Pulled aside for "touching bag"
Oct 8, 2012 | 8:44 am
#1
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Pulled aside for "touching bag"
A new one for me.
Departing MDW on Saturday, after I put my bag on the belt I quickly checked to be sure the outside zipper compartment was closed.
As I passed through the screening station I was asked to step aside and I heard someone say "he touched his bag." They then checked my hands and the outside of the bag. Huh? I've probably checked that zipper a thousand times over the years with no issue.
Departing MDW on Saturday, after I put my bag on the belt I quickly checked to be sure the outside zipper compartment was closed.
As I passed through the screening station I was asked to step aside and I heard someone say "he touched his bag." They then checked my hands and the outside of the bag. Huh? I've probably checked that zipper a thousand times over the years with no issue.
Last edited by milepig; Oct 8, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Oct 8, 2012 | 9:52 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2006
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They probably thought you were gaming the system and moving something from you to the bag or from the bag to you as you got close enough to see that one path was more theatrical (and less effective) than the other.
Of course, since both paths are theatrically leaky, playing Schrdinger's Swiss Army Knife is just mocking them, and they hate that.
Of course, since both paths are theatrically leaky, playing Schrdinger's Swiss Army Knife is just mocking them, and they hate that.
Oct 8, 2012 | 1:53 pm
#5
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Either way, very odd.
Oct 8, 2012 | 4:01 pm
#6
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Yeah - they swabbed them with the little round "swabbie pads".
Oct 8, 2012 | 11:04 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2008
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This is still one of the oddest stories I've ever heard. Don't you *have* to touch your bag just to get it to roll into the xray machine? I've even been yelled at because the TSO thought I was going to walk through the WTMD before pushing my own bag through.
Did you hear any beeps as you walked through the metal detector? Could you have been randomly selected for additional screening and that might've been the reason you got the swab?
This is a prime example of when it'd be great to hear a TSO tell us what might've happened.
Oct 9, 2012 | 1:46 am
#9
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Nope - they were talking to each other and pointing to me just as I was approaching the detector - hadn't even gone through yet. I think it was just 6:00am at a very slow MDW and they decided to do a little training. Only thing I can come up with.
Oct 9, 2012 | 2:09 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ATL/BOS
Posts: 331
Once in ATL I had an issue where after I passed through the WTMD, I still had access to my bag before it went through the x-ray. Without thinking, I reached over to push my bag into the x-ray, and the TSO made me re-clear the WTMD. It was a bad set up, but I can understand the reasoning behind making me go through the WTMD again.
However, it sounds like the OP touched his bag before clearing the WTMD/NOS, so I don't really understand what the TSOs had a problem with in this situation.
However, it sounds like the OP touched his bag before clearing the WTMD/NOS, so I don't really understand what the TSOs had a problem with in this situation.
Oct 9, 2012 | 7:09 am
#11
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remember who we are dealing with - the most incompetent agency in the entire federal government. Their existence depends on hyping the threat, so are you surprised that they see one everywhere?
Oct 9, 2012 | 11:50 am
#12
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It must be me - my run of bad luck has now become intercontinental.
Transferring at LHR T1 this morning (US-UK-GER) I got to the transfer security point when there was like one other person in line. They swabbed every inch of my carryon, inside and out. Maybe TSA tagged it!!
Transferring at LHR T1 this morning (US-UK-GER) I got to the transfer security point when there was like one other person in line. They swabbed every inch of my carryon, inside and out. Maybe TSA tagged it!!
Oct 9, 2012 | 11:57 am
#13
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A new one for me.
Departing MDW on Saturday, after I put my bag on the belt I quickly checked to be sure the outside zipper compartment was closed.
As I passed through the screening station I was asked to step aside and I heard someone say "he touched his bag." They then checked my hands and the outside of the bag. Huh? I've probably checked that zipper a thousand times over the years with no issue.
Departing MDW on Saturday, after I put my bag on the belt I quickly checked to be sure the outside zipper compartment was closed.
As I passed through the screening station I was asked to step aside and I heard someone say "he touched his bag." They then checked my hands and the outside of the bag. Huh? I've probably checked that zipper a thousand times over the years with no issue.
Mike