Just curious, Knobee, which lane were you in? The only time I've been asked to suffer the WBI in RDU was when the elite/black diamind lane was longer and I used the center lane. I opted out with no real repercussions, but I have used the elite lane solely since then. I've never seen them take anyone from that lane to the WBI. In fact, with the current set-up, not sure that they could without climbing over lots of stuff.

It's not about finding *time*. It's about taking proper care to secure one's belongings. I simply choose not to be intimidated into rushing (more below).

My rollaboard and laptop bag both have flat zippered front pockets so there's really no digging.

At the X-ray belt my stuff goes through the shute in the same order everytime: shoes, locked rollaboard, laptop, laptop bag. I simply pop my wallet + BP/passport + watch inside the front pocket of the laptop bag and slap on the combo lock just before shoving it through, taking care to spin just one of the four dials by the same two digits every time.

Once on the other side the reacquisition routine is as swift as predictable: shoes slip on; rollaboard comes off (handle up and re-positioned to go); laptop slips inside laptop bag; watch, ID and wallet come out if needed right away (though mostly I leave 'em there til I get to the gate or lounge), laptop bag goes over shoulder and I'm off knowing all my most valuable possessions are secure. If a TSO feels the need to secondary me, they do so pretty much at my pace rather than theirs.

The drill is so rote by now I don't have much occasion to worry about how awake I am or how much commotion may be around me. Mindfulness practice has payed off handsomely for me at the c/p. I try to remember to breathe as slowly and deeply as I can throughout the process, which helps me stay focused and calm at the task at hand.

Hard as it is resisting the slide into the rush-rush cultural norm, there is a time and place for deliberateness.

It probably takes 20 seconds going into the carry-on and about 20 seconds coming back out.

Sure -- that would work. The only additional risk is that a screener could start tearing into your carry-on out of sight while you're being frisked or strip-searched. Regardless, I would make sure you hid your wallet in a reasonably private place out of sight of the checkpoint.

I realize that my method isn't as secure at locking the carryon - but in cases where the locking isn't feasible (like a diaper bag) or a lock just isn't handy, I would think that the burying could be sufficient.

In the end, I just wonder how efficient the Smurfs are at stealing. Getting to the bottom of my backpack takes a significant effort on the best of days. Unless they are getting me away from my bag for more than 15-20 second, they aren't going to be able to get to my stuff. And unless they have 45-60 seconds, they aren't going to be fishing with out some noticeable effect on the shape of the bag.

The thread does have me thinking maybe I'll go invest in some zip ties to augment my disappearing small combination lock collection.

You have a very active imagination. Having put far longer than a second of thought into the matter, it occurs to me that the ounce of prevention adage is rather applicable here. Can't speak for the very FFers here, but the additional 30-45 seconds my c/p routine requires is rather inconsequential in light of potential headaches should my most valuable possessions go temporarily or permanently MIA.

Under the circumstances blaming the theft victim seems a bit mean spirited. How many balls can one be expected to juggle perfectly and every time given the level of madness allowed to reign at the c/p?

Not to ignite an ethics debate but why would one even consider a TSA approved lock? Sanctioning the very agency that prompts us to act in ways to thwart them seems counterproductive.

Same here, minus the lock. What kind of laptop bag and how big of a lock are you using? I couldn't care less about my rollaboard since it's just clothes, but the lock on the laptop bag which has my phone, ipad and eventually my wallet sounds intriguing, and really shouldn't add more than a few extra seconds.

As well as a dose of radiation at no extra cost!

My response was intended to draw attention to the "warfare" / "tinfoil hat" mentality that is so prevalent on this board. Yes, I am genuinely shocked that anyone who travels regularly and has a reasonable level of situational awareness would ever consider that these extra steps were worthwhile. The ones that do are most likely the ones that enter every checkpoint in a hyper-sensitive fashion, just waiting for the chance to find something that violates their "constitutional rights". I honestly don't believe that theft by TSOs or other passengers is a significant enough issue to warrant doing anything other than dropping a wallet (or watch, etc) into a zipped pocket.

But everyone's entitled to take whatever preventative steps they want - of course

That is common sense that should be applied anywhere, regardless of the situation or the level of assault on the senses that surely accompanies every trip through a security checkpoint I don't think it's mean-spirited at all.

So - you go through these steps in an attempt to "thwart" screeners? Do you regard them as a bigger threat to your belongings at a checkpoint than other passengers?

Wait - you forgot to mention the cancer. Are you slipping up in your fearmongering?

I lock up my wallet and other valuables at a TSA checkpoint for the same reasons I lock my car and my house. Part of the qualitative reason why my truck has never been stolen and my house has never been broken into is that there are plenty of other people who leave their keys in their cars and their houses unlocked in high-threat areas.

And, yes -- there has been enough documented evidence to make me conclude that screeners are a bigger threat than screenees.

I'm missing something here -- why would one lock a diaper bag? Or maybe you're suggesting a case where one would be tucking their wallet/ID in to a diaper bag? In that case, even a velcro pouch secured to the shoulder strap would be both practical and unobvious a place to stash small valuables.It's not difficult to plan for handy-ness. A small combo lock can be stashed in its opened/unlocked position in an interior or exterior pocket of the bag until needed for use. If you're nimble with one hand, leave the lock on an exterior zipper so it's never lost and just the set the last dial two digits removed from it's unlocked position.

I have reusable zip ties. Sounds like a misnomer but really if you're just looking to stall having your bag opened then that's all you really need. And that's all a lock really buys you -- a delay tactic.

The same could be said for a zipped pocket - just a delay tactic. We're just talking about different degrees of delay tactics, reflecting various peoples' comfort levels

Let's see. Next time I'm at the store, I spend a few extra minutes buying a combination lock for the times I may have to opt out of the WBI (IAD and DCA thankfully don't have the machines).

So, for a few extra minutes and a few extra bucks, I'm ready. Your hyperbole aside, what's the big deal?

While a zipped pouch gives some security, a lock gives more. At no real extra effort. At least for me.

Best answer so far.

Sure, because every time a TSA employee is arrested, it's Just Another Isolated Incident�.

Exactly. ANd given that I caught someone trying to steal my laptop at a checkpoint one day, and given that I have a colleague that had something stolen at a checkpoint. And then there was the story(s) of the person who had jewelry (and watch?) stolen out of a bin.

Safe rather than sorry.

You can continue your belief if you wish. Given the greater and greater amount of separation that TSA places between people and their posessions, the more likely stuff is going to happen.

But for you to be condescending to folks here for taking a few prudent steps to protect their belongings is out of line.

You are sorely mistaken there. If you would like to take the time to read back through my previous posts, you will clearly see that I say that everyone's entitled to their own level of paranoia. If I'm surprised at the extent they will go to, so be it. That is far from condescending.