Originally Posted by
exbayern
I actually know of many, many people who have read FT TS&S over the years, and who are turned off by the hyperbole of some posters. Many have said to me that the general tone here reinforced their belief that the anti-TSA movement is fuelled by a few tinfoil hat-wearing whingers. I no longer refer people to FT TS&S because I believe that this forum no longer helps to support the movement in a rational tone. We are doing ourselves no favours by embellishing or using hyperbole or name-calling.
I assume that's why TS&S was split into a Practical forum and a Policy Debate forum. Where it crosses the line between practical, debate and OMNI is left to the interpretation of the moderators.
While I'm not about to jump to the defense of the TSA, they do
generally provide a more consistent experience than some of the airports I've visited overseas. This was theoretically the reason the agency was created in the first place, keeping in mind it was before the shoe carnival, TDC not recognizing valid IDs/playing the name game and era of dangerous water bottles and toothpaste.
Of course there are airports where unpublished 'policies' such as the name game or second boarding pass check occur, but you will likely have a far easier time getting your medical liquids through the line at a US airport than one overseas where the liquids restrictions are in place. In fact, Team SFO discovered that I had a water bottle that I had forgotten about in a side pouch of my bag. (Team SFO missed said water bottle earlier that week.) The TSO said unless it was medical I'd need to take it landside or discard it. I didn't try, but I'm 90% sure if I told her I have an occasional dihydrogen monoxide deficiency I would have been enjoying the bottle of water later that afternoon.
