With a locked Pelican case as a carry-on, that means you'll have to be there with the key in order for them to open it.

You won't be distracted by the person in the blue shirt karate-chopping your "resistance."

I don't let the clerks at the checkpoint see ANYTHING of value that I may be carrying, except my laptop.

I take off all of my jewelry and zip it inside of my bag while I am out of view of the checkpoint (before I stand in line).

My driver's license comes out, my boarding pass comes out, and my wallet gets zipped back in my bag before I am in line. The wallet is never out in the open around the checkpoint. When it is time to put my license and BP back after the TDC, they are tucked into an inside pocket in my bag - I will put my license back in my wallet later so my wallet does not have to come out at the checkpoint.

My cell phone is only out if I am using an electronic boarding pass - otherwise, you guessed it - it remains zipped in my bag.

I then put my possessions on the belt in the order of least to most expensive - coat/shoes/Kippie bag first, carry-on/purse second, laptop third. I stay with my laptop for as long as possible - until it goes into the X-ray machine - and I wait for it immediately when it comes out or watch it like a hawk if I need to opt out.

Agree with the OP - if you make it easy for them, they are not going to resist (and your fellow passengers might not resist, either).

I'm no TSA fan but I do know this part of their website--it says netbooks and iPads don't have to be removed but that you may be asked to take it out if they can't determine what it is. Link here.

I never take my netbook out. I'd say about 50-60% of the time I'm asked to remove it from my backpack, usually by a clueless TSA person asking who left the laptop in their bag. I always tell them it's not a laptop, it's a netbook and I always remove it then.

The point isn't to be an ..., the point is to keep my property safe from sticky fingers.

Folks, please take note of [URL=http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/posting-rubric-ts-s-effective-may-6-2011-459.htmlthis sticky[/URL] at the top of the forum.

Blanket derogatory terms for the TSA and TSO's are no longer allowed. Folks who continue to violate this new rule will be given some sidelines time.

We've had to removed several such derogatory comments in this thread.

________________

Cholula
TS/S Co-Moderator

I too have been doing the above, all well before the TSA. It makes traveling easier. Besides I hate sitting on my wallet. About the only thing I need to actually take off is my watch. And half the time it is already in my carry on bag.

They other reason for doing so is that you can grab your crap easier and leave the circle jerk going by people trying put shoes, belts, wallets, jewelry, etc. back on.

I do the same thing - I just (sadly) don't carry a purse.

I don't do this because I'm afraid of theft at the checkpoint (which is a very real concern), I do it because it's easier. The checkpoint is a very stressful place. You're being required to partially disrobe, stand on one foot, do the hokey pokey, etc. I don't want to have to worry that I left something behind. So anything that might have to go in to a bin that could get left behind goes in to my bag before I get in line. That way I know that as long as I've got my carry-on I've got my stuff. If I forget my belt or shoes I'll figure it out pretty quickly. But keeping track of belt, shoes, watch, wallet, phone, etc...gets to be a bit much. If I've got it in the bag, though, it's easy.

Same order here plus a trailing item or bin to buffer my laptop. I like this position for the ol' Kippie Bag� as it's easy to restash and dash:

� Shoes, coat
� locked rollaboard
� locked laptop backpack
� laptop
� Kippie

I carry two laptops; a Lenovo T510 and a X100e. The X100e probably fits the physical definition of a netbook, although it is promoted as a true ThinkPad.

Now, I could leave it in my laptop bag, but with all the other chargers, cell phones, camera, etc. I know that the image on the x-ray will show a lot of stuff there. So instead of wasting time while they resolve an image, it rides through in it's own tub.

Since I don't waste time and have pocket change, money clip, belt, etc. already secured in my bag before I get to the TDCer, sending the X100 through in it's own tub is not that big a deal (at least in the overall scheme of things).

EDIT:

You take out your Kippie bag?

This is exactly what I did in January, although I simply untied my shoes rather than put them in my backpack (PacSafe). I pulled my laptop and kippie out, and then put my purse, phone, iPod, and jewelry inside the main compartment and locked it up and headed to the the TDC. I had left my front pocket unlocked until I passed the TDC, and verified I didn't need my ID and BP any longer. I then locked up these items in the front pocket, put my kippie and shoes in the bin, then the laptop then my locked backpack. I thought it worked out well, although I wasn't selected for the NOS (and I'm not complaining!). If I had to undergo a patdown, almost everything of value being locked up does provide a little bit of peace of mind.

I'll read others' suggestions as to the order of the backpack, kippie, etc. as every little bit of info helps as to keeping ones possessions secure. And I'm curious as to others' experiences with netbooks. I'm travelling Saturday with a laptop, but my trip to Italy in the fall will be with a netbook and I already dread being screamed at even though the website says it can stay in the bag.

This is exactly the reason why I haven't been putting things in the bag. I've always worried about another passenger running off with something of mine when I'm distracted, and if all they get is my backpack, then at least they don't have my phone, passport, cash, etc. etc., which are usually under my shoes or 3oz bag.

Maybe the real threat is elsewhere, but this was at least my reasoning in the past.

I travel in a similar configuration (one 15" Lenova, one 15" Macbook Pro, one iPad) and I've never had to remove my ipad except once in China.

What *has* happened to me is that my money-clip has been inspected twice in the US:

Once as I was putting it into my laptop bag on at the tray because I forgot to pack it earlier. "Sir may I see that? <"Why?"> "That's appear to be a lot of money. Is it over $10,000?"

The second time for a reason still not apparent to me as it was the ONLY item in the only pocket they inspected.

YMMV I suppose. <sigh>

I do the same thing - except I never take off my jewelry. I guess it's sort of telegraphs that I'm an opt-out, but I really don't care. I won't take off my jewelry under any circumstances. They can feel under it. After all they are feeling up and under everything else.

Once going through security (at lga), my wallet bulged too much and they wanted me to put it in a tray--with all the confusion at the check-point, anyone could have walked off with it. Now (except for my drivers license), I put my wallet deep in my c/o before reaching the cp.
In LAS they suggest that you put all metal objects in your c/o--which I've done with no problem for some 50 trips--do other airports balk at this?
As far as having my c/o stolen (it is larger than my wallet) I stand a better chance of seeing it being removed than my wallet--no one is going to steal my c/o for the bag only--I paid $5.00 for it (and it looks just as upscale).

I have never seen the TSA version, so I can not say 100%, but from what I have read, no they are not.

I've never take off my jewelry. Have not had any issues because of it.