zugmann Isn't it convenient how this whole incident made the guy's blog viral? He did this solely for publicity.
Isn't it convenient how this whole incident made the guy's blog viral? He did this solely for publicity.
Exactly!!
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
If you don't want to be screened, go play World of Warcraft. . Is he going to sue the doctor making sure he doesn't have cancer?
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
eolafan As a person who travels by airplane for business very often, I feel this way when it comes to airport security..."If you don't want to be subjected to airport security, either stay home, take your car or travel by train".
As a person who travels by airplane for business very often, I feel this way when it comes to airport security..."If you don't want to be subjected to airport security, either stay home, take your car or travel by train".
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Sam1 I have seen one or two ads by Amtrak promoting train travel as a way to avoid the airpoort hassles associated with flying. I cannot remember whether they mentioned screening, but the implication is clear.
I have seen one or two ads by Amtrak promoting train travel as a way to avoid the airpoort hassles associated with flying. I cannot remember whether they mentioned screening, but the implication is clear.
A while back they had ads on the bottoms of those plastic trays you put your shoes, belts, keys, etc., in, saying something like "On Amtrak, you only take off your shoes if you want to" at Chicago O'Hare airport. A pretty good ad, I think.
Amtrak already has K-9 dogs at South Station in Boston plus the ability to pull aside and screen anyone inside a certain area, and I can imagine more security after the inevitable attempted attack on public transportation, but I can't imagine how they would get full security out of any terminal that also runs commuter rail trains. There's just TOO MANY PEOPLE and not enough space to screen them all.
Bucyrus has it right. It is an illusion of safety, but the reality isn't there. It does make the sheep feel better, perhaps, and certainly employs a good many otherwise unemployable individuals.
If you want safety on an airline, try El Al -- except for flights to the US, where they have to, they don't grope you, X-ray you, frisk you, and otherwise mess with you. What they do have is superb intelligence (in many senses of the word!) and they use profiling extensively. And, oddly, it works and folks aren't hassled who don't need to be. I might add that folks who do need to be hassled, are, though -- with a vengeance!
Now that I am retired, I drive or take the train whenever I can. I don't fly unless the alternatives are not a good bet. But when I go to Australia, where I lived for more than five years, to visit my friends, I sure don't take the train to the west coast and a ship to Australia. As a retired person I have lots of time on my hands, but not enough to endure a ship ride to Australia, assuming that I could even get one that goes there.
This year more than 725 million passengers are expected to pass through airport security in the U.S. A few of these folks will have unpleasant experiences with the TSA. But I have had no bad experiences with the TSA during the five years that I have been retired. In fact, overall, they have done a good job. They move people through the Austin airport with little fuss. So one should be careful not to generalize to the whole population a few bad experiences.
When traveling long distances or time is short, flying is the best way to go. Today it costs about half of what it did in 1978, the year before the airlines were deregulated, when adjusted for inflation. It is not as comfortable as a bedroom in a Superliner car, but it is a lot cheaper and much quicker.
Not only does this intrusive screening of every passenger miss the real point, but also it is a waste of resources. It is an illusion of safety, and a make-work program for the TSA and its unions, so it is bound to come to passenger rail. It is our stimulus in action. No pun intended.
You folk just don't seem to understand reality. Sure, I WISH things were not the way they are today, but if you don't want to be x-rayed or patted down, then I guess you could go bonkers and get congress to pass laws that exempt all from such invasive procedures and go fly with every terrorist nincompoop with a bomb, AK47, Rocket Grenade, Howitser, and/or Atomic Cannon they want to bring on board with them.
It won't be long before one of them blows up a train and you will be subject to the same indiginities at every AMTRAK station. Then there will be the fool that drives a bus into a crowded mall and all the Greyhound stations will have TSA folk employed there too. Can every Interstate rest-stop be man'd too?
Wake up and smell the stink. We are all in the "hand basket" and you should by now know just where that hand basket is headed.
I have to pass through a metal detector at the county courthouse every month to go pay alimony just because some idiot had a 2-inch pen-knife and stabbed the Assistant District Attorney in the back. No knives of any type are allowed now, not even a letter opener. I have to empty my pockets into a bag I keep in the car... Swiss Army knife, metal machinists rule, pens, pencils,... I am suprised I can take my car keys with me. I know that "I" am a very nice person and I know that "I" would never harm anyone with my Swiss Armey Knife, but the rest of the people there do not know that, so I must trust the people that I do not know, but wear a uniform, to protect "ME" from all those others that just might be the kook of the day. Do I like this? NO!
But if WE don't start standing together and find ways to defeat these fools, they they will do more than just "win" the terrorism war. If you have a better way, speak up. NOW!
If you are just going to moan and whine about it...
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
PNWRMNM No. We have become a nation of sheep. Mac
No. We have become a nation of sheep.
Mac
You got that right. The day they start airport style security at the train station will be the day that I never ride mass transit again.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Listend to Rush today comment on this particular situation. Mr.Tyner, after getting his refund, attempted to leave the airport and was told about their ability to not only make his subject to a Federal Fine ($10 K was the number mentioned) but also subject to Civil Suit and he was instructed because he left the TSA Area he was still subject to the 'Pat Down'.
Sure makes the case to travel anywhere by car and enjoy the railfanning and train chasing, enroute. And many pundits today were making noises about how AMTRAK was in thei Federal sights for the next area to 'protect us' from terrorism.
It would seem that the terrorists are more and more wearing TSA uniforms.
Oh! For a return to yesteryear, when we could ride a train without a worry and get where we had bought our ticket for.
Tyner was simultaneously thrown out of San Diego International Airport on Saturday morning for refusing to submit to a security check and threatened with a lawsuit and a $10,000 fine if he left.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/14/tsa-ejects-oceanside-man-airport-refusing-security/
There has been an uproar over TSA air security. X-Ray image of near center fold revelations, or that certain feeling, the choice is yours.
Will this encourage Amtrak ridership? Is there a marketing opportunity in avoid the scans?
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