holiosan

As a former Aikido instructor, take your pick.
I guess I shouldn't be allowed to fly.

Cat1099

I used to travel with a retractable cable lock for my MacBook, along with the MacBook's power cord. The cable lock was confiscated as a possible weapon, but I was allowed to keep the power cord, which has an equally long, equally thin segment just as useful as a garrote. The cable lock was a potential weapon only because the TSO had never seen one before.

michelle227

I travel with an Andiamo duffel that has a removable shoulder strap...pretty sure that big-... band would allow for a good grip if I really wanted to strangle someone...or if I wanted to swing the bag.

There are any number of other items in there that, used for other than intended purposes, COULD be a weapon.

When you boil it down, the question is no different than confronts some Grand Juries who have to determine whether an item, in its manner of use, comprised a deadly weapon.

DoingHomework

I often carry a scuba regulator. For those unfamiliar, it's a 3-4 foot hose with a 2-3 lb chunk of metal at the end. I'd choose it over a knife or billy club any day. But TSA says they are fine:

"You may bring regulators, buoyancy compensators and masks, snorkels and fins as carry-on or checked baggage."

When asked if I have anything that could be used as a weapon I hedge my bets and simply list a few items I have without saying "yes" or "no"

TSA: "Do you have anything that could be used as a weapon"

Me: "I have pens, pencils, a few books, a scuba regulator, keys."

I've never had them even give a second look.

jordanmills

"I could kill you with anything on this table before you realized what happened."

DoingHomework

Pre 9/11 I was flying out of Warsaw back to the US. A Delta security agent at the check-in counter read me pointed to a sign with a list of prohibited items - among them, batteries. She then asked if I had any of those in my carry-on and I said "no." Then she said "What do you have in there?"

As I started answering "magazines, shaver, watch..." she interrupted, "Do those items have batteries?" At that point I knew it was going to be a bad day. I got to go in the little private room and open up everything then explain why I did not confess to having batteries in the first place! It was all a little surreal.

Old NFO

Meh- Try explaining an E2C Surefire flashlight... And y'all are ALL missing the easiest one of all- a broken CD. RAZOR sharp on the broken edge...

FXWizard

What do you think the reaction would be if I said "Yes," then showed them my laminated pyro licenses? They're rigid enough that I could injure someone with them!

Fredd

"Well, my wife claimed I nearly bored her to death with my conversation on our last long-haul."

jordanmills

Oh no, that's my standby. When some idiot starts ranting about how they're glad no weapons are allowed on planes, I pull out a blank CD, snap it, and ask they mind if I drag it across their neck.

Flaflyer

A six pound laptop, flung Frisbee style into the other person's throat from five to ten feet away, is one of the most deadly missiles allowed on a plane. Yet over half of all commercial pax seem to be allowed to carry one or two on board.

A Cross ball point pen is a stainless steel rod almost as strong as a 16 penny nail. I am tempted to hammer an old one through a 2x4 scrap and carry it on just to see if the use of the pen constitutes a "simulated nail" in the alternative TSA World™. Although nails cannot be prohibited, I saw a magic set at EWR, with those interlocking puzzles your try to get apart, made out of real 16 or 20 penny nails, sold in the sterile area gift shop.

Scubatooth

Same with tearing a coke can apart. just as sharp. Clerks should be careful i could take there own badge and use it against them.


Theres the good ole quarter flattened with a chair. Ala Sean Connery in The Rock.

WChou

Short circuiting a lithium ion battery. Although alert passengers would probably whoop some tuckus before any serious damage occurs. As other have said, just about anything with weight can be a nice bludgeon. Given the prevalence of laptops, I could use the computer as a shield or club. Just open it up and tuck my arm between the screen and keyboard. The power adapter or my belt as a nice swinging weapon. Near each bulkhead there are usually weighty oxygen tanks and fire extinguishers which can adjust someone's attitude real quick. Toss in 100 other people ready to hand out a butt kickin' for some real firepower.

The galley is just chock full of destructive fun. Every meal in first class has a knife and fork. Not sure how much damage it can actually do but there are 15 - 29 other pax nearby with the same utensils. A nice carafe of black "coffee" from the galley can make for some burns or at least stun a troublemaker to slow them down. Each of the galley carts are darn heavy and make for a heck of a battering ram. Inside those 12oz cans of soda can make for some nice throwing weapons. Again, any attempt at trouble would lead to a nice whoopin.

God forbid a grandmother with arthritis pack a pair of scissors to open packages.

kiriel

I could strangle someone with a thong. Does that mean some lucky TSA agent gets to confiscate my panties?

FaustsAccountant

This is all true, I agree and I can chime to as well with more examples, but wouldn't those who like to squirrel words say them :hence we are all suspects thus the need to treat us all as such?