SPOTTED at IAD

In a hurry yesterday at IAD I ran to the elite security line only to find it was crawling along due to the newly installed TSA ID checkers. They had one checker at the end of the queue and one checker in the middle of the line. There wasn't enough space to get by, so you had to wait and have the TSA at the end of the line look at your boarding pass even the though the other person had approved it . There was also another TSA standing around at the end of line. So I tried to show my signed pass to him and got "What's the matter? Why are you in a hurry? Are you going to miss your plane?

The guy starts following me asking questions. Finally I say "I don't talk to SPOTs". The look on his face was great. He couldn't believe I had identified him. He stumbled around for a minute and finally got on his walkie talkie and asked what to do.

Of course I got secondaried and he wrote down the information on my ID. As two other guys went through my bags I told them what a bad SPOTter the original guy was. They laughed and said he's a pain to work with. They made several comments about how clueless the SPOTter was. They even had a nickname for him based on a physical characteristic.

This is not security. This is harrassment. In the future I guess the right comment to make to SPOTs is "Do I know you?"

And the agency denies that there's retaliation.

What was the nickname?

I hope you ripped this disgusting excuse for an American citizen a new one on the complaint form.

Kip Hawley: your agency SUCKS. You SUCK. FEMA and IRS are well-oiled bastions of freedom compared to your little pissant "security" excuse.

See spot run. I love your story but I would've told him to pound sand & mind his own business.

Anyone writes down my ID info at the checkpoint - I will ask them why they are interested in my ability to drive (ie its a drivers license) and/or ask for a copy of the Privacy Act.

Not only that, ask them for their ID and ask to copy the info down as well. EVERY FBI an DoD agent I've talked to on official business has provided me their credentials without even asking. How do we REALLY know that TSA guy isn't a fraud? Well, we already know the whole operation is but I digress.

After all, can't be too careful right?

They called him "The crow" because "his eyes bug out."

Praise the Lord! I feel so much safer now!

Seriously - you let him copy your ID information? You should have told him that he had no right to do that, that as long as you're not doing anything wrong you shouldn't have to put up with that. Or lie and say you're very careful because of ID theft. Since the rest of his workers seem to dislike him, you'd probably get past him without much hassle.

I'd suggest you file a complaint with TSA and demand that your name be removed from the secondary search list, if it was added (which, unfortunately, is likely). =/

On a side note, how were the lines slow due to the new TSA ID checkers?

Or how about "STOP TALKING TO ME AND MY SON/DAUGHTER YOU CHILD MOLESTING PEDOPHILE!"

ok, folks-looks i'm gonna try and buy some bird seed before i return home from THE DO.

Let us know how you enjoy the secondary.

well, i should have plenty of witnesses with those of us returning from the do......

"Your useless curiosity is interfering with my First Amendment rights and I'm not waiving my Fifth Amendment rights either."

Remember, you have no rights at the checkpoint, citizen.