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Checkpoint Gnarly
SmartMoney.com
9-4-09
Before my recent flight home To Buffalo, N.Y., there was a rude surprise at the gate. I'd lingered too long at the candy counter, as usual, so I arrived late-the last passenger to board. Except I couldn't. A security guard blocking my path in the gangway said I'd been selected for a random pat down.
I'd already passed the airport's security checkpoint. Why the last-minute frisking? The guard, who turned out to be a Transportation Security Administration officer, wouldn't explain-she simply said that if I refused, I couldn't board the plane. Pat down? It was more like an erotic massage administered by a professional wrestler. It was so rough that halfway through, I asked her to stop and agreed to cancel my flight. No go. She snatched my suitcase and said I'd have to accompany her to security. Yikes! Feeling trapped, I agreed to finish the frisk; she insisted on starting over from the beginning.
<SNIP>
It's not like we've seen evidence these techniques are reeling in terrorists. Behavior-detection officers have referred 213,000 people to secondary screenings-but the TSA won't say this has foiled any terrorist plots. The air-blasting, explosives-detecting "puffer" machines are being retired because they kept breaking down and generating false alarms. Perhaps the agency's ever-growing budget could better be spent on basics. This spring the TSA told Congress it won't meet the deadline for screening cargo on passenger flights, that thanks to a convoluted review process, it has spent just 12.5 percent of the $1.5 billion allocated to bus and train security, and despite the 2007 discovery of a gun-smuggling ring run by airline employees, the agency still doesn't screen all airport workers. Then there's the dismaying fact that in test after test TSA screeners fail to spot explosives squirreled through security.
LinkageCheckpoint Gnarly
SmartMoney.com
9-4-09
Before my recent flight home To Buffalo, N.Y., there was a rude surprise at the gate. I'd lingered too long at the candy counter, as usual, so I arrived late-the last passenger to board. Except I couldn't. A security guard blocking my path in the gangway said I'd been selected for a random pat down.
I'd already passed the airport's security checkpoint. Why the last-minute frisking? The guard, who turned out to be a Transportation Security Administration officer, wouldn't explain-she simply said that if I refused, I couldn't board the plane. Pat down? It was more like an erotic massage administered by a professional wrestler. It was so rough that halfway through, I asked her to stop and agreed to cancel my flight. No go. She snatched my suitcase and said I'd have to accompany her to security. Yikes! Feeling trapped, I agreed to finish the frisk; she insisted on starting over from the beginning.
<SNIP>
It's not like we've seen evidence these techniques are reeling in terrorists. Behavior-detection officers have referred 213,000 people to secondary screenings-but the TSA won't say this has foiled any terrorist plots. The air-blasting, explosives-detecting "puffer" machines are being retired because they kept breaking down and generating false alarms. Perhaps the agency's ever-growing budget could better be spent on basics. This spring the TSA told Congress it won't meet the deadline for screening cargo on passenger flights, that thanks to a convoluted review process, it has spent just 12.5 percent of the $1.5 billion allocated to bus and train security, and despite the 2007 discovery of a gun-smuggling ring run by airline employees, the agency still doesn't screen all airport workers. Then there's the dismaying fact that in test after test TSA screeners fail to spot explosives squirreled through security.
From the article:
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At least the agency responds to complaints. A few days after reporting my zealous pat down, I got a call from a TSA security director, who told me he sent one of his deputies to test the officer who frisked me. He was surprised to learn that the ensuing pat down literally knocked the deputy off her feet. My nemesis, he said, will be retrained.
This needs posting at PV if they even want to begin improving their image with the traveling public. Sadly it won't get posted because Blogdad Bob would incur the wrath of angry TSOs who approve of the rough pat down.At least the agency responds to complaints. A few days after reporting my zealous pat down, I got a call from a TSA security director, who told me he sent one of his deputies to test the officer who frisked me. He was surprised to learn that the ensuing pat down literally knocked the deputy off her feet. My nemesis, he said, will be retrained.
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This needs posting at PV if they even want to begin improving their image with the traveling public. Sadly it won't get posted because Blogdad Bob would incur the wrath of angry TSOs who approve of the rough pat down.
You are presuming, of course, that TSA cares about improving their public image.Originally Posted by AngryMiller
From the article:This needs posting at PV if they even want to begin improving their image with the traveling public. Sadly it won't get posted because Blogdad Bob would incur the wrath of angry TSOs who approve of the rough pat down.
Stuff like this makes me madder than you know what. Unless I just had to go, I would told them where to go & what to do. Sorry you know whats.
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True, but when you read TSOs comments here, Trollkiller's, and PV, they all seem to want folks to like them and call us whiners for complaining. TSOs can't have it both ways (i.e. abusing passengers and their belongings while desperately wanting respect they feel is due their position from those same passengers). Originally Posted by halls120
You are presuming, of course, that TSA cares about improving their public image.
TSA worked hard for the reputation it has today.
Hey Ron, got any comments on this? or ways of explaining why a rough frisk is necessary or appropriate.
the person that wrote that article needed to file a complaint of assault as thats what that frisk came down to. maybe TSA would learn a lesson or two if there employees started getting rap sheets for there actions.
the person that wrote that article needed to file a complaint of assault as thats what that frisk came down to. maybe TSA would learn a lesson or two if there employees started getting rap sheets for there actions.
