I figured some people have seen some stupid things...Mine just happened. Salt Lake City airport. I was wearing flip flops, a relatively small t shirt, and shorts (yes, I am the worst traveler ever). I figure as there is no conceivable way to hide anything wearing flip flops, I didn't take them off. Salt Lake City TSA was having none of that, and made me scan my flip flops (yes, actually scan them).
Then they put me through the naked scanner. Apparently I moved my arms, and they said they had to do a pat down of just my arms because the image wasn't clear. Now the shirt wasn't skin tight, so this wasn't completely nonsensical, but it was still stupid. Had I been quicker thinking (and had a bit more courage than I do), I should have just taken my shirt off and told them no need for a pat down now.
I always wear flip-flops or sandals on planes anymore, mostly because they are so easy to remove.
My mental picture of Alfred Russell has been recalibrated.
Quote from: sbr on May 09, 2011, 10:09:52 PM
I always wear flip-flops or sandals on planes anymore, mostly because they are so easy to remove.
First time wearing flip flops, and it never occured to me they would make you take them off. Is that standard?
Quote from: Jacob on May 09, 2011, 10:10:31 PM
My mental picture of Alfred Russell has been recalibrated.
From what to what?
Quote from: alfred russel on May 09, 2011, 10:13:11 PM
Quote from: sbr on May 09, 2011, 10:09:52 PM
I always wear flip-flops or sandals on planes anymore, mostly because they are so easy to remove.
First time wearing flip flops, and it never occured to me they would make you take them off. Is that standard?
Yep you have to take off any shoe-type device you are wearing.
Quote from: sbr on May 09, 2011, 10:15:24 PM
Quote from: alfred russel on May 09, 2011, 10:13:11 PM
Quote from: sbr on May 09, 2011, 10:09:52 PM
I always wear flip-flops or sandals on planes anymore, mostly because they are so easy to remove.
First time wearing flip flops, and it never occured to me they would make you take them off. Is that standard?
Yep you have to take off any shoe-type device you are wearing.
That is absurd. The rest of the world lets you keep your shoes on whatever you are wearing.
The only good possible reasonable explanation is that the airlines didn't want everyone to start wearing sandals to the airport, and pushed for this so as to not encourage the practice.
Quote from: alfred russel on May 09, 2011, 10:14:59 PM
Quote from: Jacob on May 09, 2011, 10:10:31 PM
My mental picture of Alfred Russell has been recalibrated.
From what to what?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fangels.ocregister.com%2Ffiles%2F2010%2F05%2FJohn-Travolta-as-Vincent-Vega-in-Pulp-Fiction.jpg&hash=f5189db0a37cc776ce04e095a01ee4e3515e74b2)
to
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:D Pretty much
L.
Stop trying to undermine the War on Terra, ar :mad:
Wearing flip flops on the fllight is like taking your shoes off on the plane itself. Ig'nant and gay.
Quote from: Jacob on May 09, 2011, 10:10:31 PM
My mental picture of Alfred Russell has been recalibrated.
Yeah, I keep on getting this image of the Dude in
The Big Lebowski and trying to reconcile it with my former image of Alfred Russell based on his posting history :hmm:
I like airports with the fancy machines, those that don't have them mean I get searched. <_<
Quote from: alfred russel on May 09, 2011, 10:23:29 PM
That is absurd. The rest of the world lets you keep your shoes on whatever you are wearing.
:lol: Fail truth much?
QuoteThe only good possible reasonable explanation is that the airlines didn't want everyone to start wearing sandals to the airport, and pushed for this so as to not encourage the practice.
:lol: Fail logic much?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg3s3.schaefer-shop.de%2Fproduktbild%2Ftextmarker-von-faber-castell-msde10032882bb1.jpg&hash=b4e07b1f6e93c6f8d19448119d66947924168bf3)
I had to leave a text marker like this at the security station once. Because it contained fluid. Seriously. That was a flight a week or so after those guys in London (or wherever it was) tried to build a bomb from fluids.
The worst I ever went through was watching the large dazzling urbanite TSA officer inspecting the rosary I always fly with, trying to figure out what it was. YOU COULD CHOKE A NIGGA OUT WIFF DAT
Quote from: Zanza2 on May 10, 2011, 06:01:44 AM
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I had to leave a text marker like this at the security station once. Because it contained fluid. Seriously. That was a flight a week or so after those guys in London (or wherever it was) tried to build a bomb from fluids.
