What the TSA didn't find...

bLizZuE

Calling for engine starts en français
SO, there I was, walking to my gate for an on-time departure(read: always late). I approached the gate as I always do, with doubt. Doubt that my flight will actually depart the gate it's supposed to, and doubt that there is even an aircraft parked at said gate for me to depart in.

This was like any other day, as the plane hadn't even arrived yet. However scheduling impressed that it was important I hurry to the gate for an on time departure. Yea, want me to flap my arms with 50 people on my back? I'll be honest, it will be short lived and a major let down.

I digress. So as I walk towards the counter, I spy something amiss on the floor. I didn't instantly know what it was, but I knew it wasn't supposed to be there. In fact, I hadn't seen one of them in a long time. Not since high school.

No, I'd never used one personally, but I've seen friends use one. I never accepted the offer to share, but I always wondered...

It was a pipe. I don't mean like a Sherlock Holmes, cherry tobacco pipe. I mean a Bob Marley, can't remember what day it is pipe. Right there in the middle of the floor, in front of the ticket counter.

I didn't even pause I just kept walking and laughed out loud. That might have made me seem strange, laughing out loud unprovoked, but who cares. I had this vision in my head that someone was standing in line at the ticket counter, reached in their bag to pull out their itinerary and accidentally exposed their 'piece'. I imagine their terror, and complete lack of blood in the face when they dropped it. Very casually taking a step away from it in any direction and completely separating themselves with it. Perhaps whistling while doing so...

Or perhaps they didn't even know they lost it, I don't know.

If you think the story has reached it's climax, I say no sir. It has not.

I take my place behind said ticket counter to check for my airplane and arrival time et cetera. About 30 seconds into hastily typing away, pretending to look important, just not important enough to answer any stray passenger's questions. It's a thin line. Anyways, 30 seconds later I notice a flight attendant standing in the line notice this pipe laying on the floor. I would describe this particular one as 'grandma' to most people. She definitely had double digit, possibly single digit seniority.

She reaches down and picks this pipe up with a very puzzled look on her face. I glance around the waiting area and it's abundantly clear that everyone except her knows exactly what it is she's holding. She is completely clueless. She examines it from every angle, twisting it in her hand, tilting her head different ways. You would think she was buying jewelry she was giving it such a good inspection.

Wanting nothing to do with the ensuing calamity that was undoubtedly about to unfold, I decided to wander down the jetbridge a wee bit early. With a smile on my face.

Do you think the TSA screeners should see and screen illegal paraphernalia? Are they already supposedly doing so?
 
Do you think the TSA screeners should see and screen illegal paraphernalia? Are they already supposedly doing so?

No and No. If they were actually law enforcement SURE why not... but they're looking for weapons and things that go boom..... and water... a whole lot of water.
 
Once as I was collecting my gear after the xray I watched the display screen for the opposite line and what did I see pass by....A hand held wine bottle opener with corkscrew and small blade.

The Tub Stackers missed it because they were too busy talking about what they did the night before. I won't use the profanity laden vernacular they did but it was pretty amusing to say the least. Of course nothing will ever top the .50cal dummy round my dad got through security with.
 
Maybe they did screen it, but it was used for tobacco and not the wacky weed. Tobacco products aren't illegal to bring on airplanes.

I know, most of the time that's not the case... But maybe
 
I did my part to break the system when I came back with this souvenir BB from a PW4000's fan bearing ("tambourine of death"). It's about one kilogram of solid metal. I went through four different TSA inspectors before they decided they couldn't find anything objectionable about it. :)

ballbearing.jpg
 
I have a buddy from high school that was so partial to his own weed that he even travelled with it. He bored out an herbal soap bar and put it in the middle. Ballsy.
 
In this fubar of a state, up coming elections in November prop 19 Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 is to make it all legit. I'm guessing from the laws they have out here, this one may just pass..
 
Do you think the TSA screeners should see and screen illegal paraphernalia? Are they already supposedly doing so?

Nope...they aren't allowed to. As a previous poster mentioned, they're only allowed to search for weapons and any other items that actually threaten safety. Specifically searching for any other contraband is a no no, and would go beyond the administrative search exception.

Having said that, if they find something blatantly illegal (such as, a kilo of Cocaine) in the course of regular screening, it'll be turned over to the police. As far as I know, a bong isn't illegal. I've seen them dispalyed in certain store windows; usually with the "for tobacco use only" warning affixed.

That's quite a bizarre and almost surreal situation, though....
 
I've seen people have stuff like that in their bags before when they leave them in the jetway and I try to figure out who the bag belongs to. Come to think of it, I've seen it quite a few times. As was said, the TSA aren't cops. They don't care if its illegal, they care if its going to blow up the plane.

Whats more impressive, someone I know made it thru TSA at a good-sized airport the other day and realized they forgot and left...get ready for this, a WATER BOTTLE in their bag!:pirate:

Weed, coke, whatever. Getting a water bottle thru security, now THAT is a feat.
 
I find that the TSA at different airports and the way they screen is VERY inconsisitent. It doesnt surprise me at all that more "pipes" and other things dont get through undetected...
 
'Bout a year ago or so.... I was used on of my flight bags for a range bag at the shooting range. Got home emptied it out (or so I thought)... packed it back up with flight stuff....and flew out commercially the next day. Took that bag on about 30 commercial flights (going through security at least 30 times).... Was going through one particular airport in the Mid-west and was held up... TSA was extremely nice and professional - and took me in another room, examined my bag.... found a .308 round stuffed in one of the pen pockets. 'Course that feeling sucks... I explained that it was from a trip to the range - they couldn't have been better about the whole deal, filed a report and I didn't even miss my flight (they did keep the round though).
 
There are some interesting court cases about the TSA and unreasonable search and seizure. Here is a link to a Wall Street Journal article about it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052970204556804574261940842372518.html

The district court judge ruled, "Congress authorizes TSA to search travelers for weapons and explosives; beyond that, the agency is overstepping its bounds.The extent of the search went beyond the permissible purpose of detecting weapons and explosives and was instead motivated by a desire to uncover contraband evidencing ordinary criminal wrongdoing."

If in the course of searching for a potential weapon or explosive, they find illegal contraband, they are to call the police to handle it. You don't get a free pass at that point, but they are NOT given a free license to go searching for illegal contraband provided it doesn't pose a threat to aviation safety.
 
I did my part to break the system when I came back with this souvenir BB from a PW4000's fan bearing ("tambourine of death"). It's about one kilogram of solid metal. I went through four different TSA inspectors before they decided they couldn't find anything objectionable about it. :)
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Looks like a 30 weight ball bearing to me. You didn't happen to have any fetzer valves while you were at it, did you?
 
I find that the TSA at different airports and the way they screen is VERY inconsisitent. It doesnt surprise me at all that more "pipes" and other things dont get through undetected...

Agreed. Going through security is a freaking pain in the ass in a place like TVC compared to a place like DEN, EWR, etc. I don't even bother to take the fluids out of my bag in most places, but when I'm going through podunk USA, I pull all the crap out, put it in bags, etc. Even then, I'm almost always picked for additional screening for my jump rope or some other ridiculous thing. I HATE going through security in small airports with a passion!
 
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