this post was submitted on 15 Dec 2024
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[–] [email protected] 184 points 1 week ago (6 children)

The "agents" always swear the rules are the same everywhere even though I was just in the other airport a few hours ago and no they aren't!

[–] [email protected] 99 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"This is how it's always done, sir... on the second Tuesdays of months with an even number of days and for the full duration of Toyotathon. Now don't make me repeat myself: laptop under the bag and over the shoes or we cavity search you."

[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Oh gosh, that's my bad. I forgot we were in Toyotathon; I thought Happy Honda Days had started already!

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 week ago (1 children)

They overlap every 7 years but only for 6 days

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Random Antiterrorism Measures

The Random Antiterrorism Measure (RAM) program uses random, multiple security measure that change the look of an installation’s force protection program and introduce uncertainty to defeat surveillance attempts and make it difficult for a terrorist to accurately predict security actions.

“A unit could conduct random antiterrorism measures by checking parking lots, conducting bag checks and ID cards in locations where that is not the normal security posture,” said Ann Moree, security manager, DPTMS.

This is basically what's going on. The theory is that by making changes to the process it will be more difficult for someone to plan a way to defeat it (not really true, as several TSA pentests have shown).

There's also this classic quote attributed to a German general during WWII:

War is Chaos, and the reason why the American Army excels at War is because they practice Chaos on a daily basis.

It may look like the front-line guys have no idea what's going on, and that might actually be true. If they have no idea what's going on, neither will anybody observing their activities.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I had not considered that. It sounds like it's actually a sound precaution, or would be if TSA weren't so incredibly incompetent and the threat so exaggerated.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I think this kind of reasoning just desperately tries to find reason in insanity.

You're basically implying that the coordinated uncertainty is so incredibly good at being covert, that it's absolutely indistinguishable from underpaid incompetence and power tripping pettiness.

Maybe I'm not giving enough credit to government agencies, but actual incompetence and artisanal pettiness seem to be more likely to me than a planned behavior.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That would matter if 'screwing up' had any bearing on the outcome, which isn't the case because the TSA is just security theater. If they mix up the order and the result is just making you do whatever the thing is, then it is just wasted time with the same end result and security is NOT improved.

This is just incompetence and shitty training.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 week ago

If the rules are the same everywhere, they would do what every other competent place that has procedures that need to be followed does, and post them at the front. The fact that a TSA bitch has to stand there and tell you what to do means they've already failed.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yes, they are. The rule is: No matter what you do, you’ll be called a dumb bitch.

This rule is universal and the whole point of the TSA.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago

They seem to relax the rules when it's really busy... Like wait... Isn't that when an attack would be the most dangerous meaning security would be even more important rather than less?

Goes to show how pointless most of it is.

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[–] [email protected] 95 points 1 week ago (9 children)

I have pre-check, which means I get to keep belt, shoes, and jacket on. Except one random time when this butthead TSA agent insisted I remove my jacket. I fought him on it, but he was an arrogant guy. Read your own rules dumb, dumb.

Also, they obsess over my bottle of contact solution regularly — wipe it down for bomb residue and everything, even though it is allowed. But, somehow I’ve accidentally slipped through with pocket knives and zippo lighters that were at the bottom of my bag. But, don’t you dare forget to empty your water bottle.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I use the same laptop bag for several trips a year, so I often don’t clear out all the pockets. The other day I realized I’ve been flying back and forth with a lighter I got from Vegas 2 years ago because it was buried at the bottom of a pocket. As for why the hell I had it in my laptop bag in the first place, I have no idea.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 week ago

Because it's all nothing but a circus.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago

a YouTuber I watch once had a spent bullet casing at the bottom of his bag for YEARS and tsa found it after he went on like 10 flights with it

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[–] [email protected] 70 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Last time I flew I started taking my electronics out of my carry-on (which was filled with a ridiculous amount of electronics) and a TSA agent told me to stop. I showed her inside the bag and said "you're not gonna be able to see everything unless I take it out" and she just rolled her eyes and repeated herself. Then they had to take my bag and individually swipe everything for bomb residue because they weren't able to see everything with the scanner...

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Well, I hope you've learned your lesson

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The lesson that the TSA will just say things and ignore reason?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

The lesson is that you know it's a sham, the TSA knows it's a sham, but you're intent in following through

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (3 children)

You sound like you didn't learn the lesson. Tut.

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[–] [email protected] 56 points 1 week ago (5 children)

I don't understand why they don't have a sign at the entrance to security to tell you what to expect. Or, when it changes by which line you go to, why they don't have a sign indicating the differences between lines.

Instead, they wait for someone to make a mistake, then yell out their mistake like "ALL ELECTRONICS MUST COME OUT OF YOUR BAG" at the same time as someone the next line over is yelling "ELECTRONICS DO NOT NEED TO COME OUT OF YIUR BAGS".

