goalie

And it must be "safe to assume" that where I walked from UA (C) to the Dunkin Donuts (aka "Dunks" for those from The Hub of The Universe ) and exited out for a smoke by B that everying this connected, right?

chollie

Every time you fly?

bdschobel

No. I'm in Pre-check and use that whenever possible. When it isn't possible, I request a medical exemption and have gotten it every single time I've asked, without exception -- and generally without a lot of noise, either.

Bruce

FriendlySkies

+1

chollie

Well, if and when I ever get the magic exemption, I will be sure to post here.

And I can almost guarantee it won't be at PHX T2.

(I mention that checkpoint because I started flying through there a few months ago, and they have been consistently hostile and aggressive on this point, much more so than any other airport I fly through, including PHX T3. It's also the only checkpoint that where my involuntary medical opt-out is still accompanied by a complete bag check-n-swab every time).

longwaybackhome

No, I didn't protest the private screening, because I felt better having all my items in a private room and not just sitting out in the open. And also, my bra set off a metal detector once, and in case they'd made me take off my shirt, I'd rather have been in a private room. But my bra setting off a metal detector seems patently ridiculous.

mybodyismyown

I've been trying TSA Shoulder Syndrome and I am 1 for 2 on attempts.

At MSY, "I can't lift my left arm over my head" got me sent through the metal detector.

At EWR this week, "I can't lift my left arm over my head" got me referred for a patdown. I protested and told them that I am supposed to go through the metal detector as a medical exemption, not an opt-out. They were fixing to insist on a patdown, which I can not endure psychologically. So I had a quick arm recovery and went through the millimeter wave.

cottonmather0

Considering that the patdown doesn't bother me at all, I'm thinking I should just nut up and ask for a medical whenever there's not precheck available. I've been resisting it for some reason, even after seeing it talked about for so many months here.

MrColdShower

choliie,

Just out of curiosity, what happens on your return flights to PHX? Do you leave from airports that do not have the NoS?

beofotch

+1 for me too. "TSA Shoulder Syndrome"

chollie

No, as posted elsewhere, I seem to always get selected for the NoS. I can't assume and hold the position, so I always get the grope. The response varies from airport to airport, screener to screener - sometimes I get a long pitch about how safe the machines are, how long I will have to wait for the grope, how thorough the grope will be - as though any of that will make my physical limitations magically vanish (if only!). Sometimes I am specifically told that I am an 'opt out', even when I never use those words myself and even when I specifically say 'no, I am not opting out, I'm just physically unable to get in that position'. Sometimes when I explain my limitations, the screener just yells for an assist and tells me where to wait. If anything, over the months, the aggression has gone down - maybe some screeners are finally getting it, if you have a physical limitation, it doesn't matter how hard they bully you, you still can't do what they want you to do.

I only started flying out of PHX T2 some months ago; I used to go out of PHX T3. For some reason, PHX T2 has consistently been very aggressive about involuntary medical opt-outs. The 'traffic director' is always a woman, never the same one, and (IME) they never talk about how safe the machine is or how long the wait will be, they immediately say "then you are opting out, that makes you an opt out".

Boggie Dog

So what happens if you step into the WBI and then tell them you can't maintain the surrender pose? I can get my arm up but have trouble holding my arm over my head for even short periods of time so it would not be a false representation. They could not claim I was an Opt Out since I did enter the machine.

chollie

Depending on the checkpoint layout and congestion, I often do just this (enter the NoS as directed, then explain my physical limitations when directed to assume and hold the pose). Sometimes I get asked why I didn't tell the 'traffic director' earlier; I just tell them that no one asked me.

I've never been told to back out and use the WTMD instead.

YMMV, of course (of course! we are talking about TSA!), but what has always happened is I get an immediate grope (no waiting for an 'assist'). IME, there are always TSOs of both genders hanging around the sterile side of the NoS to perform any necessary 'false alarm resolution' grope.

This has accomplished three things for me. 1) never a wait for my grope, 2) never a complete bag search-and-swab, and 3) better line of sight to my bags. Initially, my 'involuntary medical opt-out' always included a complete bag search and swab; that doesn't always happen now (except at PHX T2).

beofotch

I used to do this every time, until one time they just said, "OK no problem", ran the scan, and I got a pat down on my arm I didn't put up afterwards anyway. Now I wait to declare the TSA Shoulder Syndrome right before I walk into the scanner cage so they just won't surprise run it on me like that last time. I have not had this fail since I begin doing the declare while outside of the scanner but blocking the scanner entrance.

opethfan

Would a doctor's note be of benefit when proving my TSASS?

And what would said note likely include?