X-ray backscatter security scanners

[colby]

PS: All this talk of the backscatter risks reminds me of the Futurama where the professor uses an F-ray device.

Short sample: http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/11248/

[colby]

Hmmmm, wonder if these new machines are at the smaller airports like our local one? Maybe if they aren't it would be worth the extra money (100 to 200 per ticket) to fly there instead of going to Raleigh.

They seem to be rolling them out across all airports, but I'm not sure what the conditions are.

This link: http://studenttravel.about.com/od/pl...ackscatter.htm links to this page: http://studenttravel.about.com/od/pl...y-Scanners.htm which seems to be an unofficial list of which airports have it as of roughly October.

[KnottedYet]

The backscatter machines (they are about 6.5 feet tall and you stand between two "walls" and hold your arms up) are the new normal scanning procedure in place of the old x-ray machines. They take a picture of your body (basically going through your clothes) where anything on the outside shows up. Sometimes they pat you down really quickly (might only be if they see something in the scan).

If you opt out of the new machines you can go through the old style x-ray machines, but then they do a more extensive pat-down on you, possibly with the x-ray wand thingy, and usually with their hands.

I am pretty sure if you set off the backscatter machine, you ALSO go through the other machine AND you get the more extensive pat down, too.

The old machines are not x-ray.

They are magnetic induction (or something like that). They pick up the electromagnetic distortions caused by metal going through the field they generate. Metal detectors, not x-ray.

I don't get why airports are suddenly putting in the x-ray backscatter when the other new option (mm wavelength machines) are just as accurate, cheaper, and have no radiation concerns.

And I have no intention of stripping down to my skivvies like the dude arrested in San Diego (and why did they arrest the woman who filmed it on her phone?). I'll change to lycra shorts and tank top. Probably best if I do it in the bathroom, eh?

My everything has already been patted down multiple times. I always travel with a backpack instead of luggage, so I always fit some darn profile and get "randomly" pulled for stuff. Oh, and my underwire bras used to set off the metal detectors. That part was always fun, so I've started wearing sports bras when I fly.

[colby]

The old machines are not x-ray.

They are magnetic induction (or something like that). They pick up the electromagnetic distortions caused by metal going through the field they generate. Metal detectors, not x-ray.

I don't get why airports are suddenly putting in the x-ray backscatter when the other new option (mm wavelength machines) are just as accurate, cheaper, and have no radiation concerns.

Oops, sorry. X-ray is the plebian "I don't know what exactly that is but we generically refer to it as 'x-ray' version"

[Koronin]

They seem to be rolling them out across all airports, but I'm not sure what the conditions are.

This link: http://studenttravel.about.com/od/pl...ackscatter.htm links to this page: http://studenttravel.about.com/od/pl...y-Scanners.htm which seems to be an unofficial list of which airports have it as of roughly October.

It lists Jacksonville International which has to be Jacksonville, Florida. I'm pretty sure the local one here is not an international airport.

Hmmmm, maybe I can find a flight that leaves from Jacksonville and ends up in Akron and then fly home that way as well as neither one have the body scanners. Yes both are tiny airports......hmmmmm and I'm sure going to be much more expensive, but might be worth it. Jacksonville would be NC not Fla. Akron would be the Akron/Canton Ohio airport.

[pumpkinpony]

It lists Jacksonville International which has to be Jacksonville, Florida. I'm pretty sure the local one here is not an international airport.

Jacksonville is indeed named an 'international' airport...
http://www.airnav.com/airport/jax

Airport authorities frequently like to add 'international' or 'regional' to their names for better publicity. I've seen many name changes to add such wording. They seem to think it draws people in better...

Most of the smaller airports don't have the backscatter machines. I'm willing to pay a bit more and drive a bit more to fly out of a smaller airport at this point.

Edit to add, here's another list with more info. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/14968662-post1.html. While screening through these is 'random', it's fairly easy to pick the lane without the machine at some airports. NoS, in case you don't know, is Nude-o-Scope.

[Koronin]

In my case the smaller airports are actually the closer airports, just more expensive. I'm thinking the cost might just be worth it. Our little airport is probably a 15 minute drive vs 2 hours to Raleigh and Akron/Canton is around 45 minutes for my parents vs 1 and a half hours to either Cleveland or Pittsburgh.

[moonfroggy]

i'm glad i don't need to travel. think when i do travel i will just have to get into long distance bike touring avoid planes, cars, trains, buses will limit me to north and south America though i guess.

[OakLeaf]

We last flew in October - Columbus, OH has the machines but hadn't started using them (at least, I didn't see anyone going through them) - Newark, NJ didn't have them yet. So it's not entirely the size of the airport.

[Catrin]

I am just not going to do it. I am not going through those machines and I am NOT going to go through all of that with TSA staff. Therefore I won't be flying. If'en I can't get there by bike, car, or train then I won't be going

Thankfully all of my family are within a 12 hour drive outside of my sister in San Diego. I further reserve the right to change my mind for special circumstances, but they would have to be da*n special circumstances indeed.

[badgercat]

I just flew from Phoenix to Philadelphia and back. Those are both pretty large airports, but I didn't encounter any of this business on either end. So... who knows how/when this is all actually rolling out.

[OakLeaf]

EPIC has a list, but it doesn't look like it's been updated since September, and obviously a lot of it has been rolled out since then. Columbus isn't on their list.

[emily_in_nc]

Since we're building a condo in Belize, I can't opt out of flying. We put down our deposit BEFORE all these new TSA requirements went into effect, unfortunately. Perhaps we would not have if we could have seen the future.

On the positive side, if many people refuse to fly b/c of all this, it should keep Belize from growing too fast. But I'd much rather none of us be subjected to this level of privacy invasion.

Interesting about an underwire bra setting off the metal detectors; I wear underwire bras AND have a metal plate in my pelvis and four pins, and I've never set off a detector. You'd think they'd have them set on the same sensitivity level USA-wide at least.

[OakLeaf]

You'd think they'd have them set on the same sensitivity level USA-wide at least.

Not even close. Which also raises questions about the backscatter machines, never mind the recent scandals about medical radiation overdosing.

As much as TSA employees are everyone's least favorite workers right now (mine included), I think employee health is a much bigger issue than traveler health. They're exposed to the stuff all day long. I read in a non-reliable source, and haven't bothered to verify, that they're not even ALLOWED to wear dosimeters, let alone provided with any. And of course the law that created TSA stripped the workers of all of the usual employee protections.

[Biciclista]

Knot, you asked why; because some big fat cat sold some other big fat cat a bill of goods.

Donald flew this weekend in bike duds. Worked very well.

no gropes, no xrays.