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[jungle_jane]

I'm curious about this. I've been through one recently, and it was no big deal, but then again, I've been subjected to some very intensive security procedures while working in S. Asia, so I have a pretty skewed sense of "non-invasive."  I felt kind of stupid standing w/my hands over my head, but otherwise, it didn't feel any different than the regular detectors.

The "backscatter" is the full body scan thingy, right? I went through this the last time I flew, and honestly, found it no more humiliating than the metal detector (which is, not at all). You put your hands over your head and stand still for like 2 seconds, then fetch your luggage and move on. 

Me three. Other than feeling kind of dorky standing in that position while it scanned, it didn't bother me at all. After being scanned I stepped into a 'holding' area until the TSA agent was radioed by the viewers (the scan results were not displayed on a jumbotron in the terminal or anything) and I went on my merry way. Doesn't bother me at all.

[neutralname]

I've had the backscatter.  You stand with your arms spread while a man in a metal box looks at your personal bits with sophisticated machinery.  It's a little tempting to ham it up and strike a pose, but probably a bad idea.  I hardly thought twice about it.

I'm planning to travel over Christmas, so I'm hoping that lots of people decide against flying then. 

Apart from the fact that there hasn't been a clearly identified case of a plane downed due to terrorism since 2001, is there any good reason to think that these security measures are actually effective?  I mostly get the impression that the hope is that the more theatrical the security measures, the more they will deter terrorists.

[ursula]

Spousal Unit and I fly to go to Europe; within Canada we prefer to take the train, because it's so much more civilized than flying.

We haven't been into the US for many years, because it's just so annoying and problematic.  I may have to go on a research visit there soon, but will probably drive over with a group.

[stanwyck]

...in these new machines you have to take a special pose for 15 seconds or more.

Actually, isn't it up to fifteen seconds?  I doubt I stood still for more than five seconds.

[dissertordessert]

Are backscatter machines the same as those new full body scan machines?

If I understand it correctly, backscatter = naked body scanner = x ray machine.

I did a quick google search and it seems that you can "opt out" of the x ray machine. However, if you do, TSA can do a full body patdown, this includes putting their hands down your pants or up your dress, glove to skin.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

Actually, isn't it up to fifteen seconds?  I doubt I stood still for more than five seconds.

It might depend on backscatter v. mmw technlogy, as well as the particular operator.

If there was some evidence that the new procedures - both the new machines and the enhanced groping - were solving a problem, then it would be reasonable to simply chalk them up as inconvenience for the sake of safety.  However, their main purpose seems to be to create the appearance of action. - DvF

[larryc]

To be blunt, if someone told me they wouldn't fly to go to an interview, I'd take them for a flake.

What about a victim of rape of child hood molestation?

[larryc]

Here are two of my favorite links on this topic:

Jeffrey Goldberg's idea: "It's a one-word idea: Kilts. Think about it -- if you're a male, and you want to bollix-up the nonsensical airport security-industrial complex, one way to do so would be to wear a kilt. If nothing else, this will cause TSA employees to throw up their hands in disgust. If you want to go the extra extra mile, I suggest commando-style kilt-wearing. While it is probably illegal to fly without pants, I can't imagine that it's illegal to fly without underpants. "
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/11/tsa-opt-out-day-now-with-a-superfantastic-new-twist/66545/

The "Don't touch my junk" guy:
http://johnnyedge.blogspot.com/2010/11/these-events-took-place-roughly-between.html

[madhatter]

I'm with msmicrobe on this.

I used to fly all the time. I don't fly as often now, but I still get in the air every few months. The security theater is a joke. Whenever they change it, you just learn yet another step to the choreography to get through it as quickly as possible. I think my routine goes something like this -- while in line, put boarding pass and driver's ID in front shirt pocket to have them handy and not need to juggle wallet. Strip off metal watch (if I'm wearing one) and put it, car keys, any coins, and iPhone in zipped-up jacket pocket or compartment in my laptop bag. Leave house keys in the car, because they're attached to a Swiss Army knife I don't want to lose. On a few occasions, I've forgotten this step. Once, I even had a TSA person walk me all the way over to the information desk to get an envelope so I could mail my knife home rather than let them keep it as a free perk of being a TSA employee.

Unzip laptop bag's main compartment so I can access laptop. Take off coat if I am wearing one. Show driver's license and boarding pass to first TSA person; return them to pocket. Grab two bins and put them on the X-ray machine rollers, along with my laptop bag. Remove laptop (in its sleeve, permissable now due to "relaxed" laptop rules) and put in first bin. Put jacket in second bin. If I'm checking luggage, I'm done. If not, take my ziplock bag of liquids out of the front compartment of my rollerbag, put them on top of my jacket, and put the rollerbag on the conveyor belt. Take off shoes, put directly on the belt, not in a bin. Make sure straps aren't sticking out of any of my bags so they don't snag and rip on the machine. Shuffle my stuff forward until it all goes in the machine. I don't leave it behind in the hope that the kind souls behind me will pass it through the machine for me.

Take a deep breath, try to smile, wait for TSA person #2 to wave me through, step through magnetometer, go up to conveyor belt, wait for my stuff to come through, put baggie and laptop back in laptop bag, grab jacket and shoes, walk over to chairs to reassemble myself. Assuming that they haven't decided to "swab" my bag for mystery terrorism chemicals or give me a patdown.

