Originally Posted by
SATTSO
No, I believe this is because of human nature and has nothing to do with TSA. Friend of mine works for a local shopping center, same story there, albeit different things in the lost and found, as people usually do not take luggage and such to the mall. And I remember many years ago I walked into a mcdonalds, sort of full, and I saw a man sitting by himself, upper body laid out on the table, arms thrashing, having some kind of seizure. No one helped him, no one called 911. I was the only one that helped, everyone else watched and ate their meals as I tried to help while paramedics came. No TSA back then (mid 90's).
No, in general people do not take responsibility for much around them, as the theory of the diffiusion of responsibility indicates. People often have to be taugh to do these things.
There is a large difference between someone that is having a medical problem and someone seeing a person set something down at the mall. Most people are scared to help a person in a medical emergency because they do not have training and are afraid they will make things worse. When a person has a seizure most do not know that the best thing to do is prevent them from crashing into stuff and let the seizure subside on its own. So any "help" given could be harmful.
Most people have their heads buried when they are in the mall. While they may see someone walk away from their purse it does not click that the person is forgetting the object.
In that link (no I did not read it all too many words for my tired brain) people were less likely to react when there were more people around. This is due to a lack of confidence that they will be able to help. When the subjects were fewer the response rate went up dramatically. (31% v. 85%)
The checkpoint is a wholly different dynamic. If you see someone leave something at the checkpoint you know they did not just wander a few feet away. You know that if you have any type of outburst you will be in trouble with the authorities. So instead of calling out to that person and calling unwanted attention to yourself, you tell the authority at the checkpoint.
You don't understand that most people are intimidated by the TSOs. You guys wear cop uniforms, you can deny passage at a whim, you can submit the PAX to humiliating procedures at a whim and you can call real LEOs and we all know at that point the PAX is screwed.
You guys scare the hell out of people. We feel we are walking through gangland wearing the wrong colors. Do nothing that draws attention and you may make it out unscathed.