FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - A pat down that ended my wife up in the ER
Old Aug 9, 2012, 2:50 am
  #86  
exbayern
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
Originally Posted by serioustraveler
I suspect her OD'ing on the pills is what caused her to go to the ER...

All pro/anti TSA arguments aside, since when did vomiting and stress mean rushing to the ER?

Did this really qualify as an EMERGENCY?

I've met people that get stressed or can't cope with day to day life, and while I sympathize, how can the TSA know whether she's faking it or telling the truth? If the "terrorists" find out they'll make an exception for victims of sexual assault they'll groom victims of sexual assault to carry out attacks.

While it's unfortunate what happened to your wife, we have yet to have another plane crash or even come close to crashing thanks to terrorists on US soil.

That said I think the TSA could use some more training and be cut back significantly, but at the end of the day there are people out there that can't cope with even minor inconveniences to them when they're traveling and frankly they should avoid traveling especially by air where it is a giant cattle car in the sky.

Air travel is cheaper than it's ever been and as such expect the same quality of "service" that you'll get at any discount business, which means getting a cold shoulder when you feel disrespected.
I tend to differ with the perceptions of many people on TS&S, including on this thread. The post about patdowns in Italy for instance varies to the far end of the spectrum from what I have experienced and I suspect that I have had a much larger number of patdowns in Italy than the person who posted about it.

However, as others pointed out, the hospital did feel that the situation warranted a multiple night stay.

And vomiting and headache can be symptoms of migraines, which are often misunderstood by those who don't have them as simply a headache. Hemiplegic migraines can mimic stroke, and many people are admitted to hospital either during their first instance with those rare forms of migraine, or during episodes, because they or those around them (and often first responders) believe that they are having a stroke. The wife didn't appear to have such a situation, but others may well have had as a result of the stress, noise, lighting etc at a US checkpoint.

I discount the posts from several posters on TS&S based on their posting history, and their percpetion of situations. I also believe that a handful are detrimental to getting the American public on side against the TSA, and no longer refer people to TS&S as a result.

I don't however discount this poster, nor would I minimise the impact on his wife, especially considering the length of the stay.
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