying is worst than deployment. Here’s my experience
(link)
Welcome to security theater.
Yeah, I mean, I agree with the whole “security theater” thing. I just wish there was a better way to do it.
@ralph: Man, that’s a frustrating story. And I agree that it’s a little scary that those with military ID’s or uniforms are trusted implicitly.
@ronald: I suppose a lot of it is a matter of personal perspective and/or mindset
I’m against the TSA 1) because it’s a completely broken security model and 2) because it accomplishes nothing that the airlines’ private security didn’t do before 9/11, and is far more expensive and inconvenient (a typical characteristic when the government takes something over)!
Below is a relevent (to the discussion) excerpt from a congressional speech by Ron Paul.
The war mentality, and the pervasive fear of an unidentified enemy, allows for a steady erosion of our liberties, and with this our respect for self reliance and confidence is lost. Just think of the self sacrifice and the humiliation we go through at the airport screening process on a routine basis. Though there
Seriously? Shotguns? I hear ya, Scott. And I’m with ya.
Well, technically the guns have to go through checked baggage, so by the time the hunters and I were in the security line they were armed only with toothbrushes (clubs) and dental floss (garrotes).
TSA missed 90% of bombs at Denver airport