Posted: 9/1/2008 3:28:37 PM EDT
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So this past weekend, I went to Wisconsin. Flying from Atlanta to Milwaukee, and then back from Madison, to Milwaukee, to ATL. Before the trip, I checked out my bag, a camelbak hawg, to make sure that i didn't have any sensitive items in it (knife, brass, anything that could present a problem with security). Apparently, I missed my gerber multi-tool, it was in the front pocket, under some papers and a calculator (TI-83+, if anyone cares..) I flew out of Atlanta on saturday morning...fast forward to this morning in Madison, WI. My bags go through the x-ray and i'm waiting and the lady says that there's something that they have to check out. I say ok. (thinking that I got through ATL with the exact same setup two days ago, there can't be anything wrong.) after about 5 minutes of digging, the TSA lady, finds my multi-tool (diesel, Black) in it's little belt pouch, and says that i can't bring this on the plane... i was like WTF! how did that get through ATL, so...what do you all think about the safety of "the worlds largest airport"...wow I ended up trying to mail it to myself, i found a manilla envelope and there was a stamp machine, so i slapped the 8.40 (book of stamps, least amount i could buy) on it, and put it in the slot...if i ever get it back, i'll post pics. haha. and no, i'm not going to do a MS paint... |
| Smaller airports have their machines setup at a more sensitive level. Atlanta has theirs turned down. If they didn't do this the lines through security would be outside the doors. This is a simple explanation but it's the truth. I've experienced the same situation as you. |
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Nothing quite unusual about that, many airports miss all kinds of things on the first time through what can you expect from TSA agents, they make little or nothing, are poorly trained, and deal with shitty people all day. That's why when Homeland security has tested them again and again, they fail ALOT. |
Speaking of FAIL |
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Got a few laughs from the TSA boneheads. Have a keychain with a 50BMG bullet with a hole drilled through it to attach it to the keychain. They decided that it couldn't get on the plane with me. They had the whole chain of command there looking at the keychain. It was pretty comical to see 8 dumbasses looking at a keychain like it was a tactical nuclear weapon. I ended up mailing it back to myself, after being instructed that yes I could do that, but I couldn't handle it to put it in the envelope. I had to hold the envelope, the TSA bonehead had to put it in the envelope, I had to hand the envelope to the agent, he had to seal it and put it in the mailbox. Sometimes I wonder how we as a species, survives. 
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| When I was 16 (in 1999), I brought a 98K bayonet into Atlanta as carry on from Dublin, Ireland. I honestly didn't know any better, but the Delta employee freaked out when he asked me if I had anything to declare. He walked my bag around customs and security and handed it back to me when I boarded. lol |
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the tsa is nothing but a collective of fucking maroons I worked with them when they first started and deal with them almost monthly as I travel. I was handed the wrong boarding pass by the ticket counter.. I made it all the way to the plane before I discovered it. (I noticed that the flight didn't match what I was going on..then I noticed the name) I also have been trough "security" with items in one or more airports, only to have some nazi at another say I couldn't bring it with. |
| On a trip to Brazil, TSA kept running my Maxpedition thru the xray about the 4th time thru and a crowd of TSA pointing at stuff inside my pack when behind me walks this woman about 5'9" with the low cut jeans, bubble butt, big ass diamonds like a sail in her bellybutton, lungs with serious cleavage, painted long fingernails, beautiful feet on heels, a friggin knockout....well those guys gave me my bag back so fast just to look at this woman. |
I did Federal jury duty a few years back and got in for the first two days with my little 1.5" Swiss Army knife on my keychain going through the conveyor in a basket and then back to my pocket. I can't survive without the toothpick on it!!! On the last day it gets noticed and the Marshals say they can't allow it in and they'll have to hold it. I asked them to hold my whole keychain because if I left just the knife with them I would forget it when I left that evening. My whole key ring with the knife sat on one of their X-ray video monitors all day until I retrieved it. Luckily they're much nicer than the TSA.  Just another reason I don't fly... |
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Way before 9/11: My son went to France on a school trip. On his way back, they asked him if he had any guns in his luggage -- no he said. Certain? they asked. Absolutely he said. When he got home he was telling me about this. Then proceeded to unpack his bags. In one he had a pair of (fake) black powder dueling pistols. In the other ... a morningstar !!! So you did have guns I said. No he replied, they aren't guns, they are just wall decorations. |
Every single reason you listed was the reason democrats listed why TSA had to be federal employees. |
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Whenever I fly and have to change planes, I always take a carry on with just the basics in case by bags go elsewhere. Flying back to Fl from KCMO (with my wife) they took my dental floss. I'm like WTF? The agent informed me that it could be used as a weapon to strangle someone. (somebody has been watching way too many Bond movies) So, I asked the agent if I was allowed to keep my shoe laces in my shoes since they could be used to strangle someone also. (my wife is losing it by now). Well I shut up and went on. Now get this...My wire had my lighter, nail clippers and a small pair of those fold up mini scissors in her purse and it went through. 
