4 ms·

But loads of the stuff the TSA confiscates is hidden - it's probably just hidden because the TSA is really annoying, and people want to take their e.g. pistol t

by twtw 8y ago

But loads of the stuff the TSA confiscates is hidden - it's probably just hidden because the TSA is really annoying, and people want to take their e.g. pistol to their destination.

thaumasiotes 8y ago
And our best estimate of their rate of taking hidden stuff is 4%. The fact that they catch a lot of stuff doesn't mean they're getting more than 4% of stuff.
int_19h 8y ago
No sane person would pack a handgun in carry-on baggage on purpose (the potential hassle if discovered is just too big). When stuff like that happens, it's usually either because people aren't aware or forgot that they're not supposed to do it - might sound strange, but it really happens - or it was a mistake while packing.
- twtw 8y ago
  By hidden, I wasn't referring to guns just left in bags. The TSA calls it "artful concealment" - stuff like guns taped to steel plates (for X-ray shadow) or knives stuck in the bottom of deodorant. Maybe those people just forgot it, but that's a pretty weird thing to do at any time. I don't see how sane plays into it - either they are sane and accidentally have a gun in their bag, or they are insane. How can you filter by sanity? Point is, probably most of the people with guns, swords, etc are not malicious, but I haven't seen any statistics on that, only this 95% cited over and over again.
  - int_19h 8y ago
    How often does that happen, though? I can't even recall last time I heard of a case of someone deliberately trying to conceal a gun or a knife in luggage.
    - twtw 8y ago
      198 artfully concealed items found in 2017: https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2018/01/29/tsa-year-review-record-amount-firearms-discovered-2017 https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2018/01/29/tsa-year-review-record-a.... That's pretty extremely rare, given the number of people who go through TSA screens ever year. I'd recommend reviewing the link though, as that number includes things you might not think are deliberate attempts to hide stuff (swords in canes?).

by twtw 8y ago

But loads of the stuff the TSA confiscates is hidden - it's probably just hidden because the TSA is really annoying, and people want to take their e.g. pistol to their destination.

thaumasiotes 8y ago

And our best estimate of their rate of taking hidden stuff is 4%. The fact that they catch a lot of stuff doesn't mean they're getting more than 4% of stuff.

int_19h 8y ago

No sane person would pack a handgun in carry-on baggage on purpose (the potential hassle if discovered is just too big). When stuff like that happens, it's usually either because people aren't aware or forgot that they're not supposed to do it - might sound strange, but it really happens - or it was a mistake while packing.

twtw 8y ago
By hidden, I wasn't referring to guns just left in bags. The TSA calls it "artful concealment" - stuff like guns taped to steel plates (for X-ray shadow) or knives stuck in the bottom of deodorant. Maybe those people just forgot it, but that's a pretty weird thing to do at any time. I don't see how sane plays into it - either they are sane and accidentally have a gun in their bag, or they are insane. How can you filter by sanity? Point is, probably most of the people with guns, swords, etc are not malicious, but I haven't seen any statistics on that, only this 95% cited over and over again.
- int_19h 8y ago
  How often does that happen, though? I can't even recall last time I heard of a case of someone deliberately trying to conceal a gun or a knife in luggage.
  - twtw 8y ago
    198 artfully concealed items found in 2017: https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2018/01/29/tsa-year-review-record-amount-firearms-discovered-2017 https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2018/01/29/tsa-year-review-record-a.... That's pretty extremely rare, given the number of people who go through TSA screens ever year. I'd recommend reviewing the link though, as that number includes things you might not think are deliberate attempts to hide stuff (swords in canes?).