TSA Strikes Again

[MJS]

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_n...-gun-replica-on-purse-trips-up-traveling-teen

A teenage girl's sense of style got her in trouble at the airport.
Vanessa Gibbs, 17, claims the Transportation Security Administration stopped her at the security gate because of the design of a gun on her handbag.
Gibbs said she had no problem going through security at Jacksonville International Airport, but rather, when she headed home from Virginia. "It's my style, it's camouflage, it has an old western gun on it," Gibbs said.
But her preference for the pistol style didn't sit well with TSA agents at the Norfolk airport.

Gibbs said she was headed back home to Jacksonville from a holiday trip when an agent flagged her purse as a security risk. "She was like, 'This is a federal offense because it's in the shape of a gun,'" Gibbs said. "I'm like, 'But it's a design on a purse. How is it a federal offense?'"
After agents figured out the gun was a fake, Gibbs said, TSA told her to check the bag or turn it over. By the time security wrapped up the inspection, the pregnant teen missed her flight, and Southwest Airlines sent her to Orlando instead, worrying her mother, who was already waiting for her to arrive at JIA.
"Oh, it's terrifying. I was so upset," said Tami Gibbs, the teen's mom. "I was on the phone all the way to Orlando trying to figure out what was going on with her. It was terrifying. I don't ever want to go through it again."
Vanessa and her mom said it's hard to believe anyone could mistake the design on the purse for a real gun because it's just a few inches in size and it's hollow, not to mention Vanessa has taken it on planes before. "I carried this from Jacksonville to Norfolk, and I've carried it from Norfolk to Jacksonville," Vanessa said. "Never once has anyone said anything about it until now."

TSA isn't budging on the handbag, arguing the phony gun could be considered a "replica weapon." The TSA says "replica weapons have prohibited since 2002."
It's a rule that Vanessa feels can't be applied to a purse. "Common sense," she said. "It's a purse, not a weapon." A TSA official at JIA said it's not that uncommon for passengers to wear something that could be considered a gun replica, but the official encourages everyone to check the prohibited items list, which can be found online or at the airport before going through security.

Are these TSA workers really that stupid? Wait, don't answer that! LOL! Seriously though, come on....it should be obvious to anyone with half a brain, that this wasn't a real gun. Doesn't it figure though...I mean, look at how many things slip thru the cracks, things that're probably much more serious than this, and this kid gets stopped.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

But remember, if we don't harass kids at airports over things like this, the terrorists will win and we'll lose all of our freedoms and end up living in a police state where poorly trained power mad jackasses will have the right to say what we can wear and .... oh.

 

[MJS]

The part that gets me is this:

"After agents figured out the gun was a fake"

Ummm...AFTER they figured out it was fake? Jesus, they make it sound like it took 3hrs to determine whether or not this 'gun' was the real deal or something that was simply affixed to the purse. It further goes to show that the TSA circus really has no ring leader, with this comment:

"not to mention Vanessa has taken it on planes before. "I carried this from Jacksonville to Norfolk, and I've carried it from Norfolk to Jacksonville," Vanessa said. "Never once has anyone said anything about it until now."

So either it was noticed and whoever saw it, realized it wasnt a real gun, nobody saw it at all or they did see it, but didn't question it, out of lazyness.

 

[granfire]

I guess she wasn't pregnant then.....

Can I wear my T-shirts with e skulls on it? I am sure they are offensive to somebody, considered to be dangerous or things...

 

[Dirty Dog]

I did not need to see this today... I'm getting on a plane to Cozumel in less than 24 hours. I always get to demonstrate to the TSAgoons that I am not, in fact, carrying a bomb, because apparently SCUBA gear looks a lot like a bomb. I can see some of it; dive lights might well look like a bomb on xray. But considering what this gear costs (check out cannister lights online...) and how important it is to my actually returning from the trip, I'm not willing to put it in checked luggage for the baggage monkeys to destroy.At least I'm not actually radioactive this time...

 

[granfire]

I did not need to see this today... I'm getting on a plane to Cozumel in less than 24 hours. I always get to demonstrate to the TSAgoons that I am not, in fact, carrying a bomb, because apparently SCUBA gear looks a lot like a bomb. I can see some of it; dive lights might well look like a bomb on xray. But considering what this gear costs (check out cannister lights online...) and how important it is to my actually returning from the trip, I'm not willing to put it in checked luggage for the baggage monkeys to destroy.At least I'm not actually radioactive this time...

:lfao:

 

[ballen0351]

Just saying guns are getting harder to find

The above was found on the internet doing a good search and not from any law enforcement source so ignore the red letters above


Cell Phone:

GUN

Gun

I cant find a picture of it but we have a fshing pole that is really a 20 gauge shot gun in our evidence room. We use it for training because you cant even tell its a gun unless you hold it its heavier then a fishing pole.