Oh, there is no question but what the bureaucracy has run amok when it comes to airline security. The problem is that the consequences of failure are so high that flight security people can justify practically anything, no matter how absurd by any objective standard.
Quote from: Zanza2 on May 10, 2011, 06:01:44 AM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg3s3.schaefer-shop.de%2Fproduktbild%2Ftextmarker-von-faber-castell-msde10032882bb1.jpg&hash=b4e07b1f6e93c6f8d19448119d66947924168bf3)
I had to leave a text marker like this at the security station once. Because it contained fluid. Seriously. That was a flight a week or so after those guys in London (or wherever it was) tried to build a bomb from fluids.
I often say that the day when a terrorist tries to smuggle a dinamite bar up his ass in order to blow a plane will usher an era of universal proctological checks before boarding and the demise of airlines everywhere.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 10, 2011, 06:05:00 AM
The worst I ever went through was watching the large dazzling urbanite TSA officer inspecting the rosary I always fly with, trying to figure out what it was. YOU COULD CHOKE A NIGGA OUT WIFF DAT
And what'd be the point of confiscating at the checkpoint anyway? There are shops where you could buy other potential weapons after it.
Quote from: The Larch on May 10, 2011, 06:07:13 AM
I often say that the day when a terrorist tries to smuggle a dinamite bar up his ass in order to blow a plane will usher an era of universal proctological checks before boarding and the demise of airlines everywhere.
I don't often say anything about people with stuff up their ass. I'd be a bit wary around someone who
did often say things like that. :unsure:
:P
It occurs to me that breast implants would be a good way of smuggling fluids on to a plane :hmm:
I also like how the TSA at "Key West International Airport" (are there flights to any destinations other than Miami and Orlando?) searched my bag right in front of me and then put a flyer into it at the end. The flyer said something along the lines "We searched your bag". Yeah guys, I saw you searching it, no need to put a flyer into it telling me so.
Quote from: Zanza2 on May 10, 2011, 06:37:51 AM
I also like how the TSA at "Key West International Airport" (are there flights to any destinations other than Miami and Orlando?) searched my bag right in front of me and then put a flyer into it at the end. The flyer said something along the lines "We searched your bag". Yeah guys, I saw you searching it, no need to put a flyer into it telling me so.
Maybe they thought you were blind. :)
Quote from: sbr on May 09, 2011, 10:09:52 PM
I always wear flip-flops or sandals on planes anymore, mostly because they are so easy to remove.
It occured to me that this seems like a strange reason to make wardrobe decisions...After all, you have to take your shoes off every time you put them on. [sbr] I was willing to deal with the hassle of putting on and taking off sneakers at the end of the day, but 2 times is 1 time too many. I'm going with flip flops. [/sbr] :P
Another somewhat trivial instance of stupid security was (against all odds) outside of the US (Mexico City). I had some problems that the check in guy was helping me with, and of course he checked my passport. When boarding started, the guy that checked me in had moved to the boarding area. To start boarding, he invited me by name to the front so I could be the first to board (which was fair because the airline screwed me over). As he had already checked my passport, I put it away in a bag. But when he started the boarding, he asked for my passport, with the explanation, "I know it may seem unnecessary, but it is for security."
Ultimately, I think he was just an asshole.
I'd like to beat all flip flop wearers with a baseball bat. ALL OF THEM.
Quote from: grumbler on May 10, 2011, 06:01:04 AM
Quote from: alfred russel on May 09, 2011, 10:23:29 PM
That is absurd. The rest of the world lets you keep your shoes on whatever you are wearing.
:lol: Fail truth much?
I've never had to remove my shoes when going through security, the most recent example being flying into and out of Heathrow last November. I've noticed, however, that women are more likely to be asked to remove their shoes - that might have to do with security concerns or with fetishes of the security crew.
Quote from: Syt on May 10, 2011, 11:01:46 AM
Quote from: grumbler on May 10, 2011, 06:01:04 AM
Quote from: alfred russel on May 09, 2011, 10:23:29 PM
That is absurd. The rest of the world lets you keep your shoes on whatever you are wearing.