This is the speedy and efficient way to go through security. I haven't been selected for the full-body scan or feel-up yet.

After 9/11, when the TSA was announced, I thought it was good news. Airport security had been run by private rent-a-cop firms who hired illiterate, minimum wage workers notorious for their sloppy work. I thought having a professionalized, well-trained security force would really improve things. Boy, was I wrong.

On the bright side, at least they aren't asking us to turn on our laptops to prove they aren't bombs any more. I suppose that's one in the win column.

[pigou]

I have two issues with the backscatter devices:

1) One of the people who reviewed and signed off on them (a radiologist at Columbia) said in an interview they operated on the assumption that they would be used in some cases. He would not have signed off had he known they'd be used on everyone. A negligible increase in the risk of various cancers becomes a certainty when you do it to millions of people every year.

2) All safety standards are based on the proper maintenance of the devices. If they are not properly maintained, the radiation that hits you can be significantly higher. This is an issue for hospitals... and there is no way the TSA has comparable standards. Didn't the manufacturers say there are certain spots where one is exposed to more radiation and those should be avoided... exactly the spots the TSA instructs its people to stand in?


I do have flights scheduled and I can't miss them. However, I absolutely will make use of my right not to go through the scanner. I've also written to my Congressman (who is on civil rights and constitutional law committees) a few days ago and I hope many others will do the same. The constitution doesn't stop applying just because you sit in a car (see various restrictions on searches), why would anyone believe it's different when you get on a plane?

[goldstein]

Actually, isn't it up to fifteen seconds?  I doubt I stood still for more than five seconds.

It might depend on backscatter v. mmw technlogy, as well as the particular operator.

If there was some evidence that the new procedures - both the new machines and the enhanced groping - were solving a problem, then it would be reasonable to simply chalk them up as inconvenience for the sake of safety.  However, their main purpose seems to be to create the appearance of action. - DvF

DvF, I don't entirely disagree with this.  I am also concerned how these procedures can be manipulated to create or maintain a climate of generalized fear to political ends.

However, it is also true that last Christmas and the more recent toner shipments do seem to indicate an ongoing probing for weaknesses in airline security.

I suppose my most recent, last best hope is for a future in which some of these measures are quietly rolled back.  I understand how naive that sounds, but I have been around long enough to see the formerly very real concerns over hijacking recede.  I grant that is a less than perfect analogy.

Oh, and I had come to hate flying years before, and for experiential reasons, long before these more recent indignities.  Remember when being on a plane was significantly more pleasant that being on a Greyhound with wings?

[dissertordessert]

How far do x rays travel? Is there a certain distance at which they are no longer harmful?

Those machines don't look like they are shielded so the x rays must be traveling freely in all directions.

[marigolds]

Maybe if a lot of people opt to take the train instead of fly, Amtrak will stop sucking! That would be awesome! I would LOVE for there to be viable train travel, even (well, especially) long-distance train travel in the US.

(And by "stop sucking," I mean "stop having to cede right-of-way at crossings to freight trains that are miles and miles long and stop up the crossing for up to three hours, making the passenger trains unpredictably late much of the time.")

[anthroid]

I'm going to be flying in a couple of weeks (and I actually flew a couple of weeks ago) and frankly I don't care.  My home airport is teeny and the TSA folks recognize me by now so I get waved through a fair amount.  I know the drill and am able to be efficient with the shoes and the laptop and the 3 oz liquids.  As for the full body scan, well, it's annoying, especially because it results in NO DATES for me.  :~)  (Imagined conversation:  "My goodness, but you have a lovely kidney.  I love you!")

And it does not surprise me in the slightest to learn that Israel--which knows a whole lot about security screening--thinks this particular process is idiotic.  TSA really sucks and doesn't seem able to do what it's supposed to do, which is keep us safe.

[aandsdean]

I'm going to be flying in a couple of weeks (and I actually flew a couple of weeks ago) and frankly I don't care.  My home airport is teeny and the TSA folks recognize me by now so I get waved through a fair amount.  I know the drill and am able to be efficient with the shoes and the laptop and the 3 oz liquids.  As for the full body scan, well, it's annoying, especially because it results in NO DATES for me.  :~)  (Imagined conversation:  "My goodness, but you have a lovely kidney.  I love you!")

And it does not surprise me in the slightest to learn that Israel--which knows a whole lot about security screening--thinks this particular process is idiotic.  TSA really sucks and doesn't seem able to do what it's supposed to do, which is keep us safe.

I fly a lot and flew a couple of weeks ago too, though it was between small airports (though with a stop in ATL).  No problem.

I've had the scan (can't remember where).  No big deal, just irksome.

I agree with others here, notably DvF, that I would hate it less if I wasn't convinced it was just theatre.  It's like a lot of things about the U.S. now--all about show, hardly any substance. I'm reminded of Chaucer's description of the Franklin:  he was a very busy man, and yet he seemed busier than he was.

While I'm pretty critical of a lot of stuff Israel does, they for sure know their airport and flight security.  We could probably learn a lot from them.  I have not flown through Israel, but have used several other high security airports (Istanbul, Singapore) and they also know how to do it.  Comparatively, the U.S. is a joke.