FearFree

I'm batting 100% for TSASS resulting in a full patdown at ORD this year. Almost everywhere else it works for getting directed to the WTMD, but at ORd italways results in a patdown.

thelark

obvi trying to steal it

thelark

dupe post

GoAmtrak

At ORD a few months back, the two-striper was as laid-back as anyone in his position could be and just assumed I had TSASS. He cheerily told me, "You don't need to claim a condition to opt out, ya know." Got a very light, quick patdown and no swab.

firespirit

We have two young children, so almost always get the family opt out. When that doesn't work, I want the TSA (and hopefully others paying attention) to notice my protest. If I used this, I feel I would be doing a disservice to those that do actually have true medical reasons to opt out.

mikeef

We have the same family opt-out. I take one kid and my wife takes the other. One time, and I don't remember why, my wife suggested just taking the kid she was carrying through the NoS. I told her she was not taking our child through one of those, except it came out a bit louder than I had intended. Man, did people jump.

I still have yet to understand, though, why I am somehow "less dangerous" because I have a little person with me.

Mike

chollie

Kind of conflicts with TSA's prior interest in baby booties and diapers because, as we all know (but no one has documented), the bad guys have an extensive history of using babies and little kids as WMDs...

Apparently the bad guys still use mother's milk and baby food, however...

firespirit

This is why I'm not looking forward to my next trip. Traveling without babies, but bringing back breast milk. Should be fun times! Expecting the worst, hoping for the best.

KDS

For me, I refuse to allow our immoral government to push me into doing immoral things (lying) just to travel in an airplane. I stand up for my principles and beliefs.

Tika1505

I got really angry one time, and held up my advanced Statistics manual that I was developing a lesson plan from and yelled, "Look everyone!!! It's a Statistics book! I's a weapon of Math Instruction!!"

As the L3 AIT Screener returns 100% false positives for people with disabilities, I was not in a good mood to begin with...

flitcraft

I can't stand with legs apart and hands over my head due to a very badly injured ankle; I arrive at the screening point in a wheelchair. At SEA, when I explain this, they consistently say I have to have a pat down because I am an opt out. The last time, I got a bit annoyed and said that I am not opting out, I have no option because I have a temporary disability that I did not choose to have.

I will say that, before the bad ankle, I used to opt out 100% of the time, so maybe I am remembered from that.

Still, I think that disabled people who cannot 'assume the position' should not be called opt-outs. It's offensive, coming from obviously able-bodied people, to refer to physical incapacity as though it were some kind of perverse choice that people make.

chollie

What I find almost silly (if it weren't so ignorant) is when a TSO starts badgering me about my physical limitations - insisting that I demonstrate or warning me, at length, that if I can't use the NoS, there will be a long wait for a groper, very invasive grope, private parts touched, extensive bag swab and search, machine is really safe, no one wants to see under my clothes (although they do want to put their hands inside my pants and between my legs).

I don't get this approach - does it ever really work? Are there that many people who fake a physical limitation and then suddenly change their mind, admit they were faking, and go to the NoS when they hear the pitch? Or do they get scared, go in the NoS anyway, and then get a full-body 'resolution' grope because they couldn't assume and hold the position for a clean scan?

tkey75

Yesterday's opt-out story comes with a hugely positive outcome as I was actually able to convince the SEA checkpoint operators to use common sense.

I had a medium sized mason jar of pickled items which I didn't want to open. They were in a small soft-sided cooler packed in ice. Also in the cooler was my set of Freedom Bottles in the appropriate baggie.

I expected to hear a bag check call and was prepared to leave the CP and pour the liquids into the appropriately sized magical bomb-innocuizing bottles. Of course the bag was checked.

The TSA person asked if I thought the solid in the jar was "displacing enough liquid so as to put the total volume of liquid under 3.4oz". I said I did not, but that it would fill two 3.4oz bottles, which were right next to the jar, and I was prepared to do so if he insisted the liquid be in an approved container. He pondered for a moment, called a supervisor and stated again the above. The jar of harmless pickled items was cleared and allowed to proceed with little further discussion. I thanked them for displaying completely reasonable, independent thought and carried on.

chollie

^^^^^ to the TSO who exercised judgment and ^^^^^ to a supervisor who supported that common sense.

InkUnderNails

Retraining has already been scheduled.