Practical Travel Safety Issues - TSA is out of control in Florida

I had a flight from Palm Beach airport to Boston today.

There were very few people going through security at the time, half were sent through the naked scanner machines and half through the metal detectors.

I was in the line for the naked scanner, a woman was telling us how safe the machine was the whole time I was waiting, telling us it was much safer than using a cellphone, just going on and on about how completely safe it was.

When it was my turn I told her my doctor said it might cause cancer so I didn't want to go through the machine. She says my doctor is wrong and starts telling me that I should do more research and goes on and on about its a new machine and its much safer than the old one.

Finally i said OK can I just get a refund for my ticket because I'm not going through the machine.

She says she will call over a male agent to pat me down.

The male TSA agent pats me down, he does the most thorough search I ever had in my life, I had short sleeves on and he was touching my arms and hands and touching my watch.

I was on the fence about driving this time because I hate dealing with the TSA, next year I will drive for sure.

So? You refused to go through nudoscope and got your pat down. That's what they do if you don't want to be scanned. What's out of control?

So? You refused to go through nudoscope and got your pat down. That's what they do if you don't want to be scanned. What's out of control?

Don't you understand? He had short sleeves on and they patted down his arms anyway.

So the TSA is now encroaching on our Second Amendment right to BARE ARMS!

Don't worry, you aren't alone--we all hate the things. Opt-outs are quite common for members of this board. And if you're going to give up flying because of the machines, write a letter to your congressperson. If they get enough mail, something might happen eventually.

There is no justification for patting down bare skin, no matter how they spin it. All the more reason to get rid of them.

Don't you understand? He had short sleeves on and they patted down his arms anyway.

So the TSA is now encroaching on our Second Amendment right to BARE ARMS!

I love you.

OP, did the screener have anything in his hand as he was patting your bare skin? Might have been some type of swabbing going on. Definitely sounds like there was some retaliation going on there.

FYI going forward, PBI uses MMW scanners which, based on the type of imaging technology they use, are inherently safer than backscatter X-ray scanners. The backscatter scanners are two blue boxes placed side by side, with you in the middle of a nuclear sandwich. MMWs are tall, gray phone booths that have clear paneling on the outside.

I have found that arguing about safety or privacy usually gets you a more aggressive pat-down. No need to debate anything, just say you want to opt out. If asked why, say "I always opt out" or "personal reasons".

1) Confine your comments to practical advice, commiseration etc

2) refrain from inflammatory terms no matter how angry you are

3) remember this is the Practical Issues forum

thanks

squeakr

co Mod TS/S

To the OP, what you experienced is normal procedure, in terms of the opt out, but patting your bare arms indicates the TSO was just on autopilot and not really thinking about what they were doing.

PBI uses MMW scanners which, based on the type of imaging technology they use, are inherently safer than backscatter X-ray scanners.

Personally, I am cautious about the difference between safer and actually safe. My main concern is malfunction. Since neither type has been publicly tested at the level of use required, I don't know if safer is good enough for me. My parallel is the number of stories of lead paint, asbestos, and cigarettes marketed as a phlegm-clearing product. Companies making buck dollars will lie.

2) refrain from inflammatory terms no matter how angry you are


To the OP: I am not sure just how upset you were at the TSA agent, but one thing we frown upon here at FT are thread titles that contain hyperbole (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbole). Stuff like "out of control" and "what a disaster" have more serious connotations in the world of aviation.

Next time just ask that sort of medical-advice-spouter: "If they're so safe, why won't TSA management allow you to wear a dosimeter?"

That should shut them up.

the TSO was just on autopilot and not really thinking about what they were doing

How is that different from any other experience the average traveler will have at a checkpoint?

There is no justification for patting down bare skin, no matter how they spin it. All the more reason to get rid of them.

One of the aims of the patdown is to collect traces of explosives. There is a minute possibility they could be on someone's arms but not their clothes.