Michael

<i>I wouldn't worry about scanners unless one is travelling alot.. a yearly trip to Europe likely is not going to be considered excessive exposure.</i>

I do not travel a lot, but have a chance of being scanned at the airport more often than I get x-rayed at the dentist's (and I do not have a cell phone). If I had to choose between the two, wouldn't it be better to choose the dental x-ray which might reveal hidden problems with my teeth than the personally useless airport scan?

The way I look at the pat down, the person doing it should be more embarrassed about patting down an old man than the old man being patted down.

seeker777

I agree with you Michael. I don't understand why some think it's no biggie to be subjected to unnecessary radiation, when they could avoid it via a pat down.

Gretchen

What a crock!! Pat downs. Time to do it? Sure, waiting in line is SO much fun.

socialworker

I came thru Terminal 2 at CDG 8 days ago outbound to USA and went thru a metal detector. I set it off twice--or so I thought--but a VERY polite young woman security person said to me, "May I check you?" and then she told me, again, very politely in English, "Just a random check" and said something else very kind and reassuring. I saw only metal detectors where we were, no scanners.

crckwc1

Don't remember CDG's security but I've been body scanned, wanded, and patted down all over the US and western Europe and guess what? I lived through it all, my dignity and self-worth completely intact. As for the radiation, I believe it to be a drop in the bucket compared to the CTs, PETs, X-rays, etc., that I've had to have so, for me, the airport security screening is a non-issue.

Michael

<i>Sure, waiting in line is SO much fun.</i>

No line. Most people take the scanner. The wait is about 5 to maybe 10 minutes. If you are in such a rush, you did not plan your airport time properly.

Askar01

<i>"Third, if you are American, the 4th Amendment protects you against “unreasonable searches” & since the scanners subject people to radiation,I think these scanners are an “unreasonable search"</i>

The French authorities don't give a flying f... about your 4th amendment. While on French soil you must comply to French laws and regulations, regardless of your nationality. American citizens are not entitled to special treament.

MaisiePlague

But I guess that foreigners flying out of the USA would be covered by the 4th Amendment?

socialworker

Note to crc---don't be sanguine about the "drop in the bucket" of radiation. These machines are not well monitored and may be giving off way more radiation than they allege them to be. My very laid back DIL who is in the medical profession absolutely refuses to ever be scanned.

Dr_DoGood

Well for goodness sake don't ever visit Cornwall then - the high levels of background radiation (from naturally occurring Radon) mean that no nuclear sites can be built there - the sites would already exceed legal radiation limits before they opened, and the natural topsoil and rock should all be disposed of as low-level nuclear waste.

Still I think the Cornish are fine. Annhig? Are you glowing?

Dr D.

annhig

Well for goodness sake don't ever visit Cornwall then - the high levels of background radiation (from naturally occurring Radon) mean that no nuclear sites can be built there - the sites would already exceed legal radiation limits before they opened, and the natural topsoil and rock should all be disposed of as low-level nuclear waste.>>

i haven't can't confirm all that you say, Dr. D, but it is certainly true that we have periodic warnings about Radon drop through the letter box and that all new houses have to be built with radon traps. The thinking is that it does increase the incidence of cancer but by a very small %.

we just open the doors and windows in the hope that it'll make its own way out into the atmosphere.

nukesafe

In my not so humble opinion, the radiation issue is a non issue. While it is probably true that any increase in radiation can be harmful, and is true that the effects of ionizing radiation is cumulative, the amount delivered by these scanning devices is so minimal as to be inconsequential.

You will receive more of a radiation dose from the flight than you do from the machine, as dose from cosmic rays increases with altitude. You will get more radiation dose from gaining a few pounds than from the machine, as everyone has Potassium-40, which is naturally radioactive, in their body.

I'd worry much more about the unnecessary radiation exposures delivered from diagnostic x-rays that doctors and dentists push to increase their revenue streams.

Nikki

So that explains Ann's glow! I won't have to speculate about any other causes then.

Dr_DoGood

Well, it's either that or she enjoys her Ready-brek!

kerouac

Nukesafe is correct: anybody who is afraid of radiation shouldn't be flying in the first place, because we all get fried 30,000 feet up in the air.

annhig

So that explains Ann's glow! I won't have to speculate about any other causes then.>>


it's the healthy cornish air, Nikki!

seeker777

I appreciate the constructive & informative responses. I agree with socialworker: we do not know the amount of radiation emitted by these machines. Interesting that your DIL who is in the medical profession absolutely refuses to ever be scanned.

I’ve lived in France & have traveled worldwide, so not a novice. I’ve been reading the Fodor’s forums for years, but seldom post. I don’t think I’ve read a Fodor’s thread with so many smug, sarcastic & condescending responses to a question seeking a purely factual answer. Again, Thank You to those who gave helpful responses.

kerouac

Well, you have not read many Fodor's posts, then!

DebitNM

I was at CDG on Wednesday - Terminal 1. Flying SAS to CPH. They did indeed have a body scanner, same kind I went through at ORD. Step in, hands up, smile, walk out.

The bigger problem was dealing with poor signage in there, hard to find Hall 4 and then to get to the right line once there.