Originally Posted by janeway
I think the real clueless people are the ones who, four years after 9/11, don't know to have their IDs/boarding pass ready, don't know to take their shoes off, don't know to take their laptops out (even when they see everyone around them doing this), and seem surprised to be asked this by the screeners.
I totally agree on all of the above, except the shoes! I approach the line with watch, change, and cell phone already dumped in carry-on. Boarding pass in passport, facing in the direction so that the checker can see both BP and passport photo in one glance. And, I have my laptop out ahead of time.
But the one thing I do not do is take my shoes off! First of all, not all airports require it. And you can't always tell by watching whether others are taking their shoes off. On a number of occasions, most people ahead of me had their shoes off. I didn't, and TSA passed me on through without making me take mine off.
And, I really resent that pointless nonsense, so if they're gonna make me, I'm not gonna make it easier for them by taking them off in advance!