Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Just some notes from recent travel experiences: 1) you have to pull your computer out of whatever you are carrying it in - it's looked at separately 2) going through security 4 times I didn't have so much as a hand-inspection of my camera bag - it just went through the x-ray machine and that was that. They went through my Halliburton briefcase thoroughly. 3) be prepared to be pulled out for a detailed "wand-ing" where you stand with your arms extended and they go over you in detail. Also be prepared to have a thorough search of all your carry-on materials. This didn't happen to us but we observed it happening to maybe 1 of 3 or 1 of 5 passengers in the gate area In general we had mixed problems with lines. There was a 15 minute line for South West in Phoenix. Virtually no line in Sacramento. Flying NorthWest we had a long line in Sacramento - two hours before the flight, but a very short line through security. In Green Bay, which had the best security inspections of any airport I've been through, almost no wait. It's hard to stand there being "wanded" and watch your carry-on spilling out of the x-ray machine. I figure it's unlikely at this time that anyone is going to be lurking to snatch your bag and run off but I was uncomfortable as $12,000 worth of gear sat there out of my control. It was just too easy to pick up. I was listening to a guy on the radio who said that the particle-beam mechanism being contemplated for the US Mail would be fairly benign for film. I was driving and merging at the time and didn't fully follow what he said but the basic thrust was that while the particles are energetic they are not dense. So you'd have a few events on a frame of film but it wouldn't be a general fogging. I found travel to be pretty decent. I have to think that outside of the White House an airport within the security perimeter is one of the safest places to be in America. Also, all of my flights were jammed save one, from Green Bay to Minneapolis. Maybe Sacramento is a popular destination. Thanks Adam - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html