No excuse for the TSA worker in this case Im just throwing it out there

 

[Master Dan]

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_n...-gun-replica-on-purse-trips-up-traveling-teen



Are these TSA workers really that stupid? Wait, don't answer that! LOL! Seriously though, come on....it should be obvious to anyone with half a brain, that this wasn't a real gun. Doesn't it figure though...I mean, look at how many things slip thru the cracks, things that're probably much more serious than this, and this kid gets stopped.

I don't think the majority would know a turd from an explosive divice. I live in about the most remote area in the world and in this little po dunk airport TSA spent a $million plus to expand its area to handle people. What has a pregnant Eskimo girl holding a child got to be set asside and searched for what whale bluber Seal oil. TSA is a classic example of why the Fed use a Nuc instead of a hamer to put in a nail. Most of the employees would be working at a Burger place or a greeter at Walmart It needs to be privatized reduced and money put into tracking real terror threats and our infrastructure.

 

[MJS]

Just saying guns are getting harder to find

The above was found on the internet doing a good search and not from any law enforcement source so ignore the red letters above


Cell Phone:

GUN

Gun

I cant find a picture of it but we have a fshing pole that is really a 20 gauge shot gun in our evidence room. We use it for training because you cant even tell its a gun unless you hold it its heavier then a fishing pole.

No excuse for the TSA worker in this case Im just throwing it out there

I could see see how every one of these can appear to be a toy. Of course, all the more reason for better training. And then theres this:
http://www.tsa.gov/press/goodcatch/113011_stun_gun.shtm

Makes you wonder why the companies make things like this.

I don't think the majority would know a turd from an explosive divice. I live in about the most remote area in the world and in this little po dunk airport TSA spent a $million plus to expand its area to handle people. What has a pregnant Eskimo girl holding a child got to be set asside and searched for what whale bluber Seal oil. TSA is a classic example of why the Fed use a Nuc instead of a hamer to put in a nail. Most of the employees would be working at a Burger place or a greeter at Walmart It needs to be privatized reduced and money put into tracking real terror threats and our infrastructure.

My wife and I took a trip to Vegas. We had the required size containers for all our liquids, yet neglected to put them in the proper size bags. Instead of the quart size bags, we had everything in a gal. size bag. This was a no-no, so they made one of us go back thru security to get the right size bags. My question is....2 small bags, 1 big bag....either way, whats the big deal....all this stuff was going into the same carry on. My point....the nitpicky things like this, and how many other things on a larger scale, slip thru?

 

[granfire]

I can see how the look deceives on, but once you hold it?

 

[CanuckMA]

I think the TSA are waste of skin as much as the next guy, but WRT the purse, a little common sense from the teenager. Sure, up close it's obvious. but 20-30 feet away, if her hand is on the 'handle', it can be mistaken for somebody holding a gun.

 

[Josh Oakley]

I think the TSA are waste of skin as much as the next guy, but WRT the purse, a little common sense from the teenager. Sure, up close it's obvious. but 20-30 feet away, if her hand is on the 'handle', it can be mistaken for somebody holding a gun.

No. No it could not. It is obviously a design.


Here is the offending purse:

 

[CanuckMA]

No. No it could not. It is obviously a design.


Here is the offending purse:

That's not the purse, that's the walet. The purse's design is much larger.

 

[Tez3]

Security aspect of the bag may be fine but oh if she thinks that's fashionable the fashion police need to be called, it's hideous!

We have a confusion of language again though as that's a handbag, a purse is something small to hold your currency in, notes, coins and credit cards etc. Ladies carry a purse in their handbags, gentlemen carry a wallet, never a purse!

 

[granfire]

Security aspect of the bag may be fine but oh if she thinks that's fashionable the fashion police need to be called, it's hideous!

We have a confusion of language again though as that's a handbag, a purse is something small to hold your currency in, notes, coins and credit cards etc. Ladies carry a purse in their handbags, gentlemen carry a wallet, never a purse!

:lol:

ain't that the truth!

 

[Josh Oakley]

Security aspect of the bag may be fine but oh if she thinks that's fashionable the fashion police need to be called, it's hideous!

We have a confusion of language again though as that's a handbag, a purse is something small to hold your currency in, notes, coins and credit cards etc. Ladies carry a purse in their handbags, gentlemen carry a wallet, never a purse!

No disagreements here.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

But if the TSA didn't do this, then we might have another plane hijacked in the next 10 years. So better we spend billions and billions on dangerous scanners, poorly trained gestapo and an illusion, than actually do things that have always worked and have an effective screen. Because the mission of the TSA is not safety, but illusion.