Fuck airports.

[Syvelocin]

A couple months ago, I was worried and anxious for my trip home for the holidays. Everything turned out fine and such, I was worried for nothing.

Well... it didn't happen then, but it happened today.

It was my stupid fault. I was so tired last night, I decided I'd just keep my hair up in the hairstyle I had it in for the concert I was at. A package of pins in my hair. I didn't think about it until I went through the detector, and it went off. I guess I got the metal ones. I've gone through it with similar pins in, didn't set anything off.

That's what I've been dreading every time I fly (which is more often than a paranoid, acrophobic like me would like, at least two flights a year but so far it's been five in 2011). I always go through that thing, shaking, sweating. And I breathe a sigh of relief when it doesn't go off.

But it went off.

They didn't let me do the full-body scan, I don't know why. In front of fucking everyone. And I'm freaking out, my friend looks back to see where I've gone off to. I look at her and I see her heart sink. And the security person takes me in that pen, I feel like a county fair pig or something. My friend's just right outside that pen. She's silent, but she's looking at me, an expression of knowing, she knows how this will play out and how it will end.

They asked me, oh they asked me, what set it off? Then I realize, yes, I have about 90 pins in my hair. Nothing in my pockets. I'm in sweatpants and a short-sleeve shirt with my hair up in curls, what bloody else would set it off? That would hold us up too long, to take all those out. But they didn't... ask me. I wanted the scanner. That's how I got over my anxiety before, because I would choose the scanner. But I couldn't choose the scanner...

If a pat-down wasn't enough to embarrass you, fuck, would standing there, shaking, crying, screaming, do it? They treated me like I was a five year-old, ignore the tantrum. Ignore the tantrum. There's got to be a fucking reason I'm reacting like this, wouldn't you think?

[ShatteredWings]

Yes, there is a damn fucking good reason someone would be freaking out like that. And the airports hire people to be INTENTIONALLY stupid. God knows why.

I think that's a pretty good example of incompetence. The first thing you should ask if you set off the detectors is "do you know what this could've been?"
Hairpins, piercings, metal plates/pins, they have to all be REALLY common things that people don't think about. And they don't warrent a pat down like that.

You're not five. And it's disgusting you were treated like that.

:hug3:

[the wasabi]

I've never had a bad airport experience, but after hearing stories like these (I'm very sorry that happened to you btw), i think airports do their job too seriously. it feels like they feel like they're being superman or something when they search you and expect to find a bomb or something. ...

[Fiction]

I guess at the end of the day it's for the best of everyone. Of course everyone here knows that you're not a terrorist, but the airport security don't know this.

I know it must be hard, what with the memories it must bring back and I agree they should have offered you the scanner, but at the end of the day they are only trying to keep everybody safe and we can't really fault them for that.

[Quick_Sylver]

:hug: This is one of those times when talking is better than acting. Airport security is beyond stupid in the states right now. =/ I couldn't put it better than S did.

[ShatteredWings]

and we can't really fault them for that.
You can when there's better ways for them to do their job that would keep EVERYTHING running smoother.

[scuba steve]

But it was just a pat down right? It's just part of their job really. I've went through the beeper before and forgot to take my belt off and they didn't give me a second chance to go through. Fair enough if you were in hysterics it'd be pretty obvious that your scared but for all they know it's an act and they're just doing a thorough job.

[embers]

Meh, the worst we've had at an airport is my brother being stopped and nearly searched cause he's brown, looked angry, was wearing a scarf and carrying a bag...

[Syvelocin]

I know they were just doing their job. But I don't know. I would have surely thought, if in their position, a girl my age making a fuss, well, there must be an underlying problem. And in that case, the scanner would be an ideal option. And it should be available to people who do have that problem as well as anyone else. Instead, I wasn't given the option, then at the end they're like "You should have gone through the scanner, saved some time." And I just wanted to hit them in the face.

I had to have extra sessions from my psychologist to make sure I was all right and calmed down, etc. I kind of took up a bit of her time when I called her right after as well. It wasn't ideal for either of us, surely.

I just had issues, because usually I don't have flashbacks. I've kept my memories locked away quite securely without ever pulling them back out. But this made them slip out. And they're still accessible now even. I have to lock them back up.

[scuba steve]

I know they were just doing their job. But I don't know. I would have surely thought, if in their position, a girl my age making a fuss, well, there must be an underlying problem. And in that case, the scanner would be an ideal option. And it should be available to people who do have that problem as well as anyone else. Instead, I wasn't given the option, then at the end they're like "You should have gone through the scanner, saved some time." And I just wanted to hit them in the face.

I had to have extra sessions from my psychologist to make sure I was all right and calmed down, etc. I kind of took up a bit of her time when I called her right after as well. It wasn't ideal for either of us, surely.

I just had issues, because usually I don't have flashbacks. I've kept my memories locked away quite securely without ever pulling them back out. But this made them slip out. And they're still accessible now even. I have to lock them back up.


Don't mean to sound rude, but do you have space issues? My cousin has something like that were people can't be too near him (I think he makes it up because he's fine with girls though :P) that caused you to freak out? Normally I would have seen nothing wrong with this, it's just airport security doing their jobs, being very thorough and just generally being dicks, as they are; some are nice though.

[Syvelocin]

Don't mean to sound rude, but do you have space issues? My cousin has something like that were people can't be too near him (I think he makes it up because he's fine with girls though :P) that caused you to freak out? Normally I would have seen nothing wrong with this, it's just airport security doing their jobs, being very thorough and just generally being dicks, as they are; some are nice though.

My issues with this sprung from a past rape incident. I have issues with people touching me. That's why I put this thread in this forum versus Mental Crisis or something.

[Quick_Sylver]

Don't mean to sound rude, but do you have space issues? My cousin has something like that were people can't be too near him (I think he makes it up because he's fine with girls though :P) that caused you to freak out? Normally I would have seen nothing wrong with this, it's just airport security doing their jobs, being very thorough and just generally being dicks, as they are; some are nice though.

Have you been through airport security in the states?

[scuba steve]

My issues with this sprung from a past rape incident. I have issues with people touching me. That's why I put this thread in this forum versus Mental Crisis or something.

Ohh... Apologies if I seemed insensitive, Rith. :(


Have you been through airport security in the states?

I have, they're very nice people once your papers are clear and they realise you're Irish. They're just like Stormtroopers though, they're awesome at their job, just don't fucking cross them.