You are not going to believe this one. Upon my return to DTWO from ORD, (it took 4 hours to get there thanx to good ol' AA's flight delays) I was yelled at by the TSA Security staff for putting my boots (nice, tall, black, leather) inside of one of the bins - you know, the ones that we've been told to PUT OUR SHOES IN FOR THE LAST YEAR!!!

He said that the salt/dirt from outside on my boots would corroad the belt on the xray machine!

At that point I would've been sorely tempted to throttle somebody also! It sounds like you were at the end of your rope and the TSA person was having an awfully bad day as well.

Take a deep breath -- you're home, and they are still stuck at the airport (hehehe)...

Something is not clear. How would the boots touch the belt if they are in the bin?

Another act from "Security Theatre"

My colleague flies with her 11-month old often. It has not happened to her here in Houston, but when they flew out of PHX last week, TSA asked - not sure if the mom or the baby - to take the baby's shoes off.

I told my colleague she should just put the baby through the X-ray machine. So much easier.

No, they should have put the TSA through the machine so we could get the results from the "head examination!"

Wasn't just a month or two ago where someone DID put a baby through the X ray machine and they were arrested? Why do I think this was in St. Louis....off to google....

sfamylou - Yes, and that's why I made that comment!

Dukey - that would be a pointless exercise. We already know the results.

My husband just called me. He had just gone through security and was waiting at the gate for his flight.

The TSA agent asked him who the sixteenth president was! And DH knew that it was Lincoln. He thinks she was trying to be funny but he wasn't in the mood for it.

TSA is bizarre.

Not only are they bizarre, but the are indifferent and calloused.

I wonder if they could aspire to be even a bag boy at a major supermarket? I don't think I would want them bagging my groceries. They would put the eggs under the vegetable cans.

I have an artiticial hip made of titanium and whatever. I always touch off the alarm and always we go through the same routine.

First purgatory while I wait for a "male assist" to find his way over. Then we do the spread eagle wanding crap.

Once I went through the gate and the bell goes ding dong. I go to purgatory and wait. Finally some clown who looks like he does not know the difference between a tibia and cranium comes over to check me out. His first comment: "Wassa trouble?" My response: "I have an artificial hip." His next question: "Yeah? Where bout's?"

I decided it was time to stop talking and start pointing.

In Switzerland and the UK, the response to my ringing the bell was quite simple: "Sir may I feel of your hip." After a quick search, the inspector courteously said, "Have a good flight." Case resolved in 15 seconds with no dramatic fanfare or theatrical histrionics American style.

In Germany, the inspector just laughed and waved me through. My shiny piece of titanium lit up the x-ray machine like a beacon. I saw the picture. It was very pretty!! Nice round knob stuck in a nice bright acetablum.

I might add than when the German forces checked us out, we knew we had been checked! It was quick, thorough, professional, and courteous. None of the hysterical process with yelling, confusion, surliness and whatnot that goes on in an American airport.

What TSA represents is a total disgrace.
They are incompetent, rude, and surly. I think those must be the two most important aspects of the hiring process. Smart and polite folks will cause trouble.

Smart and polite folks probably wouldn't consider working for a cockamamie operation like the TSA. It would seem to attract the sort of petty tyrants who enjoy having the power to arbitrarily inflict inconvenience and indignity on whoever they feel like. I'd put them in the same league as parking enforcement officers, whose only possible satisfaction in an utterly thankless job comes from exercising their power to arouse anger and ruin someone's day with a stroke of their pen.

I don't understand about the dirt on the boots in the bin causing problems with the conveyor belt ..?

I hope no one asks me a question about which president was which, by the time I am at that part of our trip, I am not sure what my own name is

Luckily, we have had no problems at all with TSA people..hope that luck lasts!

JBHapgood,

Don't blame the people at the bottom of the pole. For them it's a steady job. They have not been trained properly. The last time I went through security, they confiscated a toothpaste tube that was only a quarter full with the rest flattened out but allowed me a prescription cream in a full tube that was the same size as the toothpaste tube. I had not placed those items in a ziplock bag just to be contrary. They opened my toiletry bag, put the required items in a ziplock bag after the items had gone through the screening machine (I could have walked ten feet and taken them out again without suffering any consequences). The supervisor was telling the screener what to do.

<<I had not placed those items in a ziplock bag just to be contrary.>>

No wonder we are stuck in long lines!

I've never had any problems with the TSA people. The only thing that makes me cranky are travelers who are unprepared at the security checkpoint.

I apologize for my original confusing posting - but my instructions by the TSA were so il-logical (?) that I was confused myself.

When I attempted to put my boots in the bin I was yelled at by the TSA - they said that the salt was going to "eat up" everyone elses coats, shoes, etc....

Therefore, I asked; "where then, should I put my boots"....in which the nice TSA man responded....don't put them on the belt, it will corroad the xray machine belt. ok, now I was really confused, so I just put the boots on the belt.

The lovely TSA gentleman was leaning with one bent elbow on the top of the xray machine, the side of his face stuck to his balled up hand while he was speaking. He did not even look at my boarding pass and ID as I walked thru the screening!!!

He just continued to lean and bark out orders to everyone about where not to put their shoes.

I was quite amazed.

Sorry, I have to continue...though I was amazed at the scenerio that I just witnessed, not so much as when I went through the Grand Rapids screening process and the lady that was checking boarding passes and id's WAS KNITTING A BLANKET!!!!

I feel better now....

wtm003,

I have not noticed that travelers having their person and luggage hand-checked for whatever reason (my film bag always forces a hand check) slow up the lines in any way. We are pulled over to the side.

Anyone who is not prepared, has to move something into or out of a bin, pulled to the side or requires additional instruction holds up the line. Whether its the TSA agent's or travelers fault.

When I was going through security at Charles de Gaulle airport last November, I automatically put my shoes in the bin. The agent came running over, snatched my shoes out of the bin, put them directly on the conveyor belt, while waving her finger at me and saying, "Dirty!" I responded that that's what we do in America, sorry!

Of course, the point of the OP's story is the absolute power of each TSA agent has. There is no point in objecting to any decision because they have the ability to prevent you from traveling, without recourse. Every traveler must be willing to subject themselves to the moods and snap decisions imposed upon them regardless of the inconvience and idiocy, all in the name of "security." I remain convinced that all these Draconian security measures have not twarted any determined terrorist from doing what they want to an airliner - they just haven't chosen to use this method at this time!