Originally Posted by chollie

Some of the checkpoints make it hard to keep an eye on your bags (although when you are getting the grope, you are not limited by the position of the machines, so there is never a valid reason for obstructing your view of your belongings).

I have had a TSO deliberately stand in front of my and shift side to side to prevent me moving or even keeping an eye on my bags. In a way, the laugh is on them - I don't travel with much in the way of electronics (P&S camera, sometimes a cellphone) in my carry-on, and anything worth stealing is always in a locked pouch in my carry-ons now anyway.

Just once I got serious kickback about locking my carry-on. Transiting from intl-dom in LAX and the TSO insisted that I wasn't allowed to lock my bag (mandatory bag checks accompanied gropes at that time), then insisted that I couldn't touch or come near the bag to unlock it for inspection. Supervisor got called, stood there for a minute, then realized we were at an impasse. It was a combination lock and I wasn't going to give them the combination, so it was either call for a bolt-cutter or have me unlock it. I had time and was willing to submit to a bolt-cutter rather than give out my combination, so they finally had me unlock it.