Road Gear

[Curious]

Curious wins for the DVD solution, you may pick up your prize at any of our convenient prize centers located in the Australian Outback, the Canadian Tundra and local Blockbusters.

since we still have two local blockbusters do i just use “Curious” when claiming my prize?

glad i could help.

[Curious]

ennuipoet did a quick check at Adorama and the CF cards are twice the SD ones. although i don’t fill my 4GB cards usually i bought a couple 8s the other day just because. with my 10MP D3000 an 8GB SD card will hold 453 photos using NEF/RAW.

[zincprincess]

When I traveled a good bit for field work, I would get my stuff searched following the swabbing every time. I work on contaminated ammunition plant sites so naturally my dirty boots and clothes were going to set off alarms.

Ennui – FWIW, if you are flying into the Knoxville airport, their TSA staff is pretty reasonable. I have never had a problem there but I don’t fly with stuff that needs special screening.

[ennuipoet]

Curious wins for the DVD solution, you may pick up your prize at any of our convenient prize centers located in the Australian Outback, the Canadian Tundra and local Blockbusters.

since we still have two local blockbusters do i just use “Curious” when claiming my prize?

glad i could help.

Just don’t mention my name, I still owe them late fees from 1994.

[LeicaLens]

The security guy took the camera and all my lenses out of the bag, and swabbed them to check for explosive residue. He said it might prove I had been photographing around arms dumps or something.

At ATL I saw a photographer being hassled for “residue” when he had been shooting a fireworks display the night before. This was when they were still using the “puffer” machines that have since been mothballed and warehoused because they weren’t making Chertoff any money.

I hadn’t thought of residue from fireworks, but I do remember thinking at the time that finding traces of explosive materials on my lenses isn’t really going to prove I am a terrorist. Hell, why not swab everyone’s clothes, skin, bags, jewellery etc.?
I reckoned it was just posturing. Well, that and he wanted to play with his shiny new machine.

[LeicaLens]

When I traveled a good bit for field work, I would get my stuff searched following the swabbing every time. I work on contaminated ammunition plant sites so naturally my dirty boots and clothes were going to set off alarms.

Your job sounds a lot more interesting than mine 😥

[zincprincess]

When I traveled a good bit for field work, I would get my stuff searched following the swabbing every time. I work on contaminated ammunition plant sites so naturally my dirty boots and clothes were going to set off alarms.

Your job sounds a lot more interesting than mine 😥

It used to be when I was in the field and traveling. Now I’m a desk bound paper pusher otherwise known as “management”.

[caradoc]

Hell, why not swab everyone’s clothes, skin, bags, jewellery etc.?

Travelers have been reporting for several months now that TSA employees have been randomly demanding to swab people’s drinks inside the “secure area” at several airports.

Yes, the TSA is collectively stupid enough to believe that someone might actually be drinking liquid explosives provided in a cup from the Starbucks at the airport.

[LeicaLens]

Hell, why not swab everyone’s clothes, skin, bags, jewellery etc.?

Travelers have been reporting for several months now that TSA employees have been randomly demanding to swab people’s drinks inside the “secure area” at several airports.

Yes, the TSA is collectively stupid enough to believe that someone might actually be drinking liquid explosives provided in a cup from the Starbucks at the airport.

Well, I’m flying off to Britain tomorrow. I will have the pleasure of going through at least 3 security checks (Fukuoka, Tokyo, Amsterdam); I am sure I will come back with tales of airport joy, though to be honest, apart from the explosives swab mentioned above, I have never had an encounter to match all the TSA stories I hear from the States.
Although there was that time I got my luggage searched at Narita after a drug-sniffing dog reacted to the smell of hairs from my uncle’s dog that were stuck to a sweater of mine…

[caradoc]

Well, I’m flying off to Britain tomorrow. I will have the pleasure of going through at least 3 security checks (Fukuoka, Tokyo, Amsterdam); I am sure I will come back with tales of airport joy, though to be honest, apart from the explosives swab mentioned above, I have never had an encounter to match all the TSA stories I hear from the States.

