Had a couple buddies fly from Phoenix to Billings for a hunt. No problem leaving Phoenix. Flying back from Billings the TSA asked one of them to verify the guns were unloaded. He says, "sure". They insist on a visual because as she said, "we get lots of hunters in here that manage to forget to clear their rifles in the excitement after dropping a big one." He informs her one of the cased guns is for his friend who was getting them coffee. She said his presence was not necessary. So he clears his and then picks up the other. Yanks the bolt back and PING, out flies a live round. Needless to say, EVERYONE, from my buddy to the TSA and airline had a few words for that guy. If you knew him though it wouldn't sound unbelievable at all.
You are going to have to get up early to beat them to the store. Most of the TSA folks I see look like they have stock in Dunkin.
as a current airline pilot i would have to agree with you for the most part. Although i did find it funny the other day when we caught a TSA guy smoking a pipe not 5 feet from the no smoking sign on the ramp. Also gotta love it how i cant have a small pocket knife but i have an AXE right behind my seat. lol and yes you can take a perfectly rational well adjusted person bring them within 20 miles of an airport and there IQ drops in half. I still have no sympathy for the people yelling at the TSA because of the wait to get through security and they have an international flight in 20 minutes (heard it again today in SFO), or the people that still cant figure out the liquids rule, or that they have to take the laptop out of the bag.
That just changed for people willing to get into the new type of bags. I'm not sure if it's retroactive. The language seems a little unclear. http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/simplifying_laptop_bag_procedures.shtm
I was flying out of ISP (Long Island Islip MacArthur) once and had an interesting run-in with TSA. I sent my jacket through the x-ray machine and I noticed that they kept running it back and forth with puzzled looks on their faces. They finally sent it through and asked me if they could check the pockets. I agreed, and they started pulling items out of my pockets---wallet, loose change, a few dollar bills, and a screwdriver. A screwdriver with a 6" long, 1/8" wide metal shaft. They asked me what it was, and why I had it. Just then I remembered that I was tuning my bike's carburetors earlier in the day and must have slipped it in my pocket before test riding it. I explained this to them. They grilled me for about 10 minutes about it, and explained how it could be used as a shiv because of it's long length and thin, narrow end. I apologized and told them that I could just give it to my dad, who had dropped me off at the airport. Then they gave it back to me. Are they for real? I basically got a free lesson on how to take out half an airplane with a carb adjustment tool, and then they let me take it on the plane. Unreal. My mom used to work for US Airways and she would sneak all sorts of stuff through the checkpoints. Scissors, crochet needles, silverware. One time she managed to get a steak knife through. A STEAK KNIFE!
here ya go gatordev ask and ye shall recieve http://consumerist.com/consumer/vid...-team-in-the-fight-against-liquids-259036.php
Maybe it's because I am 6' 2", blonde hair blue eyes, with a reg haircut...but I never get bothered going through security. I've probably flown commercial on an average of 4x a year since I was born...many more when I was a minor, not so much now that I am government issue, and I have yet to be pulled aside. Before 9/11/2001 I went through with all sorts of crap, pocket knives (think Boy Scout knife, not Bowie) and weird electronic toys...I even threw a vibrator in my friends bag in college to fuck with her, nothing! After the security tightened up I was pretty good about sterilizing my gear before going in, but still, I figured at least once... I do have to say that after about 2004 it seems everyone got a clue and 90% of people that are regular travellers seem to be ready at the checkpoint...none of that deer in the headlights "you need my ID?" shit anymore...and the other 10% are getting better at figuring it out. I went through LAX and OKC back in February and both lines were pretty fast...especially considering I hit the morning rush in LA... I like the appearance of security that TSA gives, between what they actually catch and keeping Mr. and Mrs. Joe America happy to fly feeling "safe" they do their job (a little placebo effect) I have no idea on what goes on behind the scenes there, I'm sure that TSA is far from the last line of defense against the swarthy horde of shoe-bombers, but they are good at preventing the average idiot from walking through with a gun and a bad attitude. They have a shitty job, noone really appreciates what they do, it's a little like being a traffic cop or a prison guard...nobody wants to be them, but we still need them to keep society happy and running. I still prefer to be polite and treat them like a human being when I deal with them, and have yet to see them do any less in return...
I'm 6'0", brown hair (O.K. ... mebbe slightly grey, now), green eyes, w/ a reg haircut .... AND I was wearin' 4 stripes, scrambled eggs, and drivin' the plane ... but yet I still got "bothered" on a continuing and regular basis going through "security" ... and I have the keys to the car. Go figure.
I am apparently on the terrorist list, because I can't remember when I HAVENT gotten the special screening.
"Well we can't trust those damned dirty pilots not to sneak a nail file aboard...they might try to hijack the...uhh...wait, never mind" I think it is a case of fucking with the senior guys, just to feel a little power...kinda like getting harrassed by the gate guards on the way in to base... "Sir, your ID card needs to be replaced, it looks mutilated"
This thread reminded me of this story: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/02/27/war.hero.cnna/ I have never personally had a problem going through security but so much of the procedure seems so arbitrary and avoidable. I do wish the TSA "agents" would show a bit more professionalism and maintain a better appearance.
Prior to 9/11, one of my airline Amigos had "altered" his airline ID to portray a chimp w/an airline Capt's hat in place of HIS regular ID picture ... He went through security screening for 5 years prior to 9/11 w/out the security Nazi's ever calling him on it ...
I have never understood the TSA's fascination with one-way tickets. Now that people that know that they screen for that, any serious terrorist would buy round trip tickets. It is a self defeating decision. It is one more example or showing security when not actually being secure.
