Originally Posted by
TSORon
The “problem” with rules that the TSA has, and every other large scale endeavor in human history, is that different people take away different meaning from the same words. While one FSD may read the SOP to mean meds in a quart sized baggie, another may read it to mean “will fit in a quart sized baggie”, and then the differences start. They read the same SOP yet draw different conclusions. And it’s not just TSA, its everywhere. It’s human nature, and there is no way to completely remove that from our nature.
But, see, that's the thing. If the words were written clearly (and I admit, I haven't seen them), there would be no ambiguity in there. If the rules say, "Liquids, gels and aerosols must be separated from all other toiletries and placed in a one-quart resealable plastic bag," where is the room for error on the part of the FSD? If things are written in clear, plain, direct English, one would hope that those in charge of enforcing those rules have a good understanding of them.
I'm not asking for a TSO to stand there with a ruler so that my 10" netbook can go through the X-ray without a fight. Nitpicking like that would be a disaster and could easily drive checkpoints to a standstill, but is it too much to ask that the FSD ensure his/her screeners have a clear understanding of laptop vs. tablet?
I would genuinely have much less of an issue with the TSA if the rules were uniform vs. airport-by-airport. Different people will interpret things differently--unless the directives are written in a crystal-clear manner and enforced as such.
I don’t dodge them, I ignore them. Most don’t even deserve an answer due to the blatant intentional ignorance exhibited in them. Why should I continue to explain the facts to those who don’t really want to know them?
I guess you and I have a differing opinion on what constitutes a "fact" then. What you've presented are your own opinions about why people don't follow the guidelines at checkpoints, backed up by factual accounts from your own experience. I've, likewise, largely presented my own opinions backed up with factual experiences. I think I've made the underlying question here pretty clear, but I'll elaborate on it a little further: I'm sure you've seen the TSA SOP. I wouldn't ask you to jeopardize your job by revealing SSI, but I will ask you if the verbiage in there is crystal clear, or if it leaves lots of room for interpretation. If the verbiage is crystal clear, why do I still see screeners seemingly making up their own rules, and supervisors not addressing it?
You give each TSO the respect you think they deserve, and separately give the TSA the respect you think it deserves. That’s how honest people do it.
Well, I like to think I'm an honest person, and that's how I go about deciding where my respect ends up. I'm probably in the minority here when I say that I'm pleasant with TSOs so long as they're pleasant with me. That said, if one is standing next to me barking their lungs out at 4:00 AM when I'm the only person in line, then asking me if I've removed my laptop after watching me do so before finally inquiring loudly as to why I've developed an attitude towards them, well, no. They're not going to get any respect. They're most likely going to be asked to summon a supervisor if they feel the need for any further communication with me, as I'm done dealing with them.