TSA is infuriatingky inconsistent and incomprehensible, even for someone who travels frequently.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (2 children)

This is due to the scanners.

Newer scanners don’t need electronics out, older ones do.

Unfortunately, they don’t replace them ALL at an airport at the same time, leading to inconsistency…

My current major airport I fly through doesn’t open pre check until 9am, which is a pain, cause I have to print a paper ticket to get my precheck privileges in the normal lines

Which causes chaos cause I don’t have to do things others do

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 1 week ago (8 children)

every time I go through TSA it says "anomaly detected" at my waist and I need to be patted down. I'm trans so... correct I guess.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Hi! I used to get to second base with the TSA every time. Apparently the machine has issues with loose fit clothes or even long hair if it's down. Since taking this to heart no one has asked to swipe my ass for bombs.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"Right. Just hold still. I need to check your genitalia for something."

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago

Ah yes, the penis detector.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago (3 children)

For this reason, and for sexual assault survivors, and for our dignity, naked photography and pat downs should not exist.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Hahaha yeah - it’s great that every time I fly, there’s a 1 in 3 chance that I’m outed to some sour faced stranger who will get to grope me.

I will take Amtrak for three times the travel time to avoid TSA.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

There's a good Philosophy Tube quote for this. (the presenter is a trans woman).

Apparently the operator of the scanner has to choose if you're a man or a woman, so "Either my tits are the bomb or there's an unexpected item in the shagging area"

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Last time I flew I wore jeans that fit super well on the way out and kinda loose jeans that I needed a belt to keep up on the return. The loose jeans set off an anomaly in the groin area and both me and the TSA agent shared a collective "I don't want to be doing this right now but this is what we have to do"

Anyways my point is, I think it comes down to the fit of your clothing, if it's more form fitting it's less likely to be detected as an anomaly. But also the machine is sensitive enough to detect when I've forgotten a receipt in my back pocket and will yell about a tiny scrap of thermal paper so I suppose it would detect any anomalies in one's body

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I’ve got a constant runny nose and always have used but still useful (I’m a gremlin, don’t at me) kleenexes in my pockets. They let you keep those on your person, lol.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Yeah they don't force you to toss it if you have a scrap of trash in your pocket that you forgot about but they do make a stink about you having it because how dare you

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[–] [email protected] 50 points 1 week ago (5 children)

It's not even policies changing, it seems to be based solely on the scanning hardware they have.

Some airports have different scanners and you can leave them in the bag. Others it needs to be separate, and every electronic device has to be in a separate box.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 week ago (1 children)

At some airports it varies by which line you're in and they yell conflicting instructions within earshot of all of the lines.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago

I've had conflicting instructions in the same line.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Yup, flew international out of JFK in march of this year. The whole line, signs say “remove jackets, remove shoes, remove electronics from your bags”. While moving through the line, start to get everything out to be more efficient. Close to the end, I get diverted to another line with a much bigger scanner and the guy yells at me PUT YOUR ELECTRONICS BACK IN YOUR BACKPACK. LEAVE YOUR SHOES AND BELT ON.

Like duh, I would have not gotten everything ready if there weren’t 20 signs telling me to do so.

Flew again out of JFK internationally 3 days ago, same thing, tons of signs saying to do the same thing. This time, I’m not taking out shit, idk what they’re going to say. Sure enough, get to the actual scanner and this time I do have to take out all my electronics, shoes off, etc in the sheep herding line which would have been way faster if I had done it in line.

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[–] [email protected] 49 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Seriously, there's no standardization to the security theater hoops that the TSA forces you to jump through. Every airport is different, and the TSA guys always look so exasperated that you don't know the routine. I guess that's the point, that on any given day the rules might be different so that potential terrorists will have a harder time finding gaps in security, but it makes it a frustrating experience as a regular non-terrorist passenger.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 days ago

I travel for work and it's absolutely not the TSA playing the long game to keep us on our toes, it's absolute lack of standards gear and incompetence.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago

Since its all make believe anyway and they have never stopped a single terrorist they may as well make it convenient for everyone else by making it standard.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 week ago

“Haha look at this asshole taking off his shoes, doesn’t he know we don’t have to do that anymore?”

the man says while taking off his belt to prepare for the newly introduced rectal scan

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Had some dude in DFW act like I was both deaf and retarded when I asked him if my laptop had to be in a separate bin, lol….. it changes every time I swear

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (4 children)

I got through Des Moines with a laptop in my carry-on no problem, but I got blue glove frisked in front of everyone because my bra had too many straps on the back.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (6 children)

I actually got an sarcastic "Is this your first time flying?" The last trip I went on because I didn't take some protein bars out of my pockets.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 week ago

Just reply 'yes'.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago

Typical rookie mistake. What if you hyper-proteinate while inflight and then became too strong to control, like a protein hulk?

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