:lol: Fail truth much?
I've never had to remove my shoes when going through security, the most recent example being flying into and out of Heathrow last November. I've noticed, however, that women are more likely to be asked to remove their shoes - that might have to do with security concerns or with fetishes of the security crew.
I didn't always have to remove my shoes when flying out of Incheon or around Asia. When I last left Korea I did, but when I flew to Vietnam from Korea I didn't.
For the record, grumbler is of course semantically correct when he disputes that "the rest of the world" (i.e. all countries except U.S.) doesn't make passengers take of shoes.
You only seem to have to remove your shoes when you have higher heels (e.g. in dress shoes for men or most shoes for women). And some airports will only use the metal detector on your shoes and you don't have to remove them. That said, I've not been in the US since 2008. I think I had to remove my shoes in Addis Ababa last year, but I can't remember removing them in Europe or Asia where I flew quite a bit in the last 2 years.
Dumbest story: I was flying back from London to Warsaw a couple of years ago, after having stayed Chez Brazen in London. We had gone to see the Priscilla Queen of the Desert musical in West End (where I purchased a fuschia feathered boa) and had drinks with garbon at some gay pub in Soho.
So, picture me, a snappily-dressed (garbon: shut up) succesful Polish lawyer walking to the luggage check at Heathrow, just one piece of hand luggage, coming home after a lovely weekend in London. And that fucking bitch picks up my bag and proceeds to remove every. fucking. single. item from it. Pink feathered boa. Gay porn magazines. The works. She didn't bat an eye.
Flying in and out of Vancouver, I only seem to have to remove my shoes when going to the US.
Hm, had no problems with either:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Feckladen24.eu%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F01%2FCamel-Active-140.12.-Herren-Halbschuhe.jpg&hash=dd4c7dca9f53cb5e14665e47938e09e51c3a7b40)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.getprice.com.au%2Fimages%2Fuploadimg%2F847%2F350__1_NEW-Ecco-HELSINKI-LACE-RAIL-50104---Black.jpg&hash=fbbf7e71b2a83d50fc5011709ce01f51e520083d)
Perhaps I was just "lucky". Or the people were afraid that I might have foot odour.
Quote from: Jacob on May 10, 2011, 11:24:17 AM
Flying in and out of Vancouver, I only seem to have to remove my shoes when going to the US.
Yeah, and they say Obama is not a muslim. :rolleyes:
Incidentally, don't you just love random checks? Yeah, strip search a respectable elderly Caucasian lady going to visit her grandchildren on a local flight, but do not as much as touch a bearded imam who bought a one way transatlantic flight ticket. :lol:
Quote from: Martinus on May 10, 2011, 11:27:04 AM
Incidentally, don't you just love random checks? Yeah, strip search a respectable elderly Caucasian lady going to visit her grandchildren on a local flight, but do not as much as touch a bearded imam who bought a one way transatlantic flight ticket. :lol:
I worked at the check-in counter in JFK for one day and we stamped every boarding pass for oneway travellers so they would be searched specifically. Also their luggage would usually be "oversize" no matter the size which was the signal to the TSA guys to pick it off the conveyor belt. The computer basically picked the people. Some were random, but some characteristics would always get you picked (e.g. oneway ticket, booked in the last 24 hours, paid with cash).
Quote from: Syt on May 10, 2011, 11:01:46 AM
I've never had to remove my shoes when going through security, the most recent example being flying into and out of Heathrow last November. I've noticed, however, that women are more likely to be asked to remove their shoes - that might have to do with security concerns or with fetishes of the security crew.
I had to remove shoes (as did everyone) at Heathrow in April, and a quick check of the internet tells one that Britain does this, Korea does this sometimes, Japan does it unless wearing specific types of shoes, etc.
Quote from: Syt on May 10, 2011, 11:19:49 AM
For the record, grumbler is of course semantically correct when he disputes that "the rest of the world" (i.e. all countries except U.S.) doesn't make passengers take of shoes.
For the record, yes, of course I am correct. I recently had experiences to demonstrate that the claim was false. Not just semantically false, but actually false. And, for the record, it is probably not very useful to draw distinctions between the meanings of words (semantics) and reality.
