Why Was It In The Bin?
 

I see dozens of posts about items being stolen from the TSA bins, such as money, phones, cameras, etc.

My first question is "Why was it in the bin?"

My advice is dont put those items in the bins!!!

I remove my laptop and place it in the bin. Then I place my wallet, money, phones, keys, and anything else I have into the empty lap top compartment. The case is zipped up, and placed on the belt.

Don't make it easy for them.

I sure hope that didn't happen to this guy.

http://cogitate.nwlinux.com/uploads/TSA_kneeling.png

Your point is well-taken and that is indeed the best practice; however, it's a sad state when the people supposedly protecting us from the 'bad guys' trying to hurt us, are indeed 'bad guys' themselves. That is the point most people are making and using to combat Pistole's comments praising how good of a job the TSA does to 'protect us'.

I know I'm not the only one here that has been doing this long before there was a TSA and long before there were laptops. It's also a good idea to hide your valuables in a carryon long before you get to the checkpoint.

There is no reason to have to remove ones wallet from your jacket or pants pocket. TSA polices enable the thieves.

Do we really need a locked pelican case just to transit TSA screening safely?

What is needed is reasonable screening and what TSA is doing today is not reasonable.

There are some airports (ACY was the most recent for me.) where they make you take everything out of your pockets. Complaining to a supe gets you the same story: our airport is special.

When facing those airports, I make extra sure that everything is always within my vision at all times. If anyone asks, I tell them that it is for their protection, so that if something is missing, I can't claim that they stole it.

Mike

Do you then send them through WBI where such items will surely trigger an alarm or does your airport not have WBI? What happens with people who are subject to random pat downs and are found to be carrying these items on their person?

[QUOTE=Boggie Dog;16483931]There is no reason to have to remove ones wallet from your jacket or pants pocket.[QUOTE]

True, but if you get a pat down, you'll have to remove it. *Then* it's too late to put it away, and it gets thrown out in the open. Better safe than sorry.

I got into the habit of removing & securing my wallet because I used to carry a spare truck key in it. The key, of course, was caught by the metal detector if I forgot to take the wallet out of my pocket.

I work in Canada. A person will be given the option of WBI or a pat down. All items will be asked to be removed from their pockets. The passenger will hold onto all objects til the scan/pat down is done. The objects in the had will be looked at by the screener while the passenger is there watching.

I should have remembered that you're in Canada. Had I done so, I would not have asked the question. Seems like quite a sensible system up there.

Are your pat downs as invasive as the US's rub downs - do they also go until the meet "resistance?"

Next time I fly, I will most likely carry on a backpack and check a suitcase. My plan:

Right after check-in, go to a seat near ticketing, out of view of the TSA checkpoint. I will dump my pockets and cell phones, except for my boarding passes and passport, into the backpack, then secure the backpack with a non-TSA combination padlock. I might even put my shoes in my backpack at ticketing. I don't have a laptop, so that won't be a problem.

No emptying my pockets at the checkpoint. I will place, on the X-ray belt, a locked backpack with all my metal stuff in it, walk through the WTMD, and grab my backpack on the other end. Yes, I know that a determined TSO could break into a backpack quite easily, but they'll go for the lower-hanging fruit, like wallets in bins.

According to the TSA's website, iPads do _not_ have to be removed from bags, and may pass through the X-ray in a bag. If a TSO demands the iPad out, either because they're an idiot, they think it's a laptop/bomb, they want a closer look at it, or they simply want to steal it, what would be the best course of action? Should I bring a printout from the TSA's website?

They can demand that you open the locked bag to let them inspect the ipad (or anything else), but the good part of your plan is that they will have to wait until you have been processed through the rest of your screening. This severely limits their chance to do something sneaky since you can pay attention to them instead of being groped or irradiated.

I think you'd be screwed, because a TSO can call a bag check for any reason they want, and you'll have to open the bag.

Having a printout from the TSA's site is a good thing, but that does not always prevent the "Website is out of date." or "Our airport is different." remarks from screeners. I'm a laptop guy, so no experience with iPads at the checkpoint.

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? :eek::p

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?" :td:

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. :rolleyes:

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:p) 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:rolleyes:).

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.

Do they let you put your shoes in a backpack? Usually they want the shoes in their own bin.

Of course, they do not usually take spare shoes out of bags to double check them.

I put my valuables and wallet in my bag before I get to the checkpoint. I close that zipper with a paper clip. That way it is not easy for anyone to open without having to fidget with it.

I hope paper clips haven't been outlawed.

People pack extra shoes in their carry on all of the time. There is nothing that makes the shoes on your feet more dangerous than the ones that you packed at home, but they act as if they are.

I use industrial cable ties to seal up my bag. I carry a toenail clipper in an outside pocket for removal.

That's because now TSO's are self appointed Customs agents, even when flying domestically. :rolleyes: