FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Whole Body Scanners Opt Out Stories [merged]
Old Sep 26, 2012, 1:38 pm
  #3042  
spd476
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 616
Originally Posted by joelfreak
The following is an account of what just occurred to my partner and I at JFK:
As a type 1 diabetic, I use an insulin pump at all times. The manufacturer of that pump has advised me NEVER to go through any of the advanced screening methods, as it can adversely effect the reliability of my device. When presenting myself to security at JFK Terminal 7 on 9/26, agents refused to allow me to be screened by the magnetometer as other passengers with disabilities and small children are allowed to do, and said that I would be treated as an Opt-Out, even though I did not Opt-Out, I was medically unable to pass through the AIT. I was told that I would be forced to undergo a secondary pat-down even though I had done nothing that would show reason why I would require such a screening. Upon notification of my objection, the supervisor came over and told me that "if you want to fly today, you will be getting a pat-down." When I requested that he call a law enforcement officer to take a report and witness this discrimination, I was told that no LEO would be called. I had to call 911 in order to get police to respond, which took about 30 minutes. I was told that ANYONE who could not go through the AIT MUST get a secondary pat-down, no matter if they are disabled. During my pat-down, which took more than 15 minutes to complete, two officers went through EVERY item I had, including taking EACH of my credit cards out, and inspecting each side closely, and separating every dollar bill I had from the others. I clearly was not only discriminated against for being a diabetic, but also for complaining about the TSA.
As a pump user myself, I have experienced this myself. Sometimes the patdown is ok but yet I still feel like it's excessive. Other times, I get a patdown that I feel is more suitable for going to prison. Some of them definitely feel retaliatory for daring to opt out of the scanner. I hate getting the lecture from the TSA drone about how safe the scanners are and how it's equivalent to a couple of minutes at 35,000 feet. I don't care how safe it is. My pump manufacturer says not to go thorugh the scanner and that's all I need to know. I'm not risking my pump. Even if I was able to go through the scanner, I have a feeling my pump and infusion set will alarm the scanner and I'll still get a patdown.

My plan for the future is to make the groper uncomfortable. I'm going to make him clarify that my resistance is really my penis and scrotum. I want him to think about what he is doing. It may not make a difference. Since I have to get groped to get on a plane, I may as well make them feel as miserable as I'm feeling about it.

How does the TSA really know that it is an insulin pump? They swab it for explosives, but wouldn't I clean it really well if I packed it full of C-4? They never make me turn it on or examine it.

On the flip side, I hope it never does give a false positive on explosives. I don't know how that would be cleared. I don't think they would want me pressing buttons on it at that time.
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