[Sixstrings]

"Advanced imaging technology screening is optional for all passengers," TSA said in a statement released Monday. "Passengers who opt out of [advanced imaging] screening will receive alternative screening, including a physical pat-down."

But anyone who refuses to complete the screening process will be denied access to airport secure areas and could be subject to civil penalties, the administration said, citing a federal appeals court ruling in support of the rule.

The ruling, from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, says that "requiring that a potential passenger be allowed to revoke consent to an ongoing airport security search makes little sense in a post-9/11 world.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/15/california.airport.security/index.html

Personally I wouldn't have a problem with a pat-down. It shouldn't be a big deal.. these TSA officers are patting people down all day every day, do people really think they are such hot stuff that the TSA officer is getting a thrill out of it?

They should just have some common sense rules.. only women should pat down women (I think they already do that). And another good idea would be to erect some privacy cubicles.. maybe folks would feel better about the pat down if they didn't have a whole airport of people gawking at them. Getting a pat-down is embarrassing.. take that nun in the pic above for example. They really need to have screened off private spaces.

Another idea.. maybe hire nurses to do the pat-downs. That way the folks doing this would already be trained and have experience at privacy-invading procedures like this. That could be the real problem here, undoubtedly there are some real yahoos working for TSA and people just don't want to be groped by folks like that.

[Armageddon]

I am traveling in January and before I go through the screeners, I am going to the bathroom and rubbing my dong so I have a huge woodie while walking through. I want to see their faces.

[Sixstrings]

I am traveling in January and before I go through the screeners, I am going to the bathroom and rubbing my dong so I have a huge woodie while walking through. I want to see their faces.

But what if "Bubba" gives you a wink and takes you aside for pat-down?

[Plantagenet]

I am traveling in January and before I go through the screeners, I am going to the bathroom and rubbing my dong so I have a huge woodie while walking through. I want to see their faces.

Be careful. The newest concern is people with explosives surgically embedded somewhere in their bodies, creating unusual bumps or bulges.

[steam_cannon]

I am traveling in January and before I go through the screeners, I am going to the bathroom and...

Ok, just about spit out my coffee. Thank you.

Never the less the other day I had a similar idea, that something like that would make a heck of a viagra commercial.


Seriously though, I think a lot of people are thinking the same thing. And this sort of humor reminds me of a book I came across on the dark underground humor in Nazi Germany, author quote "I’m laughing, so I’m still alive". Of course it would be extreme to compare us to the Nazi's or anything like that. cough-papers please-cough... Never the less, people looking for dynamite in our pants is pretty extreme. What can we do but laugh?

[highlander]

Yes, the security at domestic flights has gone too far. The PC idiocy demonstrated by the pat down of the nun in habit and old women in wheelchairs do nothing to make us safer. Profiling is a proven technique. Until old ladies in wheelchairs and nuns in habit are instigating terror, they should be free to fly without the TSA buffonery. Until the public withdraws consent (quits flying) it will continue.

[efarmer]

You run the risk of doing your best work and not having anyone notice anything. Be sure you have your self esteem at a fever pitch and then give it your best shot. I sill stick with my rolled up hunting socks thank you, as they are always good to go, and being wool, are itchy and I have to scratch myself often, which makes me appear to be a balding white Rap music artist. I'll do anything to stay in style...

[Maddog78]

I fly a lot.
I take off my shoes and take everything out of my pockets.
I go in the booth (new machines) and put my hands on my head and it whizzes around me.
I proceed when they say it's all OK.
I put my shoes back on and reload my pockets and carry on to my gate.

It's not really a big deal. I'm an older man. I'm pretty sure they delete the pic of my nasty old body as soon as possible.

I'm a Canadian citizen and have to travel a lot for work. The last thing I need is to end up on some no fly list.
I will be a docile lamb and smile and follow all their rules.

[Maddog78]

Some people do not seem to get the new airport rules of keep a low profile and do not attract attention.

Latest example.
Flying Tulsa to Houston. Sunday mid morning.
I'm sitting at the small bar closest to my gate. The guy beside me has a Chevron badge on his bag.
Obviously another frequent oilfield traveller. We're making small talk.
A young guy with a slutty looking girl walks up, shouts an order to the bartender and proceeds to unleash a stream of expletives at something he has just seen on the TV. The girl then unleashes her stream of similar expletives.
Both in their outdoor voices.
The guy beside me smiles and says "What do you think their odds are of getting on the plane?"
I smile back and say they won't be flying today, 1000 to 1.

It's time to go to our gate.
The young, loud and probably still drink couple come to the gate too and attempt to board when they are doing the preboard for handicapped or people with kids. The stew attempts to explain they have to wait. A few more expletives. The Chevron dude and I smile at each other. Within 15 secs. a male and female cop show up.
They are escorted down the hall a bit. A short discussion later, they are now very quiet and being escorted out of the airport. I hear the female cop telling the girl, "You won't be flying anywhere today"

Some people obviously don't keep up with the times.

