Hesitant to RIDE again!

[had8ley]

It's real easy to tell somebody else to stick their head into the lion's mouth and at the same time give a good solid yank on it's tail. Given the current secrecy-infested, terror-fixated, totalitarian-God-mindset of the TSA and the bureaucrats behind it, I would fully expect that having the temerity ( foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition ) to lodge a complaint would put me on one of their *lists*, resulting in my either being refused boarding on any further aircraft in the U.S. until Hell freezes over, or perhaps simply being subjected to a strip-and-cavity search plus interrogation for all further air travel. The only thing I could see that might have a positive effect would be to enlist a local TV station, if there is one that would have the cojones to take on the TSA, to identify the TSA screener involved and then try to bait him in a *sting* operation, with cameras rolling. If you could do that, and publicly air the tape, you could fix the problem without having put your own head on the chopping block.

Amtrk WPK;

I think you are on the right track. We recently visited my sister in Orlando and travelled by that dirty word "airplane." After we checked in at the counter we were directed to take our bags to the TSA screeners to be put through the "machine." The baggage handler slung my wife's bag so far and hard we thought he was trying to make a three point shot in a Knicks game in Madison Square Garden. After we arrived in New Orleans we found that my wife's hair curlers were totally broken. We made out a report and went about our way. The airline stone walled us for 4 months until I called them and said, "How about reviewing the security cameras that are everywhere inside the airport?." We had a check within the week. My long winded point~ the power of the camera is probably the most effective weapon whether it be used by a company or an individual.

P.S, We would have loved to take the train if service was available....

 

[ciship]

It's real easy to tell somebody else to stick their head into the lion's mouth and at the same time give a good solid yank on it's tail. Given the current secrecy-infested, terror-fixated, totalitarian-God-mindset of the TSA and the bureaucrats behind it, I would fully expect that having the temerity ( foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition ) to lodge a complaint would put me on one of their *lists*, resulting in my either being refused boarding on any further aircraft in the U.S. until Hell freezes over, or perhaps simply being subjected to a strip-and-cavity search plus interrogation for all further air travel. The only thing I could see that might have a positive effect would be to enlist a local TV station, if there is one that would have the cojones to take on the TSA, to identify the TSA screener involved and then try to bait him in a *sting* operation, with cameras rolling. If you could do that, and publicly air the tape, you could fix the problem without having put your own head on the chopping block.

Amtrk WPK;

I think you are on the right track. We recently visited my sister in Orlando and travelled by that dirty word "airplane." After we checked in at the counter we were directed to take our bags to the TSA screeners to be put through the "machine." The baggage handler slung my wife's bag so far and hard we thought he was trying to make a three point shot in a Knicks game in Madison Square Garden. After we arrived in New Orleans we found that my wife's hair curlers were totally broken. We made out a report and went about our way. The airline stone walled us for 4 months until I called them and said, "How about reviewing the security cameras that are everywhere inside the airport?." We had a check within the week. My long winded point~ the power of the camera is probably the most effective weapon whether it be used by a company or an individual.

P.S, We would have loved to take the train if service was available....

Do they put cameras on trains???

 

[had8ley]

It's real easy to tell somebody else to stick their head into the lion's mouth and at the same time give a good solid yank on it's tail. Given the current secrecy-infested, terror-fixated, totalitarian-God-mindset of the TSA and the bureaucrats behind it, I would fully expect that having the temerity ( foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition ) to lodge a complaint would put me on one of their *lists*, resulting in my either being refused boarding on any further aircraft in the U.S. until Hell freezes over, or perhaps simply being subjected to a strip-and-cavity search plus interrogation for all further air travel. The only thing I could see that might have a positive effect would be to enlist a local TV station, if there is one that would have the cojones to take on the TSA, to identify the TSA screener involved and then try to bait him in a *sting* operation, with cameras rolling. If you could do that, and publicly air the tape, you could fix the problem without having put your own head on the chopping block.

Amtrk WPK;

I think you are on the right track. We recently visited my sister in Orlando and travelled by that dirty word "airplane." After we checked in at the counter we were directed to take our bags to the TSA screeners to be put through the "machine." The baggage handler slung my wife's bag so far and hard we thought he was trying to make a three point shot in a Knicks game in Madison Square Garden. After we arrived in New Orleans we found that my wife's hair curlers were totally broken. We made out a report and went about our way. The airline stone walled us for 4 months until I called them and said, "How about reviewing the security cameras that are everywhere inside the airport?." We had a check within the week. My long winded point~ the power of the camera is probably the most effective weapon whether it be used by a company or an individual.

P.S, We would have loved to take the train if service was available....

Do they put cameras on trains???

The last I heard Norfolfk Southern was putting them on all it's engines to use in crossing accident cases.

 

[Everydaymatters]

As far as missing a plane in order to report the incident, if I was in that position, it would depend on the degree of humiliation or violation I felt. If I had unlimited time, I'd report it right away. Otherwise I'd wait until I got home.

The comment that nobody reported it, neither the offended nor the witnesses, it happens all the time. Nobody wants to get involved.

Concerns about being on a security watch list - well, here in the Chicago area, I don't know about a watch list, but right now, in my own family, we have an incident where we're actually afraid to collect money a police officer owes us because of the potential consequences of taking him to court to collect. We have concerns about being targeted for traffic tickets or other more serious repercussions.

 

[DaveKCMO]

i'm happy to report that my LSL experience was decent. i am not a fan of the viewliner sleepers. i was so looking forward to boarding the SWC later that day in chicago so i could return to the comfort of the superliner. if i had to book it over again, i'd have gone out of my way to board in NYP to skip the boring layover in albany.

schedule-wise, we were three hours late into chicago, but i had plenty of layover time (and enough to hit the custom house on dearborn for brunch... best oatmeal ever!). the chief was almost 2 hours late into KC, which has been happening a lot lately.

 

[George Harris]

Concerns about being on a security watch list - well, here in the Chicago area, I don't know about a watch list, but right now, in my own family, we have an incident where we're actually afraid to collect money a police officer owes us because of the potential consequences of taking him to court to collect. We have concerns about being targeted for traffic tickets or other more serious repercussions.

Sounds like Daley and his government by gangsters still lives there in spirit.

 

[Everydaymatters]

George, this type of situation is area wide. It's not isolated to Chicago. In some of the collar counties it gets more media publicity, so therefore it happens less. But, unfortunatly, it still does happen.

 

[AmtrakFan]

George, this type of situation is area wide. It's not isolated to Chicago. In some of the collar counties it gets more media publicity, so therefore it happens less. But, unfortunatly, it still does happen.

I know in the County, I live in the Chicago Area, it does happen more then you think but it usually makes the paper in that case.