The only place I've ever faced an in-depth search was in the HK airport, returning from Thailand. I was walking by with my suitcase when I passed a customs officer. The customs officer looked at me, looked away, I looked away, then we both looked back at each other.... and I guess that was enough to make him stop me. Of course, he found nothing.
The moral: never make eye contact with these people unless they are speaking to you.
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on May 10, 2011, 12:21:27 PM
The only place I've ever faced an in-depth search was in the HK airport, returning from Thailand. I was walking by with my suitcase when I passed a customs officer. The customs officer looked at me, looked away, I looked away, then we both looked back at each other.... and I guess that was enough to make him stop me. Of course, he found nothing.
The moral: never make eye contact with these people unless they are speaking to you.
I think customs is an entirely different level of annoying than security. I wanted to toss out an apple I had bought at the airport in Nice and hadn't gotten around to eating, and had to wait in line 20 minutes at a special desk that apparently was set up just to handle people who wanted to toss food before going through customs.
Quote from: grumbler on May 10, 2011, 12:09:38 PM
Quote from: Syt on May 10, 2011, 11:01:46 AM
I've never had to remove my shoes when going through security, the most recent example being flying into and out of Heathrow last November. I've noticed, however, that women are more likely to be asked to remove their shoes - that might have to do with security concerns or with fetishes of the security crew.
I had to remove shoes (as did everyone) at Heathrow in April, and a quick check of the internet tells one that Britain does this, Korea does this sometimes, Japan does it unless wearing specific types of shoes, etc.
I was flying from Heathrow to Warsaw in February and did not have to remove my shoes. I suspect they do not always bother to check people flying on European flights (it's a different terminal than transatlantic flights, iirc).
Quote from: Martinus on May 10, 2011, 01:05:41 PM
I was flying from Heathrow to Warsaw in February and did not have to remove my shoes. I suspect they do not always bother to check people flying on European flights (it's a different terminal than transatlantic flights, iirc).
I went through the same terminal to go to France, and had to remove shoes then, too. I suspect that it is timing of security threats.
Quote from: grumbler on May 10, 2011, 01:06:49 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 10, 2011, 01:05:41 PM
I was flying from Heathrow to Warsaw in February and did not have to remove my shoes. I suspect they do not always bother to check people flying on European flights (it's a different terminal than transatlantic flights, iirc).
I went through the same terminal to go to France, and had to remove shoes then, too.
Ok then I guess it is random or maybe depends on the day.
Btw, were you going to Paris or some other part of France? If Paris, then why the hell did you fly? Taking a train would have been much faster.
Quote from: Martinus on May 10, 2011, 01:08:39 PM
Btw, were you going to Paris or some other part of France? If Paris, then why the hell did you fly? Taking a train would have been much faster.
Yes, we were flying to Paris. I suspect that, by the time we had traveled from Heathrow to London and taken the train, any time savings would have been lost.
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on May 10, 2011, 12:21:27 PM
The only place I've ever faced an in-depth search was in the HK airport, returning from Thailand. I was walking by with my suitcase when I passed a customs officer. The customs officer looked at me, looked away, I looked away, then we both looked back at each other.... and I guess that was enough to make him stop me. Of course, he found nothing.
The moral: never make eye contact with these people unless they are speaking to you.
Customs officers are trained to spot people looking fishy, and there are some very obvious clues but also some more subtle ones. You simply transmitted some of them and while looking back at him the second time may have been it, it could just aswell have been something entirely unrelated. I've looked plenty of them in the eyes (can't help myself, I am an observer by nature) and I've never been stopped even when I've been carrying contraband (IE 2 cartons instead of 1. :D )
Well. Aside from that time they wanted to confiscate my camera for taking photos at the arrival terminal in JFK. :blush:
Quote from: Slargos on May 10, 2011, 02:02:13 PM
Customs officers are trained to spot people looking fishy, and there are some very obvious clues but also some more subtle ones. You simply transmitted some of them and while looking back at him the second time may have been it, it could just aswell have been something entirely unrelated.
Probably so. But as I have no idea what those other clues I was transmitting might have been, I do at least know the eye contact thing *seemed* to set him off, and so I will avoid that little maneuver in the future. :P
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on May 10, 2011, 02:09:31 PM
Quote from: Slargos on May 10, 2011, 02:02:13 PM
Customs officers are trained to spot people looking fishy, and there are some very obvious clues but also some more subtle ones. You simply transmitted some of them and while looking back at him the second time may have been it, it could just aswell have been something entirely unrelated.