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the person that wrote that article needed to file a complaint of assault as thats what that frisk came down to. maybe TSA would learn a lesson or two if there employees started getting rap sheets for there actions.
Don't worry Ron will either say nothing or it will be a non-sensicle tangent.Originally Posted by Scubatooth
Hey Ron, got any comments on this? or ways of explaining why a rough frisk is necessary or appropriate.the person that wrote that article needed to file a complaint of assault as thats what that frisk came down to. maybe TSA would learn a lesson or two if there employees started getting rap sheets for there actions.
FlyerTalk Evangelist
There is no valid reason for ever patting down a passenger at the gate unless law enforcement has placed them under arrest. They're already in the sterile are and at that point, it's time to let go and trust the screening checkpoint. Anyone at the TSA who thinks this is acceptable behaviour should be promptly be shipped off to North Korea. Treating fellow Americans this poorly should result in pebble-infested rice and hard labor for 40-50 years.
Here's my thought, he asked to stop the frisk so he could actually cancel his flight because he thought it was so intrusive. At this point TSO grabs his suitcase and says no way and says to come to security with her. To an ordinary person this would seem to be a detainment as I'm being forced to go since TSO has taken my luggage. I have no choice in the matter and cannot walk away. At this point I'd be telling the gate agent to contact LEO immediately.
We know once a search begins at the CHECKPOINT a search has to be finished, I wondered how this rule would play out at the gate. I guess now we know that answer and now for the legalities of what I consider illegal detainment and attempted theft of luggage.....oh the fun
We know once a search begins at the CHECKPOINT a search has to be finished, I wondered how this rule would play out at the gate. I guess now we know that answer and now for the legalities of what I consider illegal detainment and attempted theft of luggage.....oh the fun
Suspended
Oh come on. A bit of quality writing, complete with drama to draw people into the story, and everyone is up in arms? Is sarcasm really not understood in this country? The person writing this is not re-telling a factual account of what happened. That was clear from the first sentence in the "story".
How about "I approached the gate, they did a pat-down, and I continued on my journey as normal". Hmm - I got bored just reading that myself - I can see why they embellished the story significantly.
How about "I approached the gate, they did a pat-down, and I continued on my journey as normal". Hmm - I got bored just reading that myself - I can see why they embellished the story significantly.
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How about "I approached the gate, they did a pat-down, and I continued on my journey as normal". Hmm - I got bored just reading that myself - I can see why they embellished the story significantly.
Oh, so you were there, and you know the story was embellished? Did the author also make up the part about the TSA manager testing the employee in question, and acknowledging the need for retraining?Originally Posted by star_world
Oh come on. A bit of quality writing, complete with drama to draw people into the story, and everyone is up in arms? Is sarcasm really not understood in this country? The person writing this is not re-telling a factual account of what happened. That was clear from the first sentence in the "story".How about "I approached the gate, they did a pat-down, and I continued on my journey as normal". Hmm - I got bored just reading that myself - I can see why they embellished the story significantly.
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How about "I approached the gate, they did a pat-down, and I continued on my journey as normal". Hmm - I got bored just reading that myself - I can see why they embellished the story significantly.
Hmmm, I read the entire article and while the writing was a bit flowery, one of the last paragraphs has a "TSA security director" calling her to answer a complaint. While the tone of the writing may be sarcastic, a TSA security director (her words not mine) wouldn't be calling unless something was up and she had filed a complaint.Originally Posted by star_world
Oh come on. A bit of quality writing, complete with drama to draw people into the story, and everyone is up in arms? Is sarcasm really not understood in this country? The person writing this is not re-telling a factual account of what happened. That was clear from the first sentence in the "story".How about "I approached the gate, they did a pat-down, and I continued on my journey as normal". Hmm - I got bored just reading that myself - I can see why they embellished the story significantly.
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I beg to differ... Originally Posted by AngryMiller
This needs posting at PV if they even want to begin improving their image with the traveling public. Sadly it won't get posted because Blogdad Bob would incur the wrath of angry TSOs who approve of the rough pat down.
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http://www.smartmoney.com/Spending/T...kpoint-Gnarly/
At least the agency responds to complaints. A few days after reporting my zealous pat down, I got a call from a TSA security director, who told me he sent one of his deputies to test the officer who frisked me. He was surprised to learn that the ensuing pat down literally knocked the deputy off her feet. My nemesis, he said, will be retrained. Yes, it's safe to go back to the airport.
Sounds like someone should be spending scanning checked luggage, instead of being retrained.
Originally Posted by Anonymous
While your researching the piano, what about this:http://www.smartmoney.com/Spending/T...kpoint-Gnarly/
At least the agency responds to complaints. A few days after reporting my zealous pat down, I got a call from a TSA security director, who told me he sent one of his deputies to test the officer who frisked me. He was surprised to learn that the ensuing pat down literally knocked the deputy off her feet. My nemesis, he said, will be retrained. Yes, it's safe to go back to the airport.
Sounds like someone should be spending scanning checked luggage, instead of being retrained.
Long link is long
Link is broken. So where is Blogdad Bob's post on this? Just because he allowed the comment to go up isn't an endorsement one way or the other. It just means it met the T & C for comment posting.