Originally Posted by
manneca
The last time I opted out, I was held behind the backscatter machine which blocked my view of the conveyor belt. I asked to see my belongings and was told that I could not move. It, of course, took forever for someone to be available to pat me down. The TSO assured me that nothing would happen to my stuff, because they had cameras there. This is in MEM where a TSO was stealing from customers belongings. I had put my purse in my back pack before I went through security.
The TSO kept saying that I was creating a fuss. My voice was not loud or shrill.
For those keeping records, I'm average height, a bit overweight, gray haired and female.
I'm a cancer survivor and always opt out of the backscatter machines. (I'm not happy with the MMW, but if someone wants to see my lumpy body, it's probably more of a problem for them than me.)
What, does a little hand pop out of the camera and smite the would-be thief so that he can't take your stuff??
You can, and should move toward your things. And, really, someone should just point out the obvious to the screeners: if you are up to something nefarious, it's probably best if your accomplice isn't able to make off with your stuff.