Probably so. But as I have no idea what those other clues I was transmitting might have been, I do at least know the eye contact thing *seemed* to set him off, and so I will avoid that little maneuver in the future. :P
... which will in turn risk making you look like you're intentionally avoiding eye contact because you know that you're guilty and that eye contact will give you up.
There's simply no way to win if you're the kind of person who's radiating the kind of signals they're looking for whether you're carrying or not. :D
Or rather, the only way to win is to try to relax, and not to play. :hmm:
Quote from: alfred russel on May 09, 2011, 10:14:59 PM
Quote from: Jacob on May 09, 2011, 10:10:31 PM
My mental picture of Alfred Russell has been recalibrated.
From what to what?
I basically have pictured you as mostly wearing 3-pc pinstripe suits. Or alternatively, a sweater and a bowtie.
One of the silly things is that at smaller airports with flights to the US, security is required to give the passengers a more through examination (or at least that used to be the case). So the guy in line ahead of me who was flying to Seattle got a good going over (shoes off, whisk thingie, examination of carry on etc. I, going to Vancouver, just put my carry on through the machine walked through the x-ray scanner and that was it.
We then sat almost next to eachother in the smallish waiting area.
Does anyone else see potential flaws in this system?
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 10, 2011, 04:05:34 PM
One of the silly things is that at smaller airports with flights to the US, security is required to give the passengers a more through examination (or at least that used to be the case). So the guy in line ahead of me who was flying to Seattle got a good going over (shoes off, whisk thingie, examination of carry on etc. I, going to Vancouver, just put my carry on through the machine walked through the x-ray scanner and that was it.
We then sat almost next to eachother in the smallish waiting area.
Does anyone else see potential flaws in this system?
The best was what I saw in Thailand - I know I've told this story before, but there, the customs guys searched your bags just like in a 1st world airport and then handed them back to you to carry to your plane, through the (unregulated) airport space. :lol:
Quote from: Martinus on May 10, 2011, 11:27:04 AM
Incidentally, don't you just love random checks? Yeah, strip search a respectable elderly Caucasian lady going to visit her grandchildren on a local flight, but do not as much as touch a bearded imam who bought a one way transatlantic flight ticket. :lol:
My guess is that the random elderly Caucasian ladies are screened to give the illusion of non-discriminatory screening, but anyone who looks like a bearded imam will also be "randomly" screened.
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on May 10, 2011, 12:21:27 PM
The only place I've ever faced an in-depth search was in the HK airport, returning from Thailand. I was walking by with my suitcase when I passed a customs officer. The customs officer looked at me, looked away, I looked away, then we both looked back at each other.... and I guess that was enough to make him stop me. Of course, he found nothing.
The moral: never make eye contact with these people unless they are speaking to you.
When I came back from the US one time, the customs agents in Hamburg were all lined up at the exit, checking arriving passengers. I think I was the only person from London who had two really big bags. Obviously I was picked and they found that I had smuggled quite a bit more stuff than was allowed so by law I would have to pay customs duty and maybe even a fine. But I pretended to be dumb and not knowing the customs regulations and they let me off with a stern reminder to read the customs regulations next time. :)
Quote from: Zanza2 on May 10, 2011, 04:17:21 PM
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on May 10, 2011, 12:21:27 PM
The only place I've ever faced an in-depth search was in the HK airport, returning from Thailand. I was walking by with my suitcase when I passed a customs officer. The customs officer looked at me, looked away, I looked away, then we both looked back at each other.... and I guess that was enough to make him stop me. Of course, he found nothing.
The moral: never make eye contact with these people unless they are speaking to you.
When I came back from the US one time, the customs agents in Hamburg were all lined up at the exit, checking arriving passengers. I think I was the only person from London who had two really big bags. Obviously I was picked and they found that I had smuggled quite a bit more stuff than was allowed so by law I would have to pay customs duty and maybe even a fine. But I pretended to be dumb and not knowing the customs regulations and they let me off with a stern reminder to read the customs regulations next time. :)
My impression of German law enforcement has been shattered. :cry:
Quote from: Martinus on May 10, 2011, 01:05:41 PM
Quote from: grumbler on May 10, 2011, 12:09:38 PM
Quote from: Syt on May 10, 2011, 11:01:46 AM
I've never had to remove my shoes when going through security, the most recent example being flying into and out of Heathrow last November. I've noticed, however, that women are more likely to be asked to remove their shoes - that might have to do with security concerns or with fetishes of the security crew.
