5 ms·

I have a suspicion that the TSAs unreasonable behaviour (unreasonable adherance to protocol) is due to them being subject to random performance tests where they

by ahakki 9y ago

I have a suspicion that the TSAs unreasonable behaviour (unreasonable adherance to protocol) is due to them being subject to random performance tests where they actually do send through enlderly women in wheelchairs with contraband straped to their butt and automatically flag them for extra search. Failing to detect the contraband in this case is probably punished in some way so the agents are forced to throw all common sense out the window when handling people[0] that have been flagged for additional screening. [0] People like me. I get flagged every single time I enter the United States.

madamelic 9y ago
Sorry everyone. Explaining this person's comment, this comment was on-topic but I deleted a huge personal story about going through security and seeing an elderly woman in a wheelchair getting flagged. My post got downvoted since the story was a bit rambly so I removed it. :)
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
tnorthcutt 9y ago
They do conduct undercover tests, and the TSA consistently fails them: http://abcnews.go.com/US/tsa-fails-tests-latest-undercover-operation-us-airports/story?id=51022188 http://abcnews.go.com/US/tsa-fails-tests-latest-undercover-o...
- bogomipz 9y ago
  Indeed things like guns go unnoticed in these tests but at least Americans are safe from the hazards regular sized containers of shampoo and toothpaste.
leggomylibro 9y ago
Is it worth the human cost? Anecdotally, my octagenarian grandmother outright refuses to fly anymore. Why? Because about a year ago she had to go through a 3-hour intensive screening/interview process which involved invasive searches because she had used hair spray that morning. Ridiculous. Knowing her, if she hadn't had a relative with her, she probably would have wound up in the hospital. And that's justified because the agency is afraid of failure? No, they have already failed beyond redemption IMO.
- nitwit005 9y ago
  Probably not. There's about 900 million passengers a year in the US (https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/press_releases/bts018_16 https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/press_releases/bts018_16), so if you assume a 15 minute wait, you can estimate number of lifetimes lost in line: ((((900,000,000 * 15) / 60) / 24) / 365.25) / 78.74 = 325.98. Not to say we should have no security, but I suspect we're past the point of doing more harm than good.
geezer 9y ago
> agents are forced to throw all common sense out the window when handling people It is not common sense but totally sensical. A grandma could have been threatened to strap it on her butt or her relative/friend gets it in the head.

by ahakki 9y ago

madamelic 9y ago

Sorry everyone. Explaining this person's comment, this comment was on-topic but I deleted a huge personal story about going through security and seeing an elderly woman in a wheelchair getting flagged. My post got downvoted since the story was a bit rambly so I removed it. :)

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

tnorthcutt 9y ago

They do conduct undercover tests, and the TSA consistently fails them: http://abcnews.go.com/US/tsa-fails-tests-latest-undercover-operation-us-airports/story?id=51022188 http://abcnews.go.com/US/tsa-fails-tests-latest-undercover-o...

bogomipz 9y ago
Indeed things like guns go unnoticed in these tests but at least Americans are safe from the hazards regular sized containers of shampoo and toothpaste.

leggomylibro 9y ago

Is it worth the human cost? Anecdotally, my octagenarian grandmother outright refuses to fly anymore. Why? Because about a year ago she had to go through a 3-hour intensive screening/interview process which involved invasive searches because she had used hair spray that morning. Ridiculous. Knowing her, if she hadn't had a relative with her, she probably would have wound up in the hospital. And that's justified because the agency is afraid of failure? No, they have already failed beyond redemption IMO.

nitwit005 9y ago
Probably not. There's about 900 million passengers a year in the US (https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/press_releases/bts018_16 https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/press_releases/bts018_16), so if you assume a 15 minute wait, you can estimate number of lifetimes lost in line: ((((900,000,000 * 15) / 60) / 24) / 365.25) / 78.74 = 325.98. Not to say we should have no security, but I suspect we're past the point of doing more harm than good.

geezer 9y ago

> agents are forced to throw all common sense out the window when handling people It is not common sense but totally sensical. A grandma could have been threatened to strap it on her butt or her relative/friend gets it in the head.