[Sixstrings]

I go in the booth (new machines) and put my hands on my head and it whizzes around me.
I proceed when they say it's all OK.

I should go ahead and point out that the pat-downs are only if you refuse the scan (or seem extra suspicious in some way).

I haven't flown since the scans came out.. I assume only the TSA people can see the screens? It would be unacceptable if the whole line can see you naked. But if it's just the officer.. really no big deal. They're looking at these all day, they're not going to remember you or comment on anyone's endowment or lack thereof.

[Maddog78]

Yup, I don't refuse the scan.
The screen is not even in the same room.
It's somewhere else and they tell the guy or gal through his/her earpiece that you are good to go.
Really, I don't see it as a big deal.
Maybe young sexy women do? I don't know.

[Serial_Worrier]

Yup, I don't refuse the scan.
The screen is not even in the same room.
It's somewhere else and they tell the guy or gal through his/her earpiece that you are good to go.
Really, I don't see it as a big deal.
Maybe young sexy women do? I don't know.

These photos are being saved and leaked onto the internet. Imagine some mafia getting hold of them and blackmailing you with it.

[Maddog78]

So they are going to send somebody some fuzzy gray pictures from an airport xray machine of me sort of naked?
I would, what, pay them not to?




They can send them to whoever the hell they want, I wouldn't give a flying f___.

[rockdoc123]

They can send them to whoever the hell they want, I wouldn't give a flying f___.

Agree MD. I have been through these scanners countless times now. The only thing that ticks me off is it means during the busy times you need to be at least a half hour earlier at the airport than you used to be. If I was worried about all these "things" that might be bad for you entering your body I probably would give up whiskey and medium rare steaks....lord knows I'm exposed to those more often than a scanner.

My experience is the security folks look completely relieved when you say scanner rather than pat down and generally they are apologetic for the whole thing. They are, after all, just doing a job that isn't a particularly pleasant one.

Not sure why the muslim folks are all upset. I used to fly through various Middle East airports and there were booths set aside where women in full hijab or burka were brought in and searched and there was never any protest (that was 10 years ago). After all it is not in contravention of any edict in the Koran according to my knowledge.

[Expatriot]

If you believe that a couple dozen rag-heads with virtually no ability to fly planes flew jetliners into the twin towers and the Pentagon without any help, and not even one fighter jet was launched in response, then,

why no, the pat-downs are not going too far, and, in fact, we need even better security.

[rangerone314]

Obviously the pat-downs are not going far enough... people are still willing to fly.

If I ever have to fly again, I'm going to go for the pat-down (since there are not nude pictures of me currently on any harddrives and I'd like to keep it that way) and hopefully have a nice When-Harry-Met-Sally climax, and then ask the TSA groper if it was good for them.

[Fiddlerdave]

Obviously the pat-downs are not going far enough... people are still willing to fly.

If I ever have to fly again, I'm going to go for the pat-down (since there are not nude pictures of me currently on any harddrives and I'd like to keep it that way) and hopefully have a nice When-Harry-Met-Sally climax, and then ask the TSA groper if it was good for them.

Get a lawyer in advance. Note they are promising to prosecute the guy who refused the pat down grope and left.

I think we can be sure you will find yourself taken to a windowless room quite quickly, with some likelyhood of being charged with sexual assault on the TSA employee, aside from felony interference.

Yes, the security at domestic flights has gone too far. The PC idiocy demonstrated by the pat down of the nun in habit and old women in wheelchairs do nothing to make us safer. Profiling is a proven technique. Until old ladies in wheelchairs and nuns in habit are instigating terror, they should be free to fly without the TSA buffonery. Until the public withdraws consent (quits flying) it will continue.

Old ladies and nuns and parents of babies should protest profiling. As soon as it becomes clear these people are skipped in favor of "Muslim-appearing-men", whatever that is, we can count on the nuns, oldsters and children being coerced through threats on family members etc. to become mules for drugs and explosives.

In any event, it would be better to just accept some risk of airplane attack and have decent but not ridiculous security. We have made it so airplanes cannot be used as weapons, that is all that really mattered. Use some of the saved billions for medical care, and far more lives will be routinely saved than the potential few planes that could be downed.

[lulubel]

It all seems rather extreme from where I'm sitting. Life is risk, unless you opt to never leave your home. If we want to get in big metal boxes and fly 30k+ feet above the ground, we should all accept it's dangerous. (I remember back when the IRA was active in London and they kept closing the tube. Everyone got the bus or walked because there was no option, but I knew so many people who would have rather taken their chances.)

I don't fly - not because it's dangerous, or because it harms the planet, but because I can't be bothered with the whole performance. The last time I got on a plane was 2003, and hopefully I'll never have to do it again.

[Expatriot]

I don't fly - not because it's dangerous, or because it harms the planet, but because I can't be bothered with the whole performance . . . and hopefully I'll never have to do it again.

Ditto. I suppose I just got to the age in life when I'm just not interested in going very many places.

[Blacksmith]

I hope whoever pats me down is cute!