I had to remove shoes (as did everyone) at Heathrow in April, and a quick check of the internet tells one that Britain does this, Korea does this sometimes, Japan does it unless wearing specific types of shoes, etc.
I was flying from Heathrow to Warsaw in February and did not have to remove my shoes. I suspect they do not always bother to check people flying on European flights (it's a different terminal than transatlantic flights, iirc).
I've been through Heathrow without taking off my shoes. Incidentally I'd say about half the time I have to take off my shoes after setting off metal detectors or for a random search (I tend to get randomly searched a lot). But the only country I know of where you 100% have to take off your shoes every time is the US. I'm sure there are others out there.
Quote from: Barrister on May 10, 2011, 04:21:32 PM
Quote from: Zanza2 on May 10, 2011, 04:17:21 PM
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on May 10, 2011, 12:21:27 PM
The only place I've ever faced an in-depth search was in the HK airport, returning from Thailand. I was walking by with my suitcase when I passed a customs officer. The customs officer looked at me, looked away, I looked away, then we both looked back at each other.... and I guess that was enough to make him stop me. Of course, he found nothing.
The moral: never make eye contact with these people unless they are speaking to you.
When I came back from the US one time, the customs agents in Hamburg were all lined up at the exit, checking arriving passengers. I think I was the only person from London who had two really big bags. Obviously I was picked and they found that I had smuggled quite a bit more stuff than was allowed so by law I would have to pay customs duty and maybe even a fine. But I pretended to be dumb and not knowing the customs regulations and they let me off with a stern reminder to read the customs regulations next time. :)
My impression of German law enforcement has been shattered. :cry:
German law enforcement,
it ain't what it used to be
ain't what it used to be
ain't what it used to be
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.willisms.com%2Farchives%2Fsegway%2520cops.jpg&hash=b3de8e7cc7d1da6b3204a5130281afc1e91a1ed1)
When I flew into Munich, Frankfurt, and London I had to go through pretty careful and thorough security.
When I flew into Rome the customs guys were like "ehhhhhhhhhhh!" and waved us through. :cool:
I have mixed feelings about Rome airport security though since they also let gypsies into Fiumicino. :mad:
Also, airport security in Mexico = joke.
Quote from: Malthus on May 10, 2011, 04:08:01 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 10, 2011, 04:05:34 PM
One of the silly things is that at smaller airports with flights to the US, security is required to give the passengers a more through examination (or at least that used to be the case). So the guy in line ahead of me who was flying to Seattle got a good going over (shoes off, whisk thingie, examination of carry on etc. I, going to Vancouver, just put my carry on through the machine walked through the x-ray scanner and that was it.
We then sat almost next to eachother in the smallish waiting area.
Does anyone else see potential flaws in this system?
The best was what I saw in Thailand - I know I've told this story before, but there, the customs guys searched your bags just like in a 1st world airport and then handed them back to you to carry to your plane, through the (unregulated) airport space. :lol:
I haven't seen that before (which is very stupid), but I've noticed that at a lot of less developed airports the alarms rarely seem to go off. Less passengers set off the metal detectors, and the carryon scanning doesn't catch anyone for further screening. I've had moments of panic when seeing a massive security line, one security screening station, only to find out that the line move extremely fast because you don't have to sort anything (shoes, laptop, etc) and they don't pull anyone out for extra screening.
Quote from: Barrister on May 10, 2011, 04:21:32 PM
Quote from: Zanza2 on May 10, 2011, 04:17:21 PM
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on May 10, 2011, 12:21:27 PM
The only place I've ever faced an in-depth search was in the HK airport, returning from Thailand. I was walking by with my suitcase when I passed a customs officer. The customs officer looked at me, looked away, I looked away, then we both looked back at each other.... and I guess that was enough to make him stop me. Of course, he found nothing.
The moral: never make eye contact with these people unless they are speaking to you.
