Hi,
Couple of weeks back, my mom & I
went through the security checks
at Atlanta airport. When my mom walked
through, a beeping sound was heard and
the lady scanned her intensively.
She only had a watch and some jewelry.
What items cause the beeping noise?

I passed through w/o any noise
whatsoever.

Do things like bangles and gold
necklaces cause beeping? What about
keys?

Just trying to figure out what things
to not wear to avoid the lengthy checks.

Thank you for any advice!

For me strangely enough it was an underwire bra. I went through LAX with absolutely no metal on my body and kept beeping. When I got the full body scan I was quite embarassed to find out the wiring was the culprit. So that may be a consideration.

for me it was the damn bullet from Nam..
I was hit by a Viet Cong bullet during a raid in Da Nang. The damn thing is still in my skull. I love telling the story to those stupid security people at the check point. They have no idea... they don;t even know what Nam is.....

For me it was my damn aluminium foil skullcap that I use to keep out all of the voices.

My good Alden shoes have steel shanks in them (yes, even the loafers). They set off the beeper, but I've discovered that if I slide my feet through without raising them at all, no beeps. Seems like if I wanted to hide a weapon, I'd know where to put it.

Thanks, I'm actually serious and
it does look like the posters
are humorous.
Anyways, if you know of a website
that has information on what types
of things cause beeps, i'd appreciate
in knowing them.

Anne, I'm serious about the bra thing although it may sound funny! Have a good turky day!

Why do you need to see a website that tells you metallic objects will set off a metal detector? Furthermore, why does it matter if it beeps?

Einstein:
Finish school before taunting.
Not all metal objects will set off the airport metal detectors.
That's part of what confuses people.

My dear Newton, What metals or alloys are unlikely to set off a properly programmed walk-through pulsed-field metal detector which has been set to maximum sensitivity?

I understand the original question. To answer Einstein's last question -- I don't know, but I do know that in every security check I've been through some metals set it off and some don't. That is a fact, not a hypothesis.
I have never removed my watch which includes a metal band, yet it has never set off the detector. As I mentioned above, my shoes always set it off if I lift my feet at all off the floor. I have never removed a belt -- all of which have metal buckles, yet none has ever set off the beeper. Yet several times I have been wearing braces (suspenders)that button (not clasp) onto my trousers and the little metal adjusting buckles on those set off the beeper. I never remove my titanium eyeglasses and there is no problem. Keys in pockets seem to set if off as well as loose change, yet I've often gone through without removing a metal writing pen from my pocket and those have not set it off. So, do you see the point of the original question?

I was scanned 11/21/01 and my underwire bra made the scanner beep so something in some bras is causing the scanner to beep.

I also had a problem with the underwire in my bra - both at LAX and Ontario, CA. I have talked to other people who say this also happened to them at other airports.

I'm not sure what sets them off - for my trip last month, I was wearing a stainless steel Medic-Alert bracelet, three sterling silver wrist chains, two sterling silver anklets and two pair of sterling silver earrings - my usual "vacation" jewellery - and I never had a peep in any airport security machine ( nor do I ever make them beep). Go figure! Oh, I also wear an underwire bra.
ja

I have a metal rod (titanium, I think) from knee to ankle and it has never set off any of the walk-through metal detectors. Not in any airports, and I travel quite a bit. This last month I have been through Logan, DFW, & San Diego.

The thing is, when they run the hand scanner over it, it sets that thing off. Makes me wonder sometimes.

Believe it or not, I'm really not an "Einstein". One thing I do know how to do though is use the web to find answers to stuff I don't understand. Here are some sites I read when this question piqued my curiosity.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/airport-security.htm

http://www.howstuffworks.com/metal-detector1.htm

http://www.mwscientific.com/mw_scientific/secrets.html

My work associates and I travel often enough for travel to know that each check is different. Underwire bras and metal buttons seem to set off the beep and now some sensors are catching metal nails in women's shoe heels. My metal watch and earrings which are standard wear for me don't seem to be a problem but recently I was stopped because of the metal clasp that hooks the top of my slacks over the zipper! You never know these days. The best advice is, before you leave for the airport, remove all sharp objects from your carry on bags including metal nail files or manicure kits, razors, and swiss army knives and at the gate put your keys and change in the baskets or your bag going through on the belt. My co-worker had to get off the security line to fed-ex to himself a gift I gave him on the trip - a golf tee marker set which included the divet "pick" (don't know the real name). Better to put these items in your checked bag than carry it. It definitely takes more time to go through security checks but I feel better with them than without.

Thanks for all the responses
and for confirming that the
metal detectors "detection"
is not clear cut.

Anyways, I had a second question:
Has anyone checked-in baggage
with cooking utensils in them?

We're relocating and need to take
some cooking vessels, utensils, etc.

Thanks...