jimpop

You know you love it.... it's where your heart and mind are at home.

I was referring to the larger law enforcement entities, not the security screeners at the gate. Surely you wouldn't say the same thing about the FBI and local police departments... would you?

jimpop

Playing arm chair QB again?

jabez

Jimpop,
I sense that you know exactly what you are doing when you "stir up the bees". IMHO I think that you,and where this discussion is going,would do great in the "Omni" forum.Meanwhile,you brought some good info to the Delta forum,Thanks.

theDeltaFlyer

Huh?

BrianB

So answer this. What would they do if they saw a suspocious truck/car at the terminal? Evacuate? How long would that take? My peeve is that they give the impression they are moving cars through, but it would be so easy to leave a car left unattended for 5 mins while the driver gets away.

Basically, the security they have in place does NOTHING to prevent harm to the airport. It can be easily picked apart by anyone.

NoStressHere

Based on the current security actions being taken on the ground, and in the terminal, 9/11 could easily happen today. Studies have shown that weapons equal to or greater than what was used on 9/11 still get into the terminal, and then onto planes.

There was NOT a lapse in security on 9/11. Everything was legal. They parked near the terminal. They used their ID. They carried what was then legal onto the plane. The difference is the policy was to let them do what they wanted when they began to take over the plane.

FWAAA

But isn't any security measure worth it - no matter how much inconvenience is involved? Even if it looks like it was fashioned by a middle school student council or by a bunch of once-a-year flying housewives?

Of course every law enforcement agency goes along with it - it's downright unpatriotic to even question the lunacy that comes from the simple minds of Mineta, Magaw and Ridge.

And besides, the post September 11 security situation has been very good to the featherbedding police unions. Lots of OT for doing basically nothing productive. Look no farther than the DIA gang that preferred watching the NFL in the emp break room to patroling the terminal - all while on the OT clock.

Hey, some citizens like authority figures to make and enforce stupid rules, as it furthers their agenda.

jimpop

In allhonesty, they probably wouldn't have time to react. But the issues in front of the terminal don't negate the need to secure the parking decks where vehicles sit for days unchecked. There are many other areas in this world that need better security. I started this thread to address the parking deck issue. Others seem to have taken it to a whole new level.

theDeltaFlyer

Yesterday, 5:10pm, at STL's departures deck (they have angled parking-lot style slots, rather than they typical mobed parallel-park-at-the-curb scene):

I was getting close to that 30minute bag-check cut-off so I PARKED in the pick-up area. Drat - no DL skycap, skycap area was closed. I run inside to the ticket counter. I was gone 13 MINUTES. I come ouside. Guess what happened. Go ahead, guess.

NOTHING !! No ticket, no "rapidly deployed tow truck", no announcement saying, "yo jacka$$, you left your car unattended." Nothing. And there was "a hard-working" security person strolling on the sidewalk. He didn't even notice. 13 minutes.

Let's admit this is a joke - that we can't protect the curb if we want people to get to the airport to fly and the idea of protecting beyond the curb by closing garages, peeking in trunks and glove boxes or parking cars, rental returns, etc., is inane. I can accept his risk. It's still safer than to fly han ride Greyhound or drive.

Securing the parking deck is a pointless exercise given all the existing lapses closer in. It's fixing a cracked window while leaving a 5-foot hole in the roof. Bass ackwards, as they say. If they (the TSA, or perhaps someone with common sense) fix the gaping security holes first, then I might see the merit of securing the parking deck, but not unitl then.

[This message has been edited by theDeltaFlyer (edited 06-22-2002).]

jimpop

What kind of vehicle were you driving? Weight limit, capacity, and were the windows tinted? Even if the windows were tinted, was it possible to look through the vehicle and determine if it had four 55 gallon drums lined up inside? I ask this because it is improtant in determining whether or not your vehicle could be percieved as a viable threat.

NoStressHere

If I could laugh any harder over the insanity of this response, I would have a coronary. This is so foolish, and shows a definite lack of though process.

jimpop

Ok, before you die laughing, fill us in on exactly what makes it insane. Please be specific as we realize your time on earth is measure in beats.

theDeltaFlyer

WHat's it matter? It's the same vehicle that would be in the deck. That's my point - the drop-off area is so unsecure that securing something farther away is a waste. If you close the deck I can just move my "boom" a few feet closer to the terminal with ease. You don't need a BinLaden training camp class to see that.

Jim, if you're implying only full-size vans can do damage, then fine, let's ban full-size vans without windows and Ryder trucks from the parking deck, if that makes you feel better. That's easy enough to do without inconveniencing too many people.

BTW, I was driving a Chevy something-or-another full-size (the rental company's description)SUV.

jimpop

theDeltaFlyer, the terminal drop-off area was heavily patrolled until more recently. And it still is for bigger vehicles, i've seen van drivers approached and soccer moms in SUVs left alone. The point is that the parking decks have never been heavily patrolled. Right after 9/11, in order to avoid having National Guardsmen and Local Police patrol the parking decks, they just said push it all back 100 yards until we have the time, people, and methods to deal with it. That time has now come.

andywreid

I didn't know where to put this, so I thought the Delta board would be close.

I am flying out of ATL on 11/27 at 7pm, and I am concerned about parking. I live about 90 minutes away, and need to know:

1) What time should I get to ATL to be able to park?

2) Where would be some alternative places that I can park, other than the normal airport parking lots?

I am not familiar with the Atlanta area at all, so any help would be appreciated.