When I came back from the US one time, the customs agents in Hamburg were all lined up at the exit, checking arriving passengers. I think I was the only person from London who had two really big bags. Obviously I was picked and they found that I had smuggled quite a bit more stuff than was allowed so by law I would have to pay customs duty and maybe even a fine. But I pretended to be dumb and not knowing the customs regulations and they let me off with a stern reminder to read the customs regulations next time. :)
My impression of German law enforcement has been shattered. :cry:
I just look too trustworthy. :goodboy:
I wonder how much stuff you'd have to buy to make shopping in the US to escape German VAT/sales taxes cost-effective. :hmm:
Airport security in Hue, Vietnam was pretty good for a third rate third-world airport. Baggage scans, metal detectors, and I got the full pat-down.
Mongolia, IIRC, wasn't as impressive. Sure, they had baggage scanners and so on, but I think the metal detector wasn't working when I went through. Meh, what's a terrorist gonna do, crash a 737 into a yurt?
I got a ridiculously relaxed baggage check in Morocco, when I flew from Casablanca to Madrid. The guy just grabbed my backpack, peeked inside, gave it a couple of pattings and sent me away with a smile.
The opposite was in a dinky two bit flight from Galway to Dublin. Everybody, including the flight crew, had to take off their shoes and go through the full mumbo-jumbo.
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on May 10, 2011, 12:21:27 PM
The only place I've ever faced an in-depth search was in the HK airport, returning from Thailand. I was walking by with my suitcase when I passed a customs officer. The customs officer looked at me, looked away, I looked away, then we both looked back at each other.... and I guess that was enough to make him stop me. Of course, he found nothing.
The moral: never make eye contact with these people unless they are speaking to you.
I have never, ever been stopped by customs at the HK airport. Not once, in my over 80 times back home.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on May 10, 2011, 04:54:28 PM
I wonder how much stuff you'd have to buy to make shopping in the US to escape German VAT/sales taxes cost-effective. :hmm:
Not much. An airline ticket can be bought for as little as 400 Euro. With the current dollar - euro exchange rate and the generally cheaper prices in the US, you might get out even when you buy stuff for maybe 1000 Euro or so. However, bringing back stuff worth more than 400 Euro (IIRC) will mean you have to pay import tax here. Or smuggle it. ;)
Quote from: grumbler on May 10, 2011, 12:12:42 PM
Quote from: Syt on May 10, 2011, 11:19:49 AM
For the record, grumbler is of course semantically correct when he disputes that "the rest of the world" (i.e. all countries except U.S.) doesn't make passengers take of shoes.
For the record, yes, of course I am correct. I recently had experiences to demonstrate that the claim was false. Not just semantically false, but actually false. And, for the record, it is probably not very useful to draw distinctions between the meanings of words (semantics) and reality.
Shut the fuck up, cunt.
Quote from: The Larch on May 11, 2011, 04:05:16 AM
The opposite was in a dinky two bit flight from Galway to Dublin. Everybody, including the flight crew, had to take off their shoes and go through the full mumbo-jumbo.
:huh:
Why did you bother flying from Galway to Dublin?
It only takes about 2 and half hours by train and I imagine it's a lot cheaper.
Quote from: Martinus on May 10, 2011, 11:23:06 AM
Dumbest story: I was flying back from London to Warsaw a couple of years ago, after having stayed Chez Brazen in London. We had gone to see the Priscilla Queen of the Desert musical in West End (where I purchased a fuschia feathered boa) and had drinks with garbon at some gay pub in Soho.
So, picture me, a snappily-dressed (garbon: shut up) succesful Polish lawyer walking to the luggage check at Heathrow, just one piece of hand luggage, coming home after a lovely weekend in London. And that fucking bitch picks up my bag and proceeds to remove every. fucking. single. item from it. Pink feathered boa. Gay porn magazines. The works. She didn't bat an eye.
To be honest, I have no memory of what you were wearing other than the pink boa. :P
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:30:27 AM
I'd like to beat all flip flop wearers with a baseball bat. ALL OF THEM.
I'm required to wear flip flops at work, as are the students. I hate it. :weep:
Gay porn magazines? :yeahright:
There's this little thing called the Internets, Mart. :showoff:
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:30:27 AM
I'd like to beat all flip flop wearers with a baseball bat. ALL OF THEM.
