Practical Travel Safety Issues - NoS as primary screening at LAX T7 bridge checkpoint

My apologies if this has already been covered elsewhere; I searched and didn't find anything. Mods please merge if appropriate.

I went through the upstairs LAX T7 "bridge" checkpoint today at about 4:30pm PT. As I was putting my things in my bins and preparing for the bag scanners, the TSOs roped off the WTMD and began directing everyone to the NoS for primary screening.

Of course I opted out. Since I had chosen the right-side bag scanner, waiting for a screener to take me to pat-down put the NoS directly in my line of sight to the bag X-ray, preventing me from keeping an eye on my possessions. There was no one there worth complaining to, so I will be writing a letter to the LAX FSD.

I mentioned this to the screener holding me at bay, and he dismissed it. He then began to tell me about a new CBS report saying that the amount of radiation was so small coming from the NoS that it equalled being on an airplane. I replied that radiation is not my primary concern with the backscatter, and left it at that.

I haven't travelled in a few months. Since when is NoS the now primary screening?

Thanks, and safe travels,
LAX-1K

You can either report it here, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/1138014-complete-list-airports-whole-body-imaging-advanced-imaging-technology-scanner.html, or here, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/1116005-nude-o-scope-opt-out-stories-merged-8.html#post14572105

My apologies if this has already been covered elsewhere; I searched and didn't find anything. Mods please merge if appropriate.

I went through the upstairs LAX T7 "bridge" checkpoint today at about 4:30pm PT. As I was putting my things in my bins and preparing for the bag scanners, the TSOs roped off the WTMD and began directing everyone to the NoS for primary screening.

Of course I opted out. Since I had chosen the right-side bag scanner, waiting for a screener to take me to pat-down put the NoS directly in my line of sight to the bag X-ray, preventing me from keeping an eye on my possessions. There was no one there worth complaining to, so I will be writing a letter to the LAX FSD.

I mentioned this to the screener holding me at bay, and he dismissed it. He then began to tell me about a new CBS report saying that the amount of radiation was so small coming from the NoS that it equalled being on an airplane. I replied that radiation is not my primary concern with the backscatter, and left it at that.

I haven't travelled in a few months. Since when is NoS the now primary screening?

Thanks, and safe travels,
LAX-1K

Well NOS/WBI is being used for primary screening for the people who are selected to be scanned. The fact the WTMD was ropped off and everyone was being herded to the NOS/WBI. You were selected to be screened by the primary screening device which was the NOS/WBI had you not chosen to opt out.

But I also think that by roping off the WTMD. They are doing test to see how many passengers will opt out of the NOS/WBI bodyscanners if the WTMD isn't an option to be screened with.

Because as I stated in another post. I do believe that with how much each of these NOS/WBI bodyscanner machines cost. That in the near future the WTMD will be gotten rid of and the NOS/WBI will be the only screening method used.

I mean TSA/DHS have already stated that the NOS/WBI and the enhanced patdowns are to them the only effective means to screen the passengers effectively. Anyone really think they are going to keep the WTMD around if they don't see it as an effectice screening device?

Because as I stated in another post. I do believe that with how much each of these NOS/WBI bodyscanner machines cost. That in the near future the WTMD will be gotten rid of and the NOS/WBI will be the only screening method used.

I mean TSA/DHS have already stated that the NOS/WBI and the enhanced patdowns are to them the only effective means to screen the passengers effectively. Anyone really think they are going to keep the WTMD around if they don't see it as an effectice screening device?

I agree, that's undoubtedly the plan. But how do they resolve the lack of NOS in some airports or even just some concourses in airports with NOS elsewhere?

At BWI I can and do fly AA, DL or Jet Blue to avoid the NOS. All of these carriers are on concourse C, which due to limited space can't accommodate the cancer machines. At least not for now. Any other airline at BWI, then its NOS or groped. This doesn't even begin to address the small airports with only WTMD that connect to the "sterile" area in major airports.

TSA simply chooses to ignore that their "effectiveness" claim is absurd when there are so many gaps in the system.

Someone else will have to tell me if I am remembering this correctly, but in another post on here there was a discussion that TSA/DHS was trying to force the airports that couldn't install the NOS/WBI machines because of lack of space or the floors wouldn't support the machines to actually do construction to solve those problems and make those airports capable for the bodyscanner machines to be installed.