Originally Posted by
Section 107
Come on, Chollie, you are being completely unreasonable in your characterization of his (I assume GSOLTSO is a he or a him or if not and he is actually a she then I apologize and consider all the pronouns changed for accuracy) point of view. I don't see any posts where GSOLTSO has denied any of these claimed encounters did not happen. You are over exaggerating and wildly hyperbolizing his statements and sentiments.
In a different way, the President states a mass shooting occurs once a day, and we seem to hear about them once a day, and yet, I haven't seen one in almost 50 years. In a similar perspective - there are 10 to 20 bank robberies every day; I have even seen part of one in progress - but only one - in the past 50 years. How many have you experienced? How many bank robberies have occurred even close to where you live? Probably not very many - mostly likely you don't need even half the fingers on one hand to count them.
Even more to the point - in spite of the many thousands of in-the-line-of-duty firearm discharges each year by LEOs (not to mention the hundreds of persons actually shot by LEOs each year) it still continues to be the case that more than 90% of LEOs never draw their weapon on duty during their entire career let alone fire a round.
When one considers that there are HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of interactions with TSA each year of course outrageous and just plain egregious incidents occur - but that doesn't mean they are the norm for most TSO wingnuts.
(and No, I am not an employee of TSA)
Thanks. I take no offense at Chollies comments, they had a bad experience, do not feel safe carrying prescription medicine due to that experience, and I am unable to alleviate that situation. I understand why they are mad, I understand the frustration that I am unable to do anything for them. I work for the social media group, but in small doses here and there moderating and commenting, not full time (although I wouldn't turn down that opportunity if it rolled by!). You accurately present how things are with me. I have seen incidents where I disagreed with what happened, but I address those correctly. If it is not an egregious breach, I approach the individual and attempt to coach them away from that type of behavior, if that fails I then approach the next position up the chain with my concerns. If it is egregious, I stop what is happening now, and bring the supe in to make certain that we address it now - properly. I have just never witnessed the level of insanity that some folks here post about - at GSO, LAX, RDU, PHX or CLT. I have seen some videos from CLT that were unacceptable, and
forwarded them up my chain of command like I am supposed to - but seeing as though I am a front line Joe, I am not necessarily advised of what actions are taken in cases like that.
Originally Posted by
chollie
I have posted before that I think he is one of the 'good apple' TSOs.
That said, if he's worked checkpoints, he's seen thousands more interactions between pax and TSOs than I have as a somewhat frequent traveler. So it beggars belief that he could suggest that he has not personally witnessed any of the behaviors we complain about on here or that others complain about elsewhere. It seems statistically improbable and equally unlikely when talking about a TSO who also is a spotnik/BDO, suggesting that he should be particularly focused on pax and interactions.
I have tried to take him to task for the manner of his posting. We have many lurkers - I was one myself for quite a while before I posted, and some folks never do. When <deleted> posts, as a TSO, about certain things, naive travelers have to keep in mind that <deleted> can only attest to what happens when he is working at a particular checkpoint at GSO. It may or may not reflect what happens in PHX or LGA or ORD - and more often than not, it does not. GSO may be the 'perfect' airport, but unfortunately, I don't fly through there, so I need to filter anything he posts.
He says he would not have confiscated my nitro pills. He does not say that he is certain that no one else at GSO would have confiscated them. He also is at odds with the way the rules (supposedly the same SSI rules) were interpreted by multiple TSOs, LTSOs, STSOs and a suit when my pills were confiscated.
In that respect, it's no different than me reminding someone posting about Delta all the time on the UA forum that what happens on Delta doesn't really give me valuable insight on how things are done on UA.
I appreciate the kind words.
As I have said before, I have never claimed that I have not seen bad behavior in the checkpoints I have worked. I have properly addressed it each time I have seen it. Even with seeing bad behavior while working, I have not seen it to the level that many here post about. Just because I post that I am happy to work at my airport, and that we do not seem to have the same types of problems that others post about, does not mean that I have not had to call someone out for doing something wrong. I think the worst thing I have seen in a checkpoint was a fellow TSO arguing with a passenger over something, and raising their voice - I stepped in and smoothed things over a bit, held to the SOP and sent the passenger on their way. That is something that some TSOs do not seem to grasp (at least based upon what I read here) - stick to the SOP, be professional and courteous and 99% of the time, there is no challenge. When that 1% shows up, most often it is frustration or anger creating it, and maintaining your cool works those situations out much better than yelling back and forth...
Originally Posted by
Boggie Dog
Hundreds of million of interactions each day and TSA doesn't even have one means for a traveler to question a screeners decision that leaves that checkpoint.
First step is to acknowledge a problem.
Edit to add:
GSOLTSO , <deleted> on the TSA Blog, won't even admit that there is no language on the TSA tool when checking to see if medical nitro is permitted. If they can't even write clear information on that then I feel there must be a reason. Apparently it's too difficult to give a clear answer or the item is truly allowed on a case by case basis dependent on the whim of the screener.
You grossly overestimate my ability to create change within TSA.
I have explained this to you several times, the green bar means it is ok, the red bar means no-go - out of
literally hundreds of online interactions with people (some of them my own family), not a single other person has had a challenge understanding that. Being angry at TSOs/management not following the SOP, I understand 100%. Being confused by green bar =go, red bar = no go, I do not understand.
Originally Posted by
Section 107
I don't believe he has said he has never witnessed any of the behaviors, just that he hasn't seen them at the level we describe here in our own little echo chamber.
That's all I am saying.
Of course, it probably isn't much different than a cop saying a beat down was just normal procedure for someone resisting arrest while the rest of us say, "gee, that seemed to be an awfully excessive use of force."
I beg to differ a bit, I personally address bad behavior when I see it - I also expect every other person that works for TSA to do the same thing (I also realize that is a bit unrealistic, but I can always hope).
Originally Posted by
Boggie Dog
It's the other cops who don't say anything when they witness the beat down that is the real problem. That's exactly what happens at TSA Checkpoints when a traveler like Chollie has a problem.
I disagree, the real problem is that a Cop felt the need to beat down someone with no justification. The cop witnesses not taking proper action is connected, but a different problem entirely.
For the record,
any passenger can ask for an STSO if they feel that TSOs are not following the SOP or have exhibited behavior that they consider unprofessional. They can also request to speak to a TSM - however, in many cases the TSM is not necessarily a realistic request, as they may not be onsite, or available within a reasonable time frame.
*Many have requested the presence of the FSD (or some of the folks on an FSDs staff) - I personally have
never heard of an FSD showing up at a checkpoint to address a traveler concern, as the vast majority of FSDs are not actually at the checkpoint or maybe not even at the airport. I have heard of a few situations where an AFSD have shown up at a checkpoint to address a passenger concern, but never an FSD.
* I added this for some of the folks I have seen asking about the FSD or telling others to ask for the FSD - you can ask, but it would be a highly improbable thing for an actual FSD to show up at a checkpoint to resolve a passenger complaint.