Vehicle checks for people approaching terminals or short term parking. In some cases, suspended due to "concerns about possible violations of civil liberties."
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">At Harrisburg, motorists said they didn't mind the extra search so long as it helped with security.
"I'm ex-military, so I'm used to going on base and getting a vehicle searched at all times," said James Elash, 24, of Carlisle, as he dropped his mother, Darlene, off to catch a flight. </font>
Yeah, duhh! That's when entering a military base. We're talking about just approaching an airport.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> Ken Morris, a Nashville, Tenn., resident at the airport for a business meeting with airport officials, said he preferred that the security teams conduct the inspections.
"If I were jumping on a plane here, I'd want to feel that they're doing everything they could to protect me and other passengers on that airplane," Morris said. "In the times we live in, that's the way life is." </font>
Yes, Mr. Morris! You can now rest comfortably. You are completely safe. The TSA are in control!
I'd feel even better when they start searching our houses and our cars. Then I can really rest.
Raven 1
Feb 12, 03, 8:33 pm
The Great American Chicken is alive and well! No thanks to the idiot press harping that "the sky is falling!!" There are terrorists behind every bush. Ashcroft et al are in their glory protecting us from the phantom mennace!! Save us from these idiot bureaucrats! Have we turned into mindless sheep awaiting for the great government to take away our liberties all under the mantra of "security?" I would rather take my chances with the terrorists any day, rather than have bureaucrats protect?? me!!!
snake
Feb 12, 03, 8:39 pm
Down here in Arizona the lege is workin' to protect us from terrorists within. Commies are rehabilitated. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
PHOENIX - State lawmakers are moving to do their part in the war against al-Qaida: They took the first steps Tuesday to block anyone who admits he or she is a terrorist from working for the government.
Without dissent, members of the Senate Government Committee voted to revise the state's loyalty oath that must be signed by those who want to be elected officials or work for state or local governments, public schools or the university system.
Gone from the oath would be language that swears the person is not a member of the Communist Party or any other organization that advocates the violent overthrow of the government. </font>
richard
Feb 12, 03, 8:59 pm
So they are allowing avowed communists to work for the government? This is an outrage!!
HeHateY
Feb 13, 03, 2:37 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by richard:
So they are allowing avowed communists to work for the government? This is an outrage!!</font>
Not only Communists, but also folks who think overthrowing the government is A-OK!
Spiff
Feb 13, 03, 7:33 am
What a disgrace. Do these people bother to even read the Constitution before they wipe with it? These "vehicle checks" simply harass citizens. They add nothing to safety and cause us to spend even more money that we do not have. We are about to commit deficit spending when Pres. Bush signs this year's budget. How can we so stupidly continue to squander money we don't have?
Let's see:
Tax Cut + deficit spending = ???
??? does not equal economic recovery!
------------------
"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry
It does equal economic recovery in the short term (for a quarter or two). But it spells economic ruin in any time frame longer than 12 to 18 months.
mikey1003
Feb 13, 03, 8:54 am
FWIIW, they have een doing this since 9-11 at several airports. Chattanooga comes to mind.
Stop sir...open trunk...close trunk...
xyzzy
Feb 13, 03, 8:57 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
Gone from the oath would be language that swears the person is not a member of the Communist Party or any other organization that advocates the violent overthrow of the government.</font>
So with the new rules you won't be able to be a "terrorist" but you can be a member of an organization that advocates the violent overthrow the US government?
If people are really interested in checking vehicles for bombs they've got to do a lot more than look in the trunk. Really checking would, if for no other reason than the sheer amount of resources involved, require darn good individual suspicion. The show of force being discussed accomplishes nothing besides harassing honest folks who have committed the offense of going about their daily business. Hey - that's exactly what the 9/11 news reporters said about the terrorists! I, for one, am having a hard time deciding which is the bigger threat to American civilians - Al Qaeda or the Bush administration.
bdschobel
Feb 14, 03, 5:11 am
I feel the same way -- and have for a long time now.
