in case you were curious who gets a pat down...
Apr 19, 2014, 4:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: Sky Miles, Star Alliance, Marriott
Posts: 328
in case you were curious who gets a pat down...
Yesterday afternoon I was going through the checkpoint at my local airport.
As usual, I approached the TSO standing on the other side of the WTMD and informed them I have a lingering collarbone injury and am unable to lift my arm all the way. As usual, she moved the cone out of the way and waved me through.
This time however, she stopped me on the other side and informed me that I would also need my "hands examined." She called for a "male hand assist".
The guy came over and brought me back to where the tester machines are. Then we had the following exchange:
Me: "Can we just make sure I can see my bags from where I'm standing please?"
Him: "Sure. Now, did you tell her you were opting out?"
Me: "I just told her I have a collarbone injury and can't lift my arm all the way."
Him: "Oh, okay. That's fine. Then we're just going to swab your hands, that's all."
Me: "Why, what does it mean to opt out?"
Him: "It's when you refuse or don't want to go through the other machine, and you tell us you want to opt out."
Me: "Oh. What happens then?"
Him: (swabbing my hand) "Then we give you a full pat down instead."
Me: "Oh. Why would anyone do that then?"
Him: "Beats me." (Tests the swab... 5 seconds later) "All done!"
As usual, I approached the TSO standing on the other side of the WTMD and informed them I have a lingering collarbone injury and am unable to lift my arm all the way. As usual, she moved the cone out of the way and waved me through.
This time however, she stopped me on the other side and informed me that I would also need my "hands examined." She called for a "male hand assist".
The guy came over and brought me back to where the tester machines are. Then we had the following exchange:
Me: "Can we just make sure I can see my bags from where I'm standing please?"
Him: "Sure. Now, did you tell her you were opting out?"
Me: "I just told her I have a collarbone injury and can't lift my arm all the way."
Him: "Oh, okay. That's fine. Then we're just going to swab your hands, that's all."
Me: "Why, what does it mean to opt out?"
Him: "It's when you refuse or don't want to go through the other machine, and you tell us you want to opt out."
Me: "Oh. What happens then?"
Him: (swabbing my hand) "Then we give you a full pat down instead."
Me: "Oh. Why would anyone do that then?"
Him: "Beats me." (Tests the swab... 5 seconds later) "All done!"
Apr 19, 2014, 11:07 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 959
Yesterday afternoon I was going through the checkpoint at my local airport.
As usual, I approached the TSO standing on the other side of the WTMD and informed them I have a lingering collarbone injury and am unable to lift my arm all the way. As usual, she moved the cone out of the way and waved me through.
This time however, she stopped me on the other side and informed me that I would also need my "hands examined." She called for a "male hand assist".
The guy came over and brought me back to where the tester machines are. Then we had the following exchange:
Me: "Can we just make sure I can see my bags from where I'm standing please?"
Him: "Sure. Now, did you tell her you were opting out?"
Me: "I just told her I have a collarbone injury and can't lift my arm all the way."
Him: "Oh, okay. That's fine. Then we're just going to swab your hands, that's all."
Me: "Why, what does it mean to opt out?"
Him: "It's when you refuse or don't want to go through the other machine, and you tell us you want to opt out."
Me: "Oh. What happens then?"
Him: (swabbing my hand) "Then we give you a full pat down instead."
Me: "Oh. Why would anyone do that then?"
Him: "Because our security procedures are all a big theater performance, and these machines are invasive and ineffective, and the passengers know we hate patting them down more than they hate getting patted down."." (Tests the swab... 5 seconds later) "All done!"
As usual, I approached the TSO standing on the other side of the WTMD and informed them I have a lingering collarbone injury and am unable to lift my arm all the way. As usual, she moved the cone out of the way and waved me through.
This time however, she stopped me on the other side and informed me that I would also need my "hands examined." She called for a "male hand assist".
The guy came over and brought me back to where the tester machines are. Then we had the following exchange:
Me: "Can we just make sure I can see my bags from where I'm standing please?"
Him: "Sure. Now, did you tell her you were opting out?"
Me: "I just told her I have a collarbone injury and can't lift my arm all the way."
Him: "Oh, okay. That's fine. Then we're just going to swab your hands, that's all."
Me: "Why, what does it mean to opt out?"
Him: "It's when you refuse or don't want to go through the other machine, and you tell us you want to opt out."
Me: "Oh. What happens then?"
Him: (swabbing my hand) "Then we give you a full pat down instead."
Me: "Oh. Why would anyone do that then?"
Him: "Because our security procedures are all a big theater performance, and these machines are invasive and ineffective, and the passengers know we hate patting them down more than they hate getting patted down."." (Tests the swab... 5 seconds later) "All done!"
Apr 20, 2014, 4:49 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: An NPR mind living in a Fox News world
Posts: 14,165
Yesterday afternoon I was going through the checkpoint at my local airport.
As usual, I approached the TSO standing on the other side of the WTMD and informed them I have a lingering collarbone injury and am unable to lift my arm all the way. As usual, she moved the cone out of the way and waved me through.
This time however, she stopped me on the other side and informed me that I would also need my "hands examined." She called for a "male hand assist".
The guy came over and brought me back to where the tester machines are. Then we had the following exchange:
Me: "Can we just make sure I can see my bags from where I'm standing please?"
Him: "Sure. Now, did you tell her you were opting out?"
Me: "I just told her I have a collarbone injury and can't lift my arm all the way."
Him: "Oh, okay. That's fine. Then we're just going to swab your hands, that's all."
Me: "Why, what does it mean to opt out?"
Him: "It's when you refuse or don't want to go through the other machine, and you tell us you want to opt out."
Me: "Oh. What happens then?"
Him: (swabbing my hand) "Then we give you a full pat down instead."
Me: "Oh. Why would anyone do that then?"
Him: "Beats me." (Tests the swab... 5 seconds later) "All done!"
As usual, I approached the TSO standing on the other side of the WTMD and informed them I have a lingering collarbone injury and am unable to lift my arm all the way. As usual, she moved the cone out of the way and waved me through.
This time however, she stopped me on the other side and informed me that I would also need my "hands examined." She called for a "male hand assist".
The guy came over and brought me back to where the tester machines are. Then we had the following exchange:
Me: "Can we just make sure I can see my bags from where I'm standing please?"
Him: "Sure. Now, did you tell her you were opting out?"
Me: "I just told her I have a collarbone injury and can't lift my arm all the way."
Him: "Oh, okay. That's fine. Then we're just going to swab your hands, that's all."
Me: "Why, what does it mean to opt out?"
Him: "It's when you refuse or don't want to go through the other machine, and you tell us you want to opt out."
Me: "Oh. What happens then?"
Him: (swabbing my hand) "Then we give you a full pat down instead."
Me: "Oh. Why would anyone do that then?"
Him: "Beats me." (Tests the swab... 5 seconds later) "All done!"
Apr 20, 2014, 2:18 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Retired in Houston, TX
Programs: Platinum-CO-DL-Priority Club WN A-list Diomond-Hilton-BW Gold-Choice Hertz Presidents Club
Posts: 305
This varies. I have a blown out rotator cuff, and cant lift my right arm more than half way. Usually it's a trip through the WTMD, AND I'm on my way. A few times at IND, they opened the gate, and I walked through without a thing being done.