 |
 |
 |
|
Re: Sunday, May 26, 2002
Vancouver is one of my favorite cities in the world, not that I've seen "the World" yet. It's been over 25 years since I have been there, and going on the Geek Cruise "MAC Mania" involves considerable travel karma. As a 49 year old grey haired over-weight white guy, I would like to know what security profile I fall into with the airports, because I have unloaded my carry on bags, booted my laptops, taken off my shoes, assumed the position (the Cruxified Traveler), been proded by wands, and forced to secure a Sony video recorder battery from another traveler in line when mine would not start up the recorder. I realize they do not know I am on the Board of Directors of the United Nations Association, or that I'm former Assitant Regional Coordinator of International Red Cross Services for the State of Tennessee, or even that I'm just a rank and file Rotary Board member going on a simple cruise to Alaska (which last time I checked is a USA state). I consider myself relatively harmless and non-threatening, and perhaps that is why I am removed from the line so often: I will not resist or complain about the random violations of my privacy, and they have met their quota of random searches, making their jobs easier. But searching me is a complete waste of time, and doing it in Nashville, then Denver, then in Vancouver, then at Canadian Customs, then in Seattle, and then in Chicago over the course of seven days of travel is tiring and absurd. The stuff never fits back into the carry on case exactly as it was originally packed (very neatly), and it holds up the other travelers. I'd like to know why my Nikes and Reeboks are so facinating, and why I need them chemically analyzed so frequently? Meanwhile, in the process of making my travel unpleasant, there has not been any additional security added to the airport or international borders, because I was never a threat to national security in the first place. It makes me want to just drive to wherever I need to go. The system is locked up smelling my shoes and watching my MYST screen saver boot up, while narco-terrorists who know how to get past airport security are getting their passports renewed. Does detaining me heighten everyones sense of safety, or does it just prove that we are at a total loss as to how to properly identify potential threats? I feel more unsafe because I percieve the entire process as inept and ineffective. And how many lap tops have fallen to the floor or been damaged as a result of mishandling by airport security, or by the awkward nature of the inspection process? I won't say anything while at the airport because I do not want a sigmoidiscope examining my hidden files, but "traveling" was the least enjoyable aspect of my Geek Cruise. At least Doc invited me to join his wife in the Maple Leaf waiting area while waiting in Vancouver. That was very kind. (The wla-airport SSID locked up my lap top and I had to reboot three times after you left before it acted proper again.) Note to future Expedia e-ticket customers when traveling to Canada: be prepared to spend 30 minutes at the ticket desk confirming that you actually purchased a real ticket online. Their computers do not communicate very well with the other airline's.
|