Bruce
thezipper
Feb 14, 03, 8:50 am
The big "road construction" signs at DCA yesterday were flashing "Your vehicle may be searched" as I approached... One token officer looking at us as we drove by... yea, make me feel safe!
Spiff
Feb 14, 03, 10:43 am
What's another $50k salary compared to the sea of excess and waste by the TSA?
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by thezipper:
The big "road construction" signs at DCA yesterday were flashing "Your vehicle may be searched" as I approached... One token officer looking at us as we drove by... yea, make me feel safe!</font>
------------------
"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry
HeHateY
Feb 14, 03, 2:08 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by thezipper:
The big "road construction" signs at DCA yesterday were flashing "Your vehicle may be searched" as I approached... One token officer looking at us as we drove by... yea, make me feel safe!</font>
And let me guess...
Taxis and Limos/Town Cars allowed to pass unhindered???
NickP 1K
Feb 14, 03, 2:44 pm
At SJC, this week my little roadster was flagged right through the inspection to enter short term parking (Terminal C), I guess the inspector figured my car was too small to have any lethal materials in it.
flowerchild
Feb 15, 03, 3:18 pm
One big loophole I haven't heard mentioned is
public transportation to the airport. In ATL, it would be simple to take MARTA, walk right into either or both terminals, and cause substantial damage without arousing suspicion.
fastflyer
Feb 15, 03, 5:08 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by flowerchild:
One big loophole I haven't heard mentioned is
public transportation to the airport. In ATL, it would be simple to take MARTA, walk right into either or both terminals, and cause substantial damage without arousing suspicion. </font>
Please don't give the powers-that-be any more ideas! If you think the TSA leaves something to be desired, just wait until local public transit authorities start their security searches.
I do think that the public areas of airports require a general level of security, as do all places with a large number of people in a building or zone. But beyond that, they do not warrant any more attention then, say, shopping malls or train stations.
Inside of the secured area, I think that by-consent searches as done now and before the WTC attacks are completely acceptable.
Billiken
Feb 17, 03, 1:52 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by HeHateY:
And let me guess...
Taxis and Limos/Town Cars allowed to pass unhindered???</font>
According to the airport police at CLE and CAK, taxis and limos are not exempt.
Hopefully this will stop once the alert level is decreased.
[This message has been edited by Billiken (edited 02-17-2003).]
MIKESILV
Feb 17, 03, 6:34 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mikey1003:
FWIIW, they have een doing this since 9-11 at several airports. Chattanooga comes to mind.
Stop sir...open trunk...close trunk...</font>
This procedure at least at the Tampa airport has never failed to amaze me.
My car trunk is packed with a whole a lot strange looking equipment and canvas bags most of them which COULD AND SHOULD attract closer inspection, including a number of copper tubes of varying dimensions and lengths, at least three stainless steel 1" square tubes just about the length of a rifle (3 feet) plus 6 or so 12 to 18 inch homemade samplers made of steel pipe and capped, in my my mind they they all look just like how pipe-bombs should look.
At first when I heard they were doing car searches I would make sure to empty my trunk before going to the airport, not anymore.
The airport parking garage guys NEVER ONCE acted as if they even saw anything but carpet in my trunk.
Mike
[This message has been edited by MIKESILV (edited 02-17-2003).]
HeHateY
Feb 17, 03, 9:49 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by flowerchild:
One big loophole I haven't heard mentioned is
public transportation to the airport. In ATL, it would be simple to take MARTA, walk right into either or both terminals, and cause substantial damage without arousing suspicion. </font>
This is as absurd as the suggestion that house thieves were using the Light Rail system in Baltimore to cart away their loot (like TV's, Desktop computers, etc.)
Unless the trunk inspections involve opening suitcases (suprise, they never do!) then the person arriving by MARTA is as likely to have something dangerous as the car driver. And the MARTA rider does not have a false gas tank or hollowed out dashboard in which to hide things.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by HeHateY:
This is as absurd as the suggestion that house thieves were using the Light Rail system in Baltimore to cart away their loot (like TV's, Desktop computers, etc.)
