Originally Posted by
TSORon
You missed a third. ‘Have never read the directions or warnings’. Should that be blamed on the product manufacturer?
People don't have to read directions to know how to use dish or laundry soap. It's intuitive. Why can't the process for going through a checkpoint be as simple and intuitive as loading a dishwasher?
All the more reason to actually READ the rules and make preparations for the trip. Yet even seasoned flyers miss things occasionally and they have had hundreds of checkpoint screenings.
I'm picking up a bit of a theme to your argument here: "If people have problems at the checkpoint, it's their fault for not knowing the rules."
To bring back a point made earlier in the thread (by Caradoc, I believe), it's not our fault. As I pointed out in my last post, and you acknowledged with the laptop scenario, the rules vary from airport to airport. Shoot, the rules vary from
checkpoint to checkpoint at some airports I've been through. And even when the rules are constant, there's no guarantee that the TSOs are following them, as evidenced by the NEXUS/SENTRI card adventures. I have great personal evidence of the variation in rules with the aforementioned laptop game, the belt game (can it stay or must it go?), even the Freedom Baggie game. A few quick examples of the Freedom Baggie game:
DEN: Liquids can be mixed with any other dry toiletries in the same container (for the sake of packing less). The container does not have to be a resealable baggie; a clear, plastic, reasonably-sized toiletry kit will get through just fine.
MSP C/P4: Liquids can be combined with other dry toiletries, but they must be in a clear, plastic sandwich baggie.
MSP C/P1: Liquids can
not be combined with other dry toiletries, and must be in a clear, plastic sandwich baggie.
SLC: Liquids must be alone, but they may be placed in some other form of plastic bag-like container.
Note the middle two: different rules, same airport. I'm sure it's not designed that way; rather, there happen to be screeners at MSP who aren't on the same page. They're not even in the same chapter, so someone can be sent through without a hitch one day, then barked at and asked if they want to fly today the next.
Memorize? Not hardly. It’s the reason we post signs, record announcements, and yes have people telling the passengers what they need to do. Honestly if we demanded that they memorize the rules before flight then there would be very few people getting into the sterile area. Lets try and keep the discussion rational, shall we?
No, one does not have to memorize everything. But there are certain things that, if not done by the time one arrives at the airport, leaves that person
le screwed. Should people reasonably be expected to pack next to their computer so they do everything "right" by website standards (but not necessarily by TSO standards)?
Not sure what an ATD is, but OK I get the general concept. Ask that the items be brought into your presence while the additional screening is being conducted. You have that right. And feel free to lock your bag, we wont mind. You may be asked to open the lock, and if unable there is a choice you will need to make. Either we can cut the lock / break into the bag, or not allow that bag into the sterile area. See, another choice!!
ATD is the technology that is attached to MMWs (and, now, BKSX?) that detects "anomalies" on a person. It's the stuff I love, because it's always finding "anomalies" on my right ankle, or my left shoulder, or my left shin, etc.
I love how you completely dodge the point of the comment here, as well. Rather than addressing the underlying problem (TSOs do not know what the frappucino their own SOP says is a laptop), you've attempted to make it into a problem with the way I pack. Believe it or not, I don't set out to make the lives of TSOs more difficult (not anymore, anyway). I also, however, refuse to make my life more difficult in order to simplify theirs. Leaving a ton of computer equipment in bins for the first interested party--TSO, pax, airport worker, crew, whatever--is something that would make my life considerably more difficult than dealing with being barked at once again because a one-striper doesn't know an iPad from a MacBook.
Well, at least we are getting closer, light at the end of the tunnel I guess. Long tunnel, but still…
I wish I could respect the TSA, I really do. Thing is, respect is earned, not given. The TSA I deal with now is not an organization worthy of respect. That's not to say there aren't some great TSOs out there, but there are tons who range from stubbornly misinformed to power-tripper to criminal. If a uniform set of simple rules were to be developed and followed by all TSOs at all airports, it would go a long way. At least then we'd know what rules we're expected to play by, right?