Random my ass! (airport security rant)

[Not_Giving_Up]

This was my saying for today. I flew to Chicago for the day to see my brother (he works for the airline and used one of his passes). I hadn't flown since 1992, with good reason...I don't do take offs or landings well. Both ways - leaving Houston and leaving Chicago, I was "randomly selected" for the extra security check. My purse was rifled three times today by three different people. I was wanded three times, and since the underwire in my bra set it off, I got more patting down than most people. We had lunch with some co-workers of his, and he was laughing his ass off that I somehow got on a list. "Random my ass" was all I could say. His co-worker said "No, it's not random, that's a fact." No kidding. Of all of the things I get out of DU, random groping by strangers is something I can do without.

[Not_Giving_Up]

1. I'm going to go watch Law & Order SVU now

I'll check back in later.

[hfojvt]

2. my bags were searched twice

once when I went into Switzerland and once when I came back to my native country. This was in 2001, before either DU or 911. I guess I am a little scruffy and I was not carrying enough bags for a ten day trip through Europe. The blonde who searched my bags in Minneapolis, she coulda groped me all she wanted, and doubtless did too. Yowza!

[victim]

3. And doubtless did...?

...you mean you don't remember whether she groped you or not?

[hfojvt]

15. no, she

groped me as much as she WANTed to, which happened to be not at all. :cry:

[LeftyMom]

4. How common is this?

I mean I certainly don't see myself as threatning to anybody, but I tend to wear my politics on my sleeve, I've been to a few protests and such, I mod here and also at another forum where protest actions of questionable legality are discussed, blah blah...

What are the chances I'll get "randomly selected" next time I fly?

[Redstone]

5. Your chances? Pretty damn good.

Especially given that they monitor DU, so they've seen your "perky picture."

Redstone

[LeftyMom]

6. Oh god.

:blush:

[Redstone]

7. There's a TSA agent somewhere, looking at his computer,

and he's waiting, and drooling....were I you, I'd consider taking the train next time, m'dear.

Redstone

[LeftyMom]

8. I would but that'd be a really long train ride

I think the travel time to Florida and back via rail would actually exceed my available vacation days. :(

[Redstone]

9. OK, then just dress casual. REAL casual.

Redstone

[LeftyMom]

11. I was thinking of going frumpy under the theory that I

might avoid the gov't sanctioned feel-up that way. I'll get felt up plenty when I arrive. :D

[Redstone]

13. You know, that might work! Get out the ol' flowered muumuu,

wash your hair and sleep on it wet the night before, don't brush your teeth in the morning, that sort of thing...it just might throw them off.

Of course, you'll want to "freshen up" before you get to that second part you mentioned.

Redstone

[LeftyMom]

16. Well if I just wear jeans and a tshirt I can throw a big sweatshirt on

when I leave (it'll be chilly here in the moring anyhow- note that I didn't say cold so there's no need to tell me what a thinblooded Californian I am) and I can straighten up in the lav. Undo the ponytail, take off the unflattering outer layer- the whole frumpy librarian to hottie movie transfomation.

I think I'll wear this shirt underneath :evilgrin:

[Redstone]

17. Yup, that shirt'll get you a warm welcome.

Good choice. Have fun, you crazy kids.

Redstone

[LeftyMom]

18. Oh we will!

[KitchenWitch]

10. I have metal in my body

so I go through the extra special treatment every time. I feel your pain!

:hug:

And no, it is not random.

[Deja Q]

12. a relative of mine had issues both ways too:

90 minutes late to get her luggage on arrival.

On the trip back, she thought it was lost.

3 weeks later she got it back with a note from homerland security. (I'd given her some prints of my photos as a gift, homerland security thought she and I were terra'ists... :eyes: )

So after patriot gets renewed with all those extra tidy provisions, if I magically disappear, that's why. I am a freelance photographer... all I care about is capturing BEAUTY. Didn't know that was a bad thing.

[KitchenWitch]

14. If I ever win the powerball

I am buying a private plane...and learning how to fly it myself. No more TSA for me!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. I know a guy who did exactly that.

I used to work as a flight instructor, taught this guy (a well-off business owner) to fly. His intention was to be able to go anywhere he wanted to for his company, pretty much on his own schedule. After he got his license he bought a small plane, then a bigger one, and finally a small jet. He flies all over the place now. Nice to have $$$, I guess.

[CarpeDiebold]

20. I got "randomly" selected

14 times in a row. EVERY time I've flown in the last year i've been security checked.

i'm sure skin color has nothing to do with it. just a random coincidence. i've started using my US passport instead of my driver's license to try and get them to calm down, but nope. still got checked.

discriminatory piece of shit TSA.

[tigereye]

21. kid, husband and I

were selected both ways too and from San Francisco over the summer. I thought it was probably that we had paper tickets since we ordered the tix late, but husband joked it was our black t-shirts. I mean, 2 somewhat scruffy looking middle- aged, middle class people with a 9 year old. How much of a threat could we be? They actually put my son's bag through the powder test or whatever it was with that extra piece of screening paper. Maybe they thought we were druggies or something. It was unnerving as you try to keep track of your tickets, stuff, purse, kid. Especially since this was the first time we had all flown together.

It just doesn't really make much sense sometimes. When I flew alone to Chicago earlier that month with an e-ticket, I didn't get any "extras."