like little schoolgirls.
No, not real schoolgirls. Terrorists. Yeah, I know, that girl looks a bit like a terrorist but she probably just put a spider down someone’s pants. I guess today that would make her a terrorist.
At lunch recently, a few of us were talking about flying and how the ridiculous restrictions limit law-abiding citizens (and non for that matter) a hell of a lot more than it keeps terrorists out of the skies.
I swear, the real terrorists probably wake up giggling and laugh all the way through each day.
Here are the latest restrictions from the TSA:
- All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.
- All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.
- Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.
Ok, let’s see…
I can’t take a bottle of water with me through the security checkpoint (I’ll have to purchase water at exhorbitant rates once I get through) but I can take a screwdriver on board. In fact, that page specifically mentions "screwdrivers (seven inches or less in length)" which can still be used as a weapon and also mentions "Tools (seven inches or less in length)". Any tool? So does that mean they’ll let me on with a set of small chisels? You know, ones just long enough to fatally stab someone?
Probably some security officer would attempt to confiscate them but they aren’t specifically prohibited.
The point though is that many of the rules don’t make any sense and from what I hear aren’t being applied uniformly.
While I’m looking forward to attending a friends wedding Columbia this Spring I’m not at all looking forward to flying.
