An electric fence and security guards with a cattle prod...that'll sort us out.

Actually that blue line at Melbourne Airport is good. I forgot about that.

And so much less tickly than those cattle things

By the time I've managed to lift it clear of the other bags on a crowded carousel it's already swung at least somewhat into the space beside me. Until it's cleared the other bags it's simply impossible to keep it from moving along and since my arms don't stretch that means it's going to swing also.

If it were a small, light bag I could get it clear without this happening but my wife always insists on taking as much stuff as she can.

I call them Carousel Monkeys.

I tend to stand on the side opposite where the bags emerge so I have plenty of time to spot mine and push forward.

Luggage lice indeed. The whole family doesn't need to crowd near the carousel. Just the one most-able person to lift the bags out without swing them like a Olympic hammer.

This topic is one of my pet travel peeves. I always stand well back from the carousel, and agree that the rational thing to do would be for everyone to do the same.

But I'm not so naive as to believe it'll ever happen, human nature being what it is. So when my bag approaches, I just elbow my way into the closest gap, and say "Excuse me" while pulling off my bag. Like someone here mentioned, most of the time people back off and give you space. Any who don't, I'll make half an attempt to maneuver around, but feel no guilt if I happen to bump them. As far as I'm concerned, any wounds they receive are self-inflicted.

While it's probably unwarranted, I had the fortune to travel with my two largest useable bags last night. They weren't heavy, I just needed two bags and all my reasonably-sized ones were busy. So when an old (very mobile) guy and younger (teenage) kid both moved directly in front of me, picked up their one large bag each, and proceeded to stand around staring at the belt... it was a bit much. So maybe I gave the two large bags a bit more swing at head level than was necessary.

At no point were either of them in danger of actually being hit in the head with these deceptively light bags (the heaviest was 12kg), but it was immaturely satisfying to see them try to dodge a bag that poses no threat.

True, but at least with TSA, I don't know that they'd be able to legally enforce it or legally defend it if someone were to challenge it in court on the premise of equal access.

I was told by a TSA agent once that if a non-status passenger could somehow push their way past the contracted boarding pass checkers stationed at the beginning of the security line and ended up in the elite line, TSA could not legally refuse them access to security (assuming they had a valid ID and BP) or tell them they needed to go back to the regular, non-status line. He wasn't clear if it was a legal thing or if it was because TSA only "owned" the facilities after the first TSA podium and the airport/airlines "owned" the actual space that the stantions that form the security lines are on, but I'd guess it could be either one.

I was late to the carousel because of customs, and someone had taken my luggage. I waited for about a half hour while one similar black case circled around. I must have examined it 20 times.

So there I was, the day before a client meeting in Hanoi wearing my jeans and t-shirt. Off I went to try to find a dress shirt and tie to fit an 18" neck in a city of tiny people.

Turns out the guy who took my bag realized it about a day later and demanded that the airline come and pick it up so they can forward it to my hotel. I thought that was a jerky move, but I was happy to get my stuff back.

not really - the baggage carosels in my country are in the shape of an n or m - the space you make up at the tips of the letters are removed in the hump

I saw my bag being picked up by a family and managed to corner them in the carpark - they were picking up their grandma and she said red bag with ribbon. So I always rush to get the carosel and stand at the very beginning to avoid this happening again.

Baloney. I would have called the police.

For oval carousel, I usually stand 1 meter away from it, at the first curve point. I can spot my luggage when it first appears and grab it easily when it reaches me, unless a tall and large ignorant person choose to sneak into the space between the carousel and me. A smile + "excuse me" usually works to send such person away.

If you are a not a tall person, what's your best method?

No reason to bump a 4 year old thread, when the same topic is being discussed on this forum and is far more current.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator