Is the airport security/"pat down" brouhaha being overblown?
 

I'm presently on my 11th flight in two months (4 of them int'l). Clearing security has never taken more than five minutes from the ID check to the exit, and I haven't seen anyone going through intrusive extra screening. Are people getting worked up about anecdotal stories, or do I just have the process down pat?

The pictures and video are all faked, the reports are all lies and hysteria, and you clearly are doing everything right.

Even Pistole was lying when he said the new patdown made him uncomfortable and was much more intrusive than before.

And now that the wands are gone, folks who are in wheelchairs or otherwise unable to assume and hold the position in the scanner or who can't get through the WTMD if there is no scanner - those folks aren't really getting patted down every time they fly. If those stupid people would just leave their wheelchairs and artificial joints at home like you do, they'd probably sail right through too.

And Pistole didn't really say it will be a mess at the airports if folks opt-out, voluntarily or involuntarily. That was just the media and you know how unreliable those reports are.

Please fasten your seat belt as the thread moves to the Travel Safety/Security forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

A lot of the people that are jumping up and down about this have not been subjected to the process. They are pissed about the prospect of it and the fact that they may be on the receiving end of it. A lot of the stuff is hype and anecdotal. There have been several reported cases that have been found to be lies and hyperbole. The media is feeding the fire with gasoline and the subject is a hot one. I can say though that since TSA has started this process that we have scored 100 percent on detection of test items.

Not at all. In fact the reverse is true. There has not been an immediate halt put to such public, individual humiliation and degradation by our own government, ere-go the hue and cry has been far too little.

There have ALWAYS been those who, for the sake of maximizing their own interests (getting on that plane,bus, train,ship) would quietly endure tyranny, slavery, and every form of oppression (pro-slavery slaves) pursued under color of authority, and any or even no pretext by those more powerful or wealthy. THOSE WHO WOULD MEEKLY SUBMIT TO SUCH DEFILEMENT OF THEIR RIGHTS SHOULD NOT EVEN BE ALLOWED A VOICE IN THE MATTER. They are persons without honor, beneath contempt, whose opinions are voided by their cowardice.

Sure you have. And foiled numerous terrorist attacks, no doubt. There'll be a statue of a TSA hire performing a genital pat-down, and it'll be placed right next to the Statue of Liberty.

Well yes, we look at what other people have gone through and draw conclusions. Do I really need some TSA staffer to see my child nude before I get concerned?
Well good, at least that's something I guess. But I'm pretty sure we'd be even safer if everyone got a full cavity search. Can you dispute this?

You guys totally missed Adam Savage's two razorblades, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3yaqq9Jjb4

Down pat? Pun intended?

There are still a large number (though ever-decreasing) or airports and/or checkpoints that use the old WTMD's. For most of the passengers using these, the security process is unchanged. For airports with scanners, passengers who are willing to use them should find the process only a little slower than it use to be.

But for those who decline the scanners due to health concerns, privacy concerns, civic principle, or disability, the process is much slower and more intrusive than it used to be.

As for anecdotal:

I honestly don't care what you guys do, it's enough that so many people feel violated after you're through with them. That's enough to require a change in my eyes.

Hi Eyecue,

Can you honestly say that you don't have any moral difficulty with this at all? With cancer survivors and children being forced into degrading sitautions. With average law abiding citizens being forced to be virutally striped or groped?

I agree a situation can be hyped, but honestly when you get Rush Limbaugh and Keith Olberman agreeing on something there is probably something to it.

JBC78

Only you can answer that question for yourself. The benefit is, it's easy enough to do!

1) Put some shiny coins in your pocket.
2) "Forget" that they're there, and go through the WTMD.
3) Get patted down for failing the WTMD.
-) This will simulate what those who, for whatever reason (joint replacement, peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes, etc) have to endure every time they go through security.
4) Try not to be outraged during the patdown.
5) Fail to do so.

But how many of those complaints are informed complaints made by intelligent information. Take for example when that lady said all the stuff about DENVER and her kids a couple of weeks ago. The number of complaints that came in from third parties was rediculous. They were full of misinformation and lies, hardly worthy of a response

cross-reference TSA's airline passenger identification policies thread
 

Please note that you're probably referring to the boarding pass check. Identity documents are only checked when passengers choose to present them. Best we can tell, this is optional. It seems that most people choose to do so, partly because TSA staff frequently misrepresent this option as a requirement, and partially because doing so almost guarantees that one will be searched less thoroughly and will be required to answer fewer questions from TSA.

See also: Flyertalk: TSA's airline passenger identification policies

Saturday Night Live mentioned the TSA twice and the show is only half over.

Twice.

I don't believe anything but election material has gotten two spots in the first 45 minutes.

(for those on the west coast, it's the commercial after the monologue and in Weekend Update)

Before they mentioned Palin.