Majuki

More difficult but not impossible, especially at airports with multiple lanes. There are also airports which use the scanners much less frequently than others. My point is not to throw your hand until the last possible second.

InkUnderNails

Agreed.

I have practiced a new technique that is highly risky but seems to work. If I get all of the way to the line split and still do not know, I give the screener/decider the best "I really do not care just choose" look and hold out my hands pointing at each in a questioning manner. I got the WTMD all but one time.

Jebby_ca

At LAX T6 last evening, there was a lady a few people ahead of me that appeared she wanted to opt out. I couldn't hear the conversation as they had all the fans going at the checkpoint. Here's the sequence of events as I observed them:

1) She approaches the WTMD, and the TSA standing at the other side of the WTMD directs her to the NoS.
2) It seems she does not want to go through the NoS, and is directed to talk to the TSA behind her that is managing the line to the NoS.
3) The TSA by the NoS starts explaining to her about the NoS, trying to get her to go through the NoS.

I didn't see the end since it was my turn to put my belongings onto the x-ray belt, and by the time it was my turn to go through, they shut off the NoS since it was a shift change.

One thing to point out, there were no female TSA at the checkpoint that I could see.

I hope she was not "convinced" to go through the NoS...

mikemey

I've tried this at RDU, and have failed miserably.

RDU has to be, after SAN, the worst airport when it comes to NoS out there.

Mimi111

Flew out of DFW yesterday. Only one lane open. Had both mag and NoS. Was travelling with a coworker. Mag was open when we arrived but they soon opened the NoS and started sending everyone through. The person running the baggage ex-ray was shoving everything through as soon as it was on the belt, several people ahead of who was actually going through the machine.

There were five women in a row. The four in front of me went through and I opted out. They started the standard MMW speach ("you know this isn't one of THOSE machines.."). No screaming. Sent me through the mag then on to my grope. No waiting at all. The screener who did the patdown was a trainee so I had two of the six people at the checkpoint occupied (two males at the TDC position, one female at the baggage check, one female putting people through NoS, two women standing beside the mag, one male standing near the grope mat). They got my items from the belt immediately and placed them on the table in front of me. I'm not a fan of the feel-up but as things go, it wasn't the worst I've experience. I'm sure it helped that the trainee was nervous and I made a few comments. The hair thing still freaks me out. Oh, and no bag check.

The one positive...my coworker had waited and was very upset by the time I was done. She made several comments about how it looked worse than going for a breast exam. I've been working on her for weeks, to convince her of the futility of it all. She's started to get it now.

No one in front of me opted out. I saw another six or so go through while I was getting the grope and gathering my things.

FriendlySkies

Got a call from FS-Mom this morning, to tell me that both she and her brother had to opt-put at RDU.. What a surprise, huh?

All open lanes were running the MMW, while the WTMDs were roped off. After they went through, one WTMD opened up for "overflow". Guess they aren't as fast as the WTMD..

As I've said before, seems like RDU has a real fascination with their scopes..

goalie

Bolding mine: I don't get it.....

"I opt out" means just that-"I opt out" so why does a TSO try and "convince" a pax that it is safe, ok or <insert whatever you want here> to go thru the scanner. I don't care if it is easier for the the TSO if a pax goes thru the scanner or if it makes more work for the TSO if they don't. It is (as of now) voluntary and it is over and done with the moment the pax says "I opt out". Period and end of story-plane and simple

fschmidt

Here at MEM they are starting with "...do you understand that we are understaffed at the moment and it may take a long time to get a secondary screening...." I reply with that's OK -- <<insert screen's name here>> I need a supervisor then. If they start talking again I repeat my request for a supervisor.

That usually gets them moving with ... "I need at Supervisor at Lane #3"

Then a supervisor shows up and off we go to secondary. At MEM, all the supervisors know me. I will not be groped in any airport without a supervisor present. Once I get the supervisor -- I follow him/her like a puppy dog -- where ever he goes I follow -- once we were all the way to the back of the security area before he realized that I was still following him.

Explained to him that he was supervising my screening -- so I was following him. Following the supervisor, at many airports really gets them off their game.

pinkcat

MIA I realised too late that the naked scanner was the only option, I played the scared tourist part and backed away from the scanner pointing to the example image and shaking my head. "opt out" yelled the TSA operative then another one joined him shouting then another, I was motioned through the WTMD and my stuff was x rayed. The female TSA operative asked me to identify my stuff, collected it and then asked me if I wanted a private screening, she explained what she was going to do including telling me she would reach to where my "legs met my torso"
Luckily she was businesslike and completed the whole grope with a neutral demeanour, checked her gloves after in a machine and then told me I was free to go. her hand briefely touched my girl junk but only fleetingly.

MCO I could see I had stepped into the wrong line (again) apologised in advance to the lady behind me who seemed to think the scan was preferable to the grope but was fairly knowledgeable about profiling and the UK security set up, again I shook my head, again the chorus of "opt out opt out"
This time I had to ask for my stuff a couple of times but she took me over to identify it and collected it.
she ran through the same explanation and on seeing me turn my palms up asked if I had been screened before, "yes, 3 hours ago in Miami" again she was businesslike and neutral, I was being polite as well as I was in a hurry!
the grope was less thorough and not invasive (well as non invasive as a stranger feeling your breasts can be)
The lady behind me stopped by to grin and ask if I could go, I told her I was just waiting for the TSA operative to check for residue on her gloves, just then a thumbs up from the TSA and "you're good to go"
So, Luckily I escaped a traumatic experience, had professional screeners and was on my way quickly both times.
I did it for you guys that have to go through this every time you fly to show my support, I hope things get better for us all soon

doober

Exactly. Not to forget, however, that for every offense, there is a defense.

No matter how high the TSA builds the wall at airport, the terrorist/"fares" will bring a taller ladder.

Global_Hi_Flyer

I opted out this weekend. I drove 500 miles each way.

InkUnderNails

Same here. I have four trips scheduled in June. A 1400 mile RT by air and three 1000 RT's that I will drive.

I used to have a "400 mile" rule. With the new procedures it became a "500 mile rule."

hkgphooey

OAK T1 last week, NoS was roped off. Just as I passed the identity check, they turned it on. My lucky day. Long story short, opted out for first time, received aggressive retaliatory frisk with repeated genital contact. I even flinched at one point and asked the federal employee kneeling in front of me if he could not touch my genitals so much -- or at least make an effort. "Sir, I told you I was going to touch where your leg meets your torso." Angry supervisor: "If you do not get the pat down, you are not going to fly."

Filed complaint with TSA and ACLU, sending letters to local, state, and federal representatives today, for all the good it will do.

If you must undergo a thorough body search at an interstate travel checkpoint, you are not living in a free society. Just my two cents. Anyway, that's the last air trip for me while these policies are in place. Congrats terrorists, it appears you won this round.

Neo7200

The security lines at ORD last Monday were endless. Took over an hour. By the time I got to the belt, my connection time was getting tight.

Was selected for the NOS, of course. Usually I opt out, but thought the extra wait would cost me my flight so stepped in. Told the agent in front that "I really don't think my government needs to see me naked to let me on a plane." She just smiled.

I stepped into the machine, put my hands over my head, and extended my center finger.

The agent in back said, "You can't do that."

I replied that I thought he was there to violate my fourth amendment rights, not the first...

I cleared the machine and he directed me to a mat for a further pat down. I commented that the machine must not work very well if they needed both. Requested and got clean gloves. Made the flight, barely.

Isobel

Love it! I think I'm going to steal that line next time I fly...no doubt something will come up at the checkpoint that will enable me to make the gesture and use the line

Years ago when I was younger and wilder, I got pulled over for giving the finger to a cop who honked at me from behind when I stopped to allow another car to pull into the road (I didn't realize it was a cop car I was gesturing to). I got lectured for "being rude," but no ticket.