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Kudos once again to the TSA for protecting us. They open my checked bags every single time I travel for work and leave that stupid 'we were here and we're watching you note.' 9 out of 10 times something is missing. Tape measure. Deodorant. Perfume. Pocket knife. Anti-seize compound. Pack of new white t-shirts. Flip-flops. You name it, no rhyme or reason. |
I flew to Florida a few years ago with a basket of wine and cheese in my checked baggage as a gift for my then girlfreinds grandparents.... Fuckers ate the cheese..... |
Few hate the TSA with more passion than myself, but how can you not fly? Even if the hassle factor was quadrupled it still the fastest, most economical way to reach most parts of the country, and the world. You happily stay within driving distance of Iowa? That takes some discipline. |
Phuck the TSA.  I bought a hand vise which is an antique tool used to clamp things or to compress v springs (on old fashion guns). They gave a look like I was crazy and said that it could be used as a weapon. Gee, I could take a roll of nickels or quarters and put in my sock and use it as a weapon. How about a big bar of soap in the sock? Jail inmates have been known to do that. Anyhow, I went back to the bagge and checked it in with my carry-on luggage. It took an extra 30 minutes waiting for the luggage once I got home. Oh, I feel so much safer now.
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Wouldn't the wrong boarding pass be the ticket counters fault?!? And that was your bad too for not double checking it...I traveled for 3 years flying out on Monday and flying back home on Friday and never left the counter without first checking my ticket. And I agree the TSA is an ASSLOAD of morons!!! And to the OP...maybe it was under something like the calculator and could not be seen by the x-ray?? |
Have a tough time dealing with reality? Oblivious to any sense of scale? Wear camo to the guns shows and church? |
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An LEO friend of mine got a call from his wife, who had flown to another city on business. She had left her Beretta in her purse and had gotten through screening, and wanted to know what to do with it since she had to fly home. Atlanta, unfortunately, has their TSA group staffed with Atlantans. It's a real handicap. |
I work for an international company and may be asked to fly someday. Nearly 10 years on the job and I haven't had to yet, but my co workers do a few times each year. It will be a tough decision if it ever comes to that, not sure what I will decide. I've flown commercial and private before, but not since 1980. And yes, I personally have no desire to travel. I'm pretty easy going and like it here just fine in Iowa. The perfect vacation to me is to stay around home for a week or so and relax. Traveling just causes stress!
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They start them off at $14 bucks an hour. How is that little or nothing? 
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Correct but he was referring to the fact that he got past the TSA Screener, who is supposed to compare and verify the fact that the name on the picture ID and the boarding pass match. |
Yes, that is correct, thanks When this happened, I was traveling more than I am now.. which is at least 1x per month now.. never had a problem before.. I double check since then. |
Safe is the last thing on my mind at an airport terminal. I'm more concetrated on thinking about ways to keep from getting pissed off to a nuclear level. |
I got the same stupid song and dance about a decorative balance scale I purchased in Las Vegas. Lady, my belt would make a better weapon and unless you gimme back my scale and let me go, I'm fixin' to demonstrate.  |
You're wrong. It's also a justification for a huge bureaucracy employing tens of thousands of drones with a budget of God-alone-knows how many billions of dollars. |
One can say the same for almost every Gov't Agency. DHS, FEMA, ATF, etc... There is no limit to bureaucracy and its ablity to waste money on a monumental scale.. |