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Whole Body Scanners Opt Out Stories [merged]

Whole Body Scanners Opt Out Stories [merged]

Old Nov 8, 2010, 9:05 am
  #571  
 
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Originally Posted by xSTRIKEx6864
Given the choice of an "enhanced" pat-down versus the body scanner, why would anyone opt for the "enhanced" pat-down? The body scanner seems so much nicer as no one has to touch you.
Funny!

Comparing at altitude radiation that cannot be avoided to nude-o-scope radiation that should be avoided.

Repeated voluntary exposure!

Backscatter or milimeter is skin surface concentration that is higher for the area exposed than a medical x-ray.

But then again, this was probably a TROLL post and not meant to be serious. No one could be that (??????), could they?
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 9:28 am
  #572  
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Originally Posted by InkUnderNails
Folks! They are training us. And they are being successful. We are being converted.
Speak for yourself.

j/k, IUN. I take your point.

Whether to fly at all under current conditions is an interesting calculus for each of us and ultimately colors our response to the tightening of security screws. I'd like to think I'm beyond the TSA's influence by taking alternative modes of transportation (Amtrak, SeaPort Air) but I'm sure others see it as backing down from the fight, ergo, being successfully trained or converted into another kind of sheeple. :shrug:

Last edited by essxjay; Nov 8, 2010 at 12:07 pm
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 9:54 am
  #573  
 
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BNA - Opt Out

Just passed thru security in Nashville. They have the scanners up and running (when I went through last week it was still the same old, same old). Well with the new scanners in place (and extra time) I declared by "opt-out" decision. The TSA agent said..."Really, you're choosing to Opt-Out". I was then told that I would have to wait, until a female TSA was available (the person I was talking to was female, the person at the end of the security chain was female, and the person watching the monitor was female. But still had to wait. Then was asked again if I really wanted to opt-out.
Finally another female shows up, and I am instructed to go to specific spot. I ask about by belongings, and am told that I am not to touch them, and they will remain on the belt. I go in the glass both and stand waiting for next instructions. The female tsa gets my belongings and moves them to another table (literally throwing my carry on bag on top of my laptop). I then proceed to have her pull out my pants (away from by body,.....pull up sweater, so now I have parts of my body exposed for the world to see. I have to admit, I found the process less than thrilling. But will continue to opt-out. I think the more people who choose not to be scanned, will have an impact on this process.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 10:18 am
  #574  
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Originally Posted by elhs
Just passed thru security in Nashville. They have the scanners up and running (when I went through last week it was still the same old, same old). Well with the new scanners in place (and extra time) I declared by "opt-out" decision. The TSA agent said..."Really, you're choosing to Opt-Out". I was then told that I would have to wait, until a female TSA was available (the person I was talking to was female, the person at the end of the security chain was female, and the person watching the monitor was female. But still had to wait. Then was asked again if I really wanted to opt-out.
Finally another female shows up, and I am instructed to go to specific spot. I ask about by belongings, and am told that I am not to touch them, and they will remain on the belt. I go in the glass both and stand waiting for next instructions. The female tsa gets my belongings and moves them to another table (literally throwing my carry on bag on top of my laptop). I then proceed to have her pull out my pants (away from by body,.....pull up sweater, so now I have parts of my body exposed for the world to see. I have to admit, I found the process less than thrilling. But will continue to opt-out. I think the more people who choose not to be scanned, will have an impact on this process.

The process is over the line of decency but it is important to have the public view the injustice of what TSA is doing.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 10:23 am
  #575  
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Originally Posted by elhs
Just passed thru security in Nashville. They have the scanners up and running (when I went through last week it was still the same old, same old). Well with the new scanners in place (and extra time) I declared by "opt-out" decision. The TSA agent said..."Really, you're choosing to Opt-Out". I was then told that I would have to wait, until a female TSA was available (the person I was talking to was female, the person at the end of the security chain was female, and the person watching the monitor was female. But still had to wait. Then was asked again if I really wanted to opt-out.
Finally another female shows up, and I am instructed to go to specific spot. I ask about by belongings, and am told that I am not to touch them, and they will remain on the belt. I go in the glass both and stand waiting for next instructions. The female tsa gets my belongings and moves them to another table (literally throwing my carry on bag on top of my laptop). I then proceed to have her pull out my pants (away from by body,.....pull up sweater, so now I have parts of my body exposed for the world to see. I have to admit, I found the process less than thrilling. But will continue to opt-out. I think the more people who choose not to be scanned, will have an impact on this process.
If you found the process humiliating, degrading, if it made you feel exposed, molested - whatever - please consider filing a report of your experience with the ACLU and EPIC.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e-reports.html
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 10:31 am
  #576  
 
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No one should have their pants pulled out or their shirt pulled up. Complain loudly and widely.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 10:39 am
  #577  
 
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ABQ experience

11/7 ABQ 4:30 pm

Not many people in line going through security. Half of lanes have NoS, half WTMD. Husband and I went to WTMD lane. We put our things on the belt, stepped to WTMD and I was asked to go through NoS. I said no, I opt out. I was told I'd get a patdown and I replied, I know. TSO called for female opt out. I was taken to the end of the belt and told to keep an eye on my things in the bins at the end. The TSO explained what she was going to do, asked me if I wanted to do it in private, asked if I had any recent injuries or surgeries that could be painful if touched. TSO was very light in her rubdown, used the back of the hand on my sensitive parts as she called it. My husband told me his experience was the same, except the TSO carryed his bag over to the groping area.

Because he works in a radiology department at a hospital and knows about the effects of radiation, we will never go through the scanners. The patdowns were handled professionally at ABQ. But the airport wasn't very busy at the time. I'm not happy about them and I was prepared to holler if it got rough. I will continue to tell everyone I know what is going on at our airports and how this country has gone mad with security theater.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 10:43 am
  #578  
 
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Originally Posted by Cat1099

Even though my TSO was polite, the process itself appears to be designed as intentional public humiliation.

I expect I'll try to return the favor after the TSA mope finishes by loudly proclaiming "Hey! That guy just tried to give me a hand job!!" as I walk away ....

we'lll see how they like it.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 12:13 pm
  #579  
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Emphasis mine:

Originally Posted by elhs
Then was asked again if I really wanted to opt-out.
Interesting that the exercise of your option was questioned. Makes me wonder if this was an unconscious or subtle attempt to intimidate you into second guessing yourself. Regardless, glad to hear you didn't back down.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 12:30 pm
  #580  
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Originally Posted by Cat1099
While I was getting my stuff, an elderly French-speaking man was getting ruder treatment. He didn't understand English and went into the machine with things in his pockets. "Multiple anomalies!" a TSO bellowed. "We need a pat-down!" The little old guy stood looking confused and completely harmless while annoyed TSOs barked loud commands at him, apparently thinking he would understand English if they yelled it. It was ugly and shaming.
Because when you bark louder at people, they can magically understand English.


Originally Posted by xSTRIKEx6864
Well if you don't want cancer, don't fly... you get exposed to more radiation on the plane at high altitude than you get from the scanner.
Why should anyone needlessly add to their cumulative lifetime radiation exposure?
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 2:49 pm
  #581  
 
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Originally Posted by N965VJ
Because when you bark louder at people, they can magically understand English.
I have said here before that I have trouble understanding some regional American accents, and when the volume raises to barking I struggle even more to understand. Flying from JAX a few months ago I finally had to tell a woman 'I am sorry, but I do not understand anything you are saying to me'. At first I truly didn't think that she was speaking English.

Believe me, I am not critical of the fact that regional accents/vocabularies exist, but if one is in such a position one should at least be speak in a fashion liable to be understood by most travellers.

But TSA in many locations doesn't seem to understand that raising the volume simply makes them more difficult to comprehend. Nor do they seem to understand (or appear to consider) that a certain portion of the travelling population in the US does not understand and/or speak American English.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 3:49 pm
  #582  
 
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Originally Posted by exbayern
I have said here before that I have trouble understanding some regional American accents, and when the volume raises to barking I struggle even more to understand. Flying from JAX a few months ago I finally had to tell a woman 'I am sorry, but I do not understand anything you are saying to me'. At first I truly didn't think that she was speaking English.

Believe me, I am not critical of the fact that regional accents/vocabularies exist, but if one is in such a position one should at least be speak in a fashion liable to be understood by most travellers.

But TSA in many locations doesn't seem to understand that raising the volume simply makes them more difficult to comprehend. Nor do they seem to understand (or appear to consider) that a certain portion of the travelling population in the US does not understand and/or speak American English.
I am hearing impaired and I like loud. Firm and succinct is good too.

I do not like obnoxious, hateful, angry, arrogant, pompous, blowhardedness.

There is a difference. It requires training.

Oops, answered my own question there.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 4:48 pm
  #583  
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Originally Posted by essxjay
Whether to fly at all under current conditions is an interesting calculus for each of us and ultimately colors our response to the tightening of security screws. I'd like to think I'm beyond the TSA's influence by taking alternative modes of transportation (Amtrak, SeaPort Air) but I'm sure others see it as backing down from the fight, ergo, being successfully trained or converted into another kind of sheeple. :shrug:
I'm of two minds about this myself. I'm finally starting to do what I've always wanted work-wise and do some road warrior projects. But the timing couldn't be worse, as I suspect what has happened so far is merely prelude to a future announcement that opt-outs for non-medical reasons are no longer allowed.

Remember how we used to be able to decline to show our ID and still get through?

The TSA is full of lies, and the only reason these aren't already mandatory is because they don't have enough of them.

We are the frog in the pot, and it is starting to get warm.
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 5:18 pm
  #584  
 
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Originally Posted by Wimpie



ROFL ^
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Old Nov 8, 2010, 9:19 pm
  #585  
 
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The chorus is getting louder... 'Flier Patience Wears Thin at Checkpoints'

From a NY Times article today:

"Flier Patience Wears Thin at Checkpoints"

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/09/bu....html?_r=1&hpw

"As the Transportation Security Administration scrambles to address vulnerabilities in procedures for screening cargo, it is facing growing criticism from travel industry groups over the escalating security measures for passengers.

In recent weeks, representatives from the International Air Transport Association, the U.S. Travel Association, the Allied Pilots Association and British Airways have criticized the T.S.A., saying it adds intrusive and time-consuming layers of scrutiny at airport checkpoints, without effectively addressing legitimate security concerns.
...
Specifically, they point to the new body scanners that are replacing metal detectors which have raised privacy and health concerns, as well as prompted legal challenges and the more invasive pat-downs, which have set off complaints about disrespectful treatment by agents.
...
Discouraging travelers with queues into the parking lot is not a solution, Mr. Bisignani (Giovanni Bisignani, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association)said in his speech. And it is not acceptable to treat passengers as terrorists until they prove themselves innocent. "
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