Nipple Rings Cause Airport Security Issue

[Kacey]

To return to the original topic - I think that mistakes were made all around. I have no idea what attitude Ms. Hamlin displayed, so I cannot speak to that. However, any screening that required removal of clothing to expose the breasts should have been limited to same-gender screeners. That one of the piercings required pliers to remove it points out the idiocy of this event in general - if Ms. Hamlin needed pliers to get it out, it seems highly unlikely that she have been able to threaten anyone with it on the plane.

 

[Twin Fist]

fair enough boss.

And and thanks for your service BTW I dont think veterans hear that enough

and if you survived Olongapo, you're ok in my book. But when i smell it, i call it. And this thread was getting thick with it.

 

[kidswarrior]

fair enough boss.

And and thanks for your service BTW I dont think veterans hear that enough

and if you survived Olongapo, you're ok in my book. But when i smell it, i call it. And this thread was getting thick with it.

Now you're sounding like a knowledgeable patriot and a vet with some real-world experience. :asian: Thanks for your gratitude and posts.

 

[Twin Fist]

i left a LOT of myself in O'PO back int he day, i know of what you speak

 

[arnisador]

That TSA worker needs to either be fired or retrained, because IMHO, there was no reason to make this woman do what she did. At the most, going into a private area to show the worker, and using a hand held detector would have been fine.

I don't know...they have to be sure what's setting off the detector. But yes, a hand-held wand almost surely could've done that.

 

[CanuckMA]

I don't know...they have to be sure what's setting off the detector. But yes, a hand-held wand almost surely could've done that.

But that's the thing. The detector didn't go off. She was screened with a handheld anyway. The handheld went off in front of her chest. Once she tells the screener that she has piercings, all that is needed is a visual inspection in a private space by a same sex screener. No need to remove the jewlery.

I fly a lot. I carry pens and pencils in my computer bag. I also have an Epi-pen. I can do a whole lot more damage with those than with a nipple ring. Heck, we let people on with bootles of booze purchased at the duty free. I can't carry on a pair of tweezers, but some idiot can come on board with a glass bottle?

 

[shesulsa]

The strange things are:

1. Most jewelry doesn't set of metal detectors anyway, but I've noticed at PDX they have the MDs turned to such a sensitivity that just about any metal of a certain gauge or above will set them off. I'm thinking this lady's jewelry may have been the less expensive kind - made of surgical steel rather than silver, gold, platinum or titanium.

2. Why did she need to be inspected by males? Why would a woman send her to be visually inspected by males? And again, why would she have to remove it? Did they think she was hiding C4 in her breast?

If this had happened to me, I'd give a little attitude ... and make a phone call to my lawyer.

 

[MJS]

I don't know...they have to be sure what's setting off the detector. But yes, a hand-held wand almost surely could've done that.

My appologies. I didn't read my post as well as I should've before I hit submit. What I meant to say was, at the least, (not the most) they should have done was take her to a private area, with a same sex screener and use the hand held wand. But, to have her take them, or attempt to take them out...I'm sorry, but there was no need for that IMHO.

 

[MJS]

But that's the thing. The detector didn't go off. She was screened with a handheld anyway. The handheld went off in front of her chest. Once she tells the screener that she has piercings, all that is needed is a visual inspection in a private space by a same sex screener. No need to remove the jewlery.

And that is a question that is an important one. Why was she screened a 2nd time, if she passed thru without issue the first time? I'm not as frequent a flyer as some, so I may not know the answer to this but, do they randomly pick people to hand screen, even if they pass thru the initial large machine without issue?

I fly a lot. I carry pens and pencils in my computer bag. I also have an Epi-pen. I can do a whole lot more damage with those than with a nipple ring. Heck, we let people on with bootles of booze purchased at the duty free. I can't carry on a pair of tweezers, but some idiot can come on board with a glass bottle?

Exactly!!!

 

[Twin Fist]

Well, the really important question is, was she hot?


kidding,

Have they been fired yet?

 

[Ping898]

And that is a question that is an important one. Why was she screened a 2nd time, if she passed thru without issue the first time? I'm not as frequent a flyer as some, so I may not know the answer to this but, do they randomly pick people to hand screen, even if they pass thru the initial large machine without issue?

Yes. Some of that is done on the TSA line and some of it is done when you get your ticket....ever see SSSS on your ticket, 99.9% chance you will get extra screening even if you never set off any alarms....

 

[The Last Legionary]

Well, the really important question is, was she hot?


kidding,

Have they been fired yet?

Truly, you have a dizzing intellect.

I always set off the machine when I go through, but I refuse to show any guy my goods. The Monster isn't a display item, and not just any government goon gets to see him.

On a serious note, these continued invasions of our privacy do nothing but give the illusion of safety. Guns and drugs and other things still are making it on the planes, and they are worried about some woman's ****. Maybe it's just me, but the priority seems misplaced.

 

[CanuckMA]

And that is a question that is an important one. Why was she screened a 2nd time, if she passed thru without issue the first time? I'm not as frequent a flyer as some, so I may not know the answer to this but, do they randomly pick people to hand screen, even if they pass thru the initial large machine without issue?

Yes. I've been wanded and even patted down even without setting off the metal detector. It's a random thing.

 

[MJS]

Yes. Some of that is done on the TSA line and some of it is done when you get your ticket....ever see SSSS on your ticket, 99.9% chance you will get extra screening even if you never set off any alarms....

Yes. I've been wanded and even patted down even without setting off the metal detector. It's a random thing.

Thank you both for that clarification.

Mike

 

[Twin Fist]

having to go through metal detectors is better than not

from a security point of view.

that cant really be debated

 

[Bob Hubbard]

No, and I don't think anyone is debating it. I think the point here was the violation of privacy and lack of sensitivity in this particular matter.

The other thing is, while metal detectors detect, metal, they do not detect, obsidian.
So the item below, which is as sharp as a scalpel would be missed. It's much more effective as a weapon than, oh, nail files, knitting needles and those infamous box cutters were.

 

[arnisador]

Well, that's one reason they're working on the x-ray scatter devices, which would reveal those.

The obsidian breaks pretty easily on use but yeah it's better than nothing.

 

[Twin Fist]

man, thats a serious knife

 

[Sukerkin]

As a minor technical thread diversion, isn't it the case that the metal detectors only pick up on ferrous metals? I ask because I've been through quite a number of them at airports and whilst on jury service and none of them have ever reacted to the Terminator amount of titanium and platinum buried inside me.

 

[Ping898]

As a minor technical thread diversion, isn't it the case that the metal detectors only pick up on ferrous metals? I ask because I've been through quite a number of them at airports and whilst on jury service and none of them have ever reacted to the Terminator amount of titanium and platinum buried inside me.

I think some of that depends on the sensitivity or even the type of the metal detector you are walking through...but also I was always under the impression that they were attuned for the type of metal things like guns and other weapons are made of...