</font>
It was found later to have been local teenagers!
thezipper
Feb 18, 03, 8:57 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by HeHateY:
This is as absurd as the suggestion that house thieves were using the Light Rail system in Baltimore to cart away their loot (like TV's, Desktop computers, etc.)
Unless the trunk inspections involve opening suitcases (suprise, they never do!) then the person arriving by MARTA is as likely to have something dangerous as the car driver. And the MARTA rider does not have a false gas tank or hollowed out dashboard in which to hide things.
</font>
Yea, but did you see the latest from South Korea...
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
S. Korea Subway Arson Kills at Least 120
DAEGU, South Korea - Fire raced through two subway trains packed with people in South Korea (news - web sites) on Tuesday after a man ignited a carton filled with flammable material, killing about 120 people and injuring 135, officials said.
"When the man tried to use a cigarette lighter to light the box, some passengers tied to stop him. Apparently a scuffle erupted and the box exploded into flames," the officer said. </font>
LINK To Yahoo Article (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=516&e=5&u=/ap/20030218/ap_on_re_as/skorea_subway_fire)
Factotum
Feb 18, 03, 11:36 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by HeHateY:
Unless the trunk inspections involve opening suitcases (suprise, they never do!) then the person arriving by MARTA is as likely to have something dangerous as the car driver. And the MARTA rider does not have a false gas tank or hollowed out dashboard in which to hide things.</font>
Maybe car searches are the USA's alternative to London's congestion charge. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
richard
Feb 19, 03, 10:00 am
But you can't search people everywhere, at least in my little mind. It wouldn't be legal. I don't want to live in a society like that. I don't think most people really do. We have to take our chances with an occasional crime, a nutcase, a terrorist, an anarchist, a communist. That is just the way life is. It is really okay.
In Phoenix Sky Harbor, approaching on the freeway the electronic sign alludes to vehicle searches. If I am confronted with that (I wasn't driving) I will refuse.
Western Airlines
Feb 19, 03, 10:43 am
Me too, which brings up two questions. Since you enter city property about 30 feet off the freeway, perhaps you can't refuse. But what about your fourth amendment rights?
Also, if I remove my pistol from its concealment and place it openly on the seat in compliance with state law, will they freak out? Not sure I want to find out, don't really want to be the lead story on the nightly news. Being as I don't have a CCW, after all....
All this airport crap, while I sit at a 47 million gallon a day water pump station undergoing expansion, thinking to myself, ****, if I was gonna blow some s**t up, this would be a great place to start!?! One part-time security patrol and no video, after all....Disclaimer: I'm not a terrorist, nor do I play one on FT.
richard
Feb 19, 03, 11:22 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Disclaimer: I'm not a terrorist, nor do I play one on FT. </font>
I am glad you told us this. Otherwise we would have to detain you.
Western Airlines
Feb 19, 03, 11:30 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by richard:
I am glad you told us this. Otherwise we would have to detain you.</font>
Right, like that hasn't been done before!
WA, jail-free for 15 years now!
fredmartens
Feb 19, 03, 11:40 am
I'm amazed that the liberal haven of Seattle has opted out of these constitutional rights violating searches at SEA. The ACLU must be having a field day with this big brother garbage. Bush has been enough to make me turn my back on the entire republican party; this is enough to make me want to run from it.
essxjay
Feb 19, 03, 2:06 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fredmartens:
I'm amazed that the liberal haven of Seattle has opted out of these constitutional rights violating searches at SEA.
.
.
.
Bush has been enough to make me turn my back on the entire republican party; this is enough to make me want to run from it. </font>
The GOP is as ethically bankrupt and the Dems they so often bash. I went AWOL on the political right ages ago.
Incidently, the Portland of Port, which operates PDX, is also questioning the validity of random car searches. (Heard this at top-of-the-hour news on radio so can't provide a hyperlink just now).