I envy you your ability to travel without interacting with the blue-shirted thugs of the TSA.

[Kestrana]

I haven’t had any problem with TSA and camera/laptop equipment since 9/11. I’ve flown out of O’Hare/Midway Chicago, Reno, McCarran Las Vegas, LAX, Hartford, Sacramento, Seatac, though not all of those with film. We had zero problems this weekend with TSA thank goodness. McCarran has the full body scanners and I was prepared to become a statistic because I would have refused to go through them and taken the pat-down instead.

[caradoc]

ATL and PHX have been the biggest offenders when it comes to messing with my gear.

[orionid]

Travelers have been reporting for several months now that TSA employees have been randomly demanding to swab people’s drinks inside the “secure area” at several airports.

Yes, the TSA is collectively stupid enough to believe that someone might actually be drinking liquid explosives provided in a cup from the Starbucks at the airport.

I’ve been “dip tested” twice now. Once at ALB and once at IAD.

Digital: Not much to report, other than “we saw a bunch of cylinders in your bag, can we manually check it?” – proceed to swabbing and hand searching booth – “What’s this?” “A camera lens.” “What’s this?” “Another camera lens.”

Film: checked baggage x-rays are about 100x as powerful as carry-on x-rays, but they are manually adjustable. Checked bag x-rays have wrecked 200 ISO film that I tossed in the wrong bag. I use a film bag with my carry-on, and request anything 800 or faster be hand checked. FAA policy is 1600 or faster, but most airports have been cool about 800.

ALB/IAD/DCA: “hey, we saw you have a film bag, can we check inside it?”
BTR: “Hey, that film bag doesn’t do anything. We just crank up the power and scan it again until we can see through it.”

ALB: “Why is this camera all taped up?” “To keep it from falling apart.” “What’s inside it?” “film.” *blank stare* “It’s an old shitty camera that takes shitty pictures. In the art world, ‘shitty’ means ‘artistic'” “oh, gotcha.”

HNL: “Why you stare you bag so close fo?” “because I’m moving and it’s got everything I don’t trust the movers with in it.” “Why you no check it?” “Because, frankly, I don’t trust you guys with it either.” “What kine stuff you got in dare?” “stock certificates, baseball cards, car titles, cameras, and a laptop. Basically $60,000 of my life.” “Oh, okay.”

And then there’s United Airlines:
“Can I help you.” “Uh, yeah. You lost my bag.” *scans barcode* “Oh. It’s not lost. We know exactly where it is. It’s in Denver.” “Yeah, but I’m in Honolulu. What good is my snorkeling gear going to do me in Denver? Am I supposed to start surfing the Rockies?” “Where are you staying on the island, we can deliver it to you?” “Ford Island.” “Oh. That’s on base. We can’t deliver there.” “So what are my options?” “You can come pick it tomorrow at noon.”

---

“Can I help you.” “Uh, yeah. You lost my bag. For the second time in two weeks.” *scans barcode* “Oh. It’s not lost. We know exactly where it is. It’s in Tokyo.” “How the hell did it get to tokyo?” “Well, it probably got on the wrong plane.” “You think?” “Where are you staying in the city? We can bring it out on a courtesy van when it arrives.” “I’m not. I live about 70 miles outside.” “That’s okay, just give us your address.”
Three days later, FEDEX delivered my bag, with a return address from Moscow airport.

/Also, FWIW, a lesson learned from my dad – when you’re short on time and need a bag for carry-on, don’t grab your shooting bag.

[caradoc]

I’ve been “dip tested” twice now. Once at ALB and once at IAD.

I’ve decided not to fly for the time being, but if circumstances force me to fly and I get some blue-shirted dimwit asking me if he can test the overpriced mud I just bought from some airside “coffee” shop, I’m planning on marching back to the vendor, bypassing the line, and demanding VERY loudly to know why the TSA thinks they served me liquid explosives.

Should be interesting, if nothing else.

[Author]

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