quote:

Originally posted by Ox190:
Paying $85 for Pre Check is one of the best investments for my blood pressure while traveling

Yup.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
You're a real go-getter Unterwachtmeister Stinkfinger! Make that quota, and you'll get promoted to Oberwachtmeister Stinkfinger in no time! Maybe get a house in the suburbs and a mistress on the side.

My dog looks at me funny when I laugh this hard! That is an excellent rant, Artie! Two thumbs up!

I'm vthoky, and I approve Artie's message.

Last time (And I mean the last time!) I was coming home here to VA from Spokane. By actual count there were 31 TSA goons in view. I had a small carry on bag (first mistake) which went through 6 inspections by various TSA goons.

Then I got wanded, groped 3 times. I had no change, keys, etc on me, my necklace was out in the open. No help there. Took something like 45 minutes to get through and into the departure area. Like any good unionized organization, the TSA will screw everyone over every time they get a chance.

Oh, and they had one of those brand new screening systems installed. I asked one of the TSA dunces why they were not using it. Said nobody knew how. 2 huge wastes of tax money right there.

quote:

Originally posted by Ox190:
Paying $85 for Pre Check is one of the best investments for my blood pressure while traveling

Yup. Paying $15 more for five years of Global Entry (which includes Pre-Check) is also a good deal. Global Entry is the fast lane thru Customs coming back. I've used it at ORD four times in the past year and we breezed thru Customs. The longest wait was for baggage to come off the plane.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:

quote:

Originally posted by Ox190:
Paying $85 for Pre Check is one of the best investments for my blood pressure while traveling

Yup. Paying $15 more for five years of Global Entry (which includes Pre-Check) is also a good deal. Global Entry is the fast lane thru Customs coming back. I've used it at ORD four times in the past year and we breezed thru Customs. The longest wait was for baggage to come off the plane.

And paying $35 less than Pre-Check and getting more than Global Entry is a fantastic deal. I'm talking about Nexus.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:

quote:

Originally posted by Ox190:
Paying $85 for Pre Check is one of the best investments for my blood pressure while traveling

Yup. Paying $15 more for five years of Global Entry (which includes Pre-Check) is also a good deal. Global Entry is the fast lane thru Customs coming back. I've used it at ORD four times in the past year and we breezed thru Customs. The longest wait was for baggage to come off the plane.

We arrived from Denmark. Walked into the customs area and saw a huge crowd. We then headed over to a kiosk, tapped a few keys and were cleared. Then it was straight to the luggage claim. Out bags arrived as we did, then it was through the Global Entry gate and a very nice ICE official. At that point we fell into the hell that is O’Hare and a long hot bus ride.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Had to double-check the OP, definitely had some semblance to a 2000Z-71 rant.

Why think you, I despise the TSA as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Icabod:

...At that point we fell into the hell that is O’Hare and a long hot bus ride.

Welcome to Chicago. There is a more efficient train over to the domestic terminals, but it's closed on weekdays for "a while."

https://www.flychicago.com/Sit.../ATS_June3%20Map.pdf

Having "TSA Pre-Check" on your boarding pass for the next flight makes it slightly less painful.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
I will never forgive the politicians for sticking us with that miserable group of serial molesters (Fuck YOU, GWB)

You got that right.

All I know is that one can buy Swiss Army knives by the pound on eBay after they are acquired from TSA auctions.

Global Entry with Pre-Check is the best money I have spent. Well, outside of that one strip club in central PA....

I got jacked up coming from SHOT show one time tho. I was given a Mec-Gar 1911 mag that has the 2nd amendment laser engraved on it. I tossed it into my bag without thinking. I got busted by a very enthusiastic TSA agent who acted like I had a nuclear bomb. Had to talk to local LEO and then decide if I wanted to mail it home, or toss it. I also received some hate mail from the feds a few weeks later.

Most of the TSA folks are dumbass losers. Occasionally they can be polite and friendly, but that is the exception. Unfortunately I deal with them on a weekly basis commuting for my job. We sure got effed when we got stuck with this shitty screening process. Guilty til proven innocent.

I thought that you only got the full pat-down if you refused the body scanner, or if the scanner highlighted something of concern. Is that no longer the case? Or was there just no body scanner at this location?

I fly frequently for work. I've had my bag and hands swabbed before but never the full hands-on cavity search due to accepting the scanner radiation ride. I also have pre-check which as others have mentioned has been worth every penny for the reduced level of harassment.

quote:

Originally posted by dave7378:
I despise the TSA. My 16 year old daughter has been subject to the enhanced pat down the last 4 times we have flown. To say I am getting frustrated is an understatement. We signed up for global entry just to avoid this type of treatment. No dice, still got "randomly" picked.

You must have the patience of a saint, I would probably not handle that situation well at all.

quote:

Originally posted by Brett B:

I thought that you only got the full pat-down if you refused the body scanner, or if the scanner highlighted something of concern. Is that no longer the case? Or was there just no body scanner at this location?

OP did not state why he got the hands-on treatment. I have heard of numerous instances where the scanners were out of service, in need of repair or maintenance, or were not used because the TSA personnel on duty at the time had not been trained to operate them.

quote:

I thought that you only got the full pat-down if you refused the body scanner, or if the scanner highlighted something of concern. Is that no longer the case? Or was there just no body scanner at this location?

I got swabbed, x-rayed, scanned, swabbed again, and then molested. They never delayed me at any station for a re-check, they didn't wand me, they didn't hold my bag in the x-ray machine to look closely at something, they didn't open any of my bags and I had no metal on my body other than my zipper. No one had that "concerned" look, there was no "point and motion, get this guy" stuff, and my bags were completely clean.

I had shot 50-70 rounds of 9mm on Friday morning and by the time this happened on Monday morning, I had washed my hands many 10s of times, if not more than 100 times, taken three showers, had my hands covered in olive oil and different marinades, etc. Only my jeans had been to the range with me, and they weren't swabbed.

I am clean cut, average size, a little fat, was wearing jeans and a neat, pocketed t-shirt and had no other distinguishing characteristics going on. I am a pretty much the "gray man" most of the time.

quote:

Originally posted by KMitch200:
The exact reasons I drive cross country instead of fly.
I decide the leg room, passengers, soundtracks and food/beverage choices.
I decide what guns are where, how many there are and how much ammo.
I decide whether the AC or heat is on and at what level.

The only time I will fly is if a family member is near death 1500 miles away and I may not make it in time if I drive. (less than 36 hrs)
Other than that...FUCK THE TSA SECURITY THEATER.

Sorry to hear about your experience, but I'm becoming more and more like KMitch200. I started taking notes about my experiences the last several times I flew. Each time I get the itch to go somewhere, I read through those notes. Between TSA, the airlines, the traveling public, car rental companies, etc., it's usually enough to convince me to choose a place I can drive to instead.

quote:

it's usually enough to convince me to choose a place I can drive to instead.

It's the only place where I can go to see my kids, and four days on the road with two hotel overnights just isn't worth it. Shit sandwich, basically.

When I was at the Penn & Teller show they offered a Bill of Rights card in metal.
When you get to TSA, the card sets off the alarm. Then you can pull out the card, toss it and say:” It’s nothing, it’s just my rights.”

http://securityedition.com/