Backscatter Xrays and my first experience.
Yesterday I was returning from El Paso Airport to LAX. I was waiting in line and was asked to proceed between two huge blue walls. I wasn't sure what it was but blindly went through it without anyone so much as explaining what it was I was doing. I mean, it was very quick from the time I was asked to show my boarding slip and told to enter the area. I entered it and immediately realized what it was when the TSA gentleman told me to raise my hands over my head. I asked him "Is this thing safe?" he said "Of course its safe or I would have had something bad happen to me already since I stand near it." Before I could blink he told me to step into another area and face my luggage.
I was thinking, what the hell. A few seconds later he came up to me and asked me what was in my front left pocket and I explained NOTHING. I immediately thought that if the machine was so good why would it show I had something in my pocket when there obviously was absolutely nothing. I was then told I would need to have a pat down and to raise my hands where the guy then proceeded to give me a very thorough pat down. I swear I will never allow them to put me in that machine again. I really think everyone else should do the same and boycott entering it.