I was sad when I left college as I suddenly had to wear socks and shoes again. I spent several years in flip-flops alone.
Quote from: Caliga on May 11, 2011, 10:39:06 AM
Gay porn magazines? :yeahright:
There's this little thing called the Internets, Mart. :showoff:
IIRC, I believe he picked them up at the bar we were at.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 11, 2011, 10:34:24 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:30:27 AM
I'd like to beat all flip flop wearers with a baseball bat. ALL OF THEM.
I'm required to wear flip flops at work, as are the students. I hate it. :weep:
I loved that.
If/when I get a boring old desk job, I'm wearing flip-flops in my office.
I had a dream last night that my flight from Vancouver to Copenhagen got redirected through Armenia instead of Amsterdam. We had to fill out yellow visa applications, done in 1950s infographics style, with green permanent markers. Apparently it was winter in Armenia right now, but we were assured we didn't have to worry.
I woke up filled with misgivings.
Quote from: Jacob on May 11, 2011, 12:38:23 PM
I had a dream last night that my flight from Vancouver to Copenhagen got redirected through Armenia instead of Amsterdam.
I think that's called a hijacking. ;)
Quote from: Cerr on May 11, 2011, 09:58:07 AM
Quote from: The Larch on May 11, 2011, 04:05:16 AM
The opposite was in a dinky two bit flight from Galway to Dublin. Everybody, including the flight crew, had to take off their shoes and go through the full mumbo-jumbo.
:huh:
Why did you bother flying from Galway to Dublin?
It only takes about 2 and half hours by train and I imagine it's a lot cheaper.
Because:
1) It was the last stage of a long trip, preceded by two other flights, so I was mightly tired at that point.
2) I didn't have the time to go around taking trains.
3) My employer paid for it.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 11, 2011, 10:34:24 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:30:27 AM
I'd like to beat all flip flop wearers with a baseball bat. ALL OF THEM.
I'm required to wear flip flops at work, as are the students. I hate it. :weep:
Korean barbarians. <_<
Why would sandals be a requirement? :wacko:
Asians hate shoes indoors
But Tim is in charge. He should be able to do whatever the fuck he wants.
Quote from: Caliga on May 10, 2011, 04:10:03 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 10, 2011, 11:27:04 AM
Incidentally, don't you just love random checks? Yeah, strip search a respectable elderly Caucasian lady going to visit her grandchildren on a local flight, but do not as much as touch a bearded imam who bought a one way transatlantic flight ticket. :lol:
My guess is that the random elderly Caucasian ladies are screened to give the illusion of non-discriminatory screening, but anyone who looks like a bearded imam will also be "randomly" screened.
Thats what goes through my mind whenever I get pulled aside for a search. If there is a profile out there that says I am in anyway a danger that profiler needs to be fired.
Quote from: Caliga on May 11, 2011, 06:21:20 PM
But Tim is in charge. He should be able to do whatever the fuck he wants.
He's not though. Asians run the school.
If Tim was white, you might have a point.
Quote from: The Larch on May 11, 2011, 04:05:16 AM
The opposite was in a dinky two bit flight from Galway to Dublin. Everybody, including the flight crew, had to take off their shoes and go through the full mumbo-jumbo.
Yeah, but it's Ireland. If you have a planeload of Irish, the odds of having a terrorist on board are pretty close to 100%.
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 11, 2011, 06:28:42 PM
Thats what goes through my mind whenever I get pulled aside for a search. If there is a profile out there that says I am in anyway a danger that profiler needs to be fired.
Recently at a US airport I approached an empty security screening station with one person behind me: he looked to be about a 30 something arabic person, he had a non US passport (not sure the country), and it looked like it was his first time through security in the US as he didn't know what to do. The security team went over to help him organize his things for screening (take off shoes, jacket, remove laptop, etc) and told him a couple times that everyone has to do this, they aren't singling him out.
I got pulled for the naked scanner, he didn't. My guess is that a lot of the screeners just want to get through their days without complaints or trouble. I assume I get picked for screening for two reasons: #1, I'm usually a solo male traveler, which probably is a risk, and #2, screeners assume I'm a docile guy and I'm not going to make their lives difficult if they pick me.