Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/02

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Airport Security
From: Bill Lawlor <wvl@marinternet.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2000 13:42:13 -0700
References: <200010021427.HAA29437@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>

Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2000 09:29:37 EDT
From: ARTHURWG@aol.com
Subject: Re: [Leica] OT: Film at the Airport
Message-ID: <65.a6ada99.2709e7c1@aol.com>
References:

Martin, you got that right! Those guys at the x-ray desk are the only thing
standing between me (and you) and oblivion!  I was working in the World Trade
Ctr. here in NYC when that Bomb went off. No fun. I was also in Colombo, Sri
Lanka when a bomb killed 60 people and sent another 200 to hospital.  I'd
rather not die that way, even for photography. Arthur
...........................

I also agree.  In July, 1996, an Irish Orangeman (complete with 
bowler and brolly) expressed it as "it's better than feeding the 
fishes, mate" in the boarding checkpoint at Heathrow. They have a 
special gate area for flights to the Irelands. I had to open all 
cameras and each lens was examined intimately. Not, however, as 
intimately as I. After, I asked the attractive women who had just 
done a VERY complete body frisk if it meant that we were now engaged 
to be married. "You wish!" was her reply. No, I was not allowed to go 
through again.

I have encountered inspectors in Europe who insist on trying to 
remove the batteries from  manual cameras older than they are, as 
well as other errors due to generation gap, but, most have been good 
natured about learning the ins and outs of Rollieflex and LTMs.

They are doing a job. Get to the gate a bit early and there should be 
no unresolvable problem. However, I remember a laptop computer being 
disassembled by screwdriver when its owner failed the chemical 
hand-wipe test. That buttoned down businessman was not so patient.

BillLawlor