I've had a blinding flash of inspiration!

I use a wheelchair. Like a lot of people, I switch shoes for thick socks on the airplane because my feet swell. It's difficult to get my shoes on and off, both at the checkpoint and on the plane.

So why wear shoes at all? Propriety, I guess - well, and protecting my feet from banging in to something, but that doesn't happen often. I think I'm not going to wear shoes at all on my next trip, just put 'em in my bag.

Maybe they'll make me put my socks through the x-ray.

With my nerve condition, I absolutely must wear shoes. I do not take them off at the screening unless they are willing to help me get them off and back on again.

Oh, I'm not suggesting this for anyone else!

Just thinking I might do it.

I'm starting to think pink bunny slippers.

Katja, if you're going to do it, really do it! Make a point! Something glamorous? Something fantastic? Something comfortable!

I would love to be there when they make you put the pink bunnies through the X-ray machine. If they can do it without smiling, I'll know they've lost all sense of humor....

I think these might be a little too suspicious looking.

Remember Jimmy Carter and the killer rabbit?

I haven't managed to persuade myself to go to the airport without shoes yet (actually, I'm afraid of smacking my feet into something, or letting them fall off the footplate - shoes are good for something even if you don't walk), but I figured I'd report on the last 4 DEN-ABQ trips.

The first time I was told I had to take my shoes off, period. I asked if they could be swabbed - no. I pointed out TSA policy on PWDs, and was told that was only if the shoes had orthotics (!). Finally, I took off my shoes.

The next trip I hit on what is so far the magic phrase. When I am either told that I must take my shoes off or asked if I can take my shoes off, I say, "You can take them off or you can swab them." Note that I am not saying that I am incapable of taking my shoes off, because that would be lying.

So far (3 times), the screener has considered my statement and decided to swab.

Hmmmm, I wonder if they will ever try to take them off. So far they have always swabbed mine. I can get them off, but not back on, so I tell them that I can't.

As a diabetic with an ulcer on my big toe that I really want to heal, I will not remove my shoes just to satisfy some idiot screener or their supervisor. I got a personal escort from US Air's GSC (who got in contact with someone at EWR's FSD office) two weeks ago after being denied access to the US Air gates in A Terminal. I did have to show the GSC the TSA memo on persons with medical conditions and the printout from their web site, but that was all it took. I think someone from the FSD's office must have called/radioed to the checkpoint, because when we got there, I didn't have any difficulties the second time around (same dumb supervisor both times - though he glared at me the second time around).

I also had no problems going through the B Terminal (Delta) on Friday. Maybe, the morons at EWR are finally getting around to reading the material that has been there all along regarding persons with medical conditions who should not or cannot remove their shoes.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/hspr-H102; Blazer/4.0) 16;320x320)

FWIW, I fly about 3-6 times a month. I also have a prosthesis and another congenital problem that runs my entire lower left limb (hip down). I try to discreetly tell the person manning the metal detector that I'll set off the alarm and I need to checked before they scream at me to take my shoes off (when they scream, you bet I let the supervisor know). when I get wanded, I always get asked if I can take my shoes off and I always say "just the right one. YOU have to take off the left shoe and put it back on yourself". I have only had one person ever actually take off my left shoe and put it back on ( I even make them double knot the shoelaces). Taking off the right one happens about one in five times.