After a full year of regular flying in my trusted ecco shoes and without any problems in any checkpoint, they beeped this morning at DFW-A. Luckily I could go back and start over, but still, how sensitive must the checkpoint be set?

Next thing you know anyone over a certain age with more than 4 of the "old school" metal cavity fillings will be alarming.

Aw, Coe on, L1011, are you sure that it wasn't just your magnetic personality on that day?? ;-)

It only prove that the piece of crap machines have a worth equal to scrap metal.
I have two Eccos that I use basically only for travel over 150 segements over the last three years and only once have they beeped.
Beeped in MIA last month, back through no beep.
I expect they are set to go off just once in a while to give the little wand fairies something to do.
mike

the machines are fine --- they're just cranked up to a rediculous level.

they are supposed to be calibrated so they do NOT sound off to metal shanks and underwire bras. such high detection proves nothing and says tons about "image" versus "effectiveness"

I tell passengers that the machines are sensitive beyond common sense, just like most aspects of TSA security.

"they are supposed to be calibrated so they do NOT sound off to metal shanks and underwire bras"

Can I ask where you heard that? It's really interesting if it's true. When the new walkthru's at my airport were placed, the gentlement said more shoes would ring compared to before and he wasn't kidding. That was a sad day indeed.

And Honestly, I don't think your Ecco's beeped, heck, when passengers ask about shoe's that don't ring I tell them about Ecco's. The screener might not have let the machine reset before letting you walkthrough, and the combination of the passenger before you or something else and you coming through set off the machine.

The only time, I had to ask for people to take off Ecco's is in the wanding pit. Thats because of those metal brackets on top.

And no Mike, the machines aren't set up just to keep us "wand fairies" busy. Unless management isn't telling us something hehe.

And HugeAss, I've come to like your post LOL

FWIW, I've *never* had a WTMD beep at any major European airport when wearing shoes with metal shanks. At any US airport, the same shoes would beep as the machines are cranked up so high.

I believe your statement of "image" versus "effectiveness" is quite accurate.

As such, I often (but not always) wear TSA "friendly" footwear, but more often than not it seems I'm being told to remove the footwear regardless of the fact it won't alarm.

Best,

SDF_Traveler

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin

[This message has been edited by SDF_Traveler (edited Dec 21, 2003).]

That would be me! I never did brush well as a child.

But at least I've mitigated the WTMD since I have a pair of shiny new Skeckers Marvel shoes...metal-free and airport-friendly!
http://www.famousfootwear.com/produc...riant_id=70726

Even has a tage with a smiling cop saying that they won't set off WTMD like in airports or hand-held scanners like at sporting events and concerts!

I also got another pair of Merrell's because the Walking Co guy swears they too are metal-free.

Of course all this is moot since my flight today is a one-way. I hope they at least warm the latex gloves!

It was either those, or my "magnetic personality" (as suggested by another poster). I went back, checked my pockets a couple of times, and finally went over to a table and removed my shoes, put them in a bin and then walked through again. Is a reset time of 2 minutes enough? There was nobody else there at the time. Neither before me or between my two walk-throughs.

It might have been the screener then, might have stepped into the machine and set it going. Honestly, in my two and half year experience, Ecco's have never set off any of the 9 walkthru's I've worked with.

Your best bet: Non-steel toed, classic-style, Dr. Maertens. Not the sandles, or the newer ones with all the buckles or the large metal eyelets.

I wear these shoes everyday with an average-size belt buckle, my nametag, my id lanyard (which has metal clips), my watch (leather band with metal face), a ring, and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses...and I never set off the metal detector. In fact, I've walked through almost every metal detector at MSP and I even forget a couple quarters in my pocket from time to time.

I've heard passenger say that MSP is the most sensitive, but I doubt it. I think there may be variance, but it's not significant.