Bear , apply for a mortgage over here and as well as proof of earnings the bank will want proof of ID as well, Passport or driving licence and a utilility bill from your address. Large deposits ( not huge ones )are notified to the authorities to try and prevent money laundering by terrorists and criminals. Like the US sports fans are checked for booze and weapons entering the Stadium.

At one time people were injecting Oranges with Vodka to fool security and sharpening coins to throw at opposing fans.

Nigel

Well, Nigel, it's a common -- and unbecoming -- American trait for citizens to complain loudly about what they imagine are their constitutional rights without having read or understood the document in question. In fact its guarantees of US citizenship are so murky, the US Supreme Court has its hands full 200+ years later trying to figure out how to apply them to modern situations.

Anyway, surveys consistently show the vast majority of Americans cannot identify any of the rights actually guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, either. (Which is a packet of ex post facto amendments to the Constitution itself.) We are nonetheless famous about loudly demanding our rights all the time.

Not saying anything specific about anyone posting to this thread.

I should've written "pay with a check."

Nigel,

Maybe you are just unfamiliar with what a 'welding gun' looks like. Why this item would be confiscated is beyond me. Yes, the term 'gun' may sound alarming, but carrying a device that has an electrical plug at one end, and a clamp for a metal wire at the other poses a threat in which manner? Without a high current power source, what harm could it do?

GMF

I never noticed bricks on the banned items list.... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif

This is completely irrelevant. My wife said the same thing over the weekend when I got special screening because of my first SSSS (we're both 1Ps on UA). Some of the hijackers were elite-level flyers. Just because you fly a lot doesn't mean you should expect special treatment on screenings. A special line is about it, IMO.

Why my checked box (containing pumpkin bread, etc) required opening after being screened in SFO is beyond me. I fault the administration for this, not the "new, improved" people on the front line. This security is sugar coating so that Joe Six Pack thinks the govt is doing something to protect them. Sure, thanks for that $10 tax while you are at it!

While a big hassle which is getting worse, this is nothing compared to what other parts of the world have lived with for years and years. I remember being in London a few years ago and not seeing a single garbage can in the train stations or airport. This was because of bombs being hidden in these in the past. Imagine the US without garbage cans every 10 ft. What would this society do with its Big Mac wrappers then?

Sadly, probably the same thing that they do with them now. Toss them out the window. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/frown.gif



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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

Won't change things much. The whole country is already one big ashtray. Go outside any building, and take a look at the ground.

And a lot of the time, the nine wise lawyers on the Supreme Court disagree by 5-4 or 6-3 votes about the extent of those rights. If they can't figure it out unanimously, there's no reason to expect anyone else to know.


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"Yes, but at least mine will be found in a first class seat." -- Peattie and Taylor

Brick of what??

I know what a welding gun looks like and I would think it could be as dangerous as a bat or club. Probably the guy just didn't want to check his luggage and thought he'd get away with it. Afterall it's not something he would have needed on the flight http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif

Having said that he could have been kept busy welding up the holes made by the guys with the guns !

Nigel

Here's one for you Americans in this thread.

Here in the UK at BRS and I believe LGW at least, they digitally photograph all passengers at the security check. This is done by a video camera fixed on a mounting, when you board your flight the boarding card scanner throws your picture up on a computer screen. I assumed at first it was a secondary check to make sure the person that went through security actually was the person getting on the flight. Now however I'm leaning towards the thought that the picture is fed into a central computer system and checked against a list of known suspects.

Now would this be deemed to breach constitutional rights ? I expect to get several different answers on this http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif

Nigel

Hello - I've only discovered this board today, (courtesy of "The Dolans" finance talk show on New York's radio WOR710AM) so this is my first posting.

I'm a 41 year old white female and for many years have had my carry on bags physically checked at Heathrow. I've also been questioned by AA staff because I have a stamp for Dubai in my passport. Since Sept 11th every single time I have flown I have had to remove my shoes and have a female security officer patting me down.

Do I mind? No, not at all. Like Beergut, I'm from England and extremely aware of terrorism.

But one thing is implanted in my memory. About 15 years ago a young, five months pregnant Irishwoman was stopped from boarding an El-Al flight at Heathrow airport. Inside her portable radio-cassette player was Semtex. This young woman had had the misfortune to be in a relationship with an Arab guy who was supposedly going to accompany her on the flight, and rebooked to a later flight for 'business reasons'. She had no idea of his plans. He got 25 years and is in a prison somewhere in the UK - I just hope he was never released early for 'good behaviour'.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by godivabrit:
[B] I've also been questioned by AA staff because I have a stamp for Dubai in my passport. [B]

Is it just me or are the only people you see in Dubai apart from Asian workers just Brits < G >

Nigel

Which probably explains why you rarely hear people complaining about their Constitutional Rights when access to a sidewalk is blocked.