I discovered yesterday on my way home from the Wise Traditions seminar that I had unknowingly received a bon voyage blast of radiation from a body scanner on my way out of town via Tampa International Airport.
A radiation expert that I was chatting up in the van on the way to Dallas airport yesterday clued me in.
Apparently, some TSA agents are now flat out lying to airline passengers about the machines they operate.
I never got the memo.
I have to admit that I haven’t been keeping up with the roll-out of body scanner machines across the United States over the past year. Â I knew some of the larger hubs had them but had not read or heard anywhere in my local community that Tampa International now has them too.
So, on my way through security last Thursday I wasn’t anticipating anything different at the security check.
As I dutifully removed my shoes, I first sensed something was very wrong when I saw the big security box that people were walking through after stepping inside and placing their feet on the appropriate spots and putting their hands in the air.
I figured that must be a body scanner so I told the TSA agent when it was my turn that I wanted a pat-down instead.
“We don’t do pat-downs here”, he said.
“This machine here doesn’t have any radiation – if it did, I wouldn’t be standing so close“, he assured me.
Skeptical and taken aback but the TSA agent’s answer, I went ahead and proceeded through the big box to be checked.
Big mistake. Â Big HUGE mistake.
So, after the conference on the way home, the radiation expert I was talking to in the shuttle told me that the big box that I had stepped into was indeed a body scanner and that I had received a not so small dose of radiation as a thank you for my lemming-like behavior.
Sure enough, when I arrived at Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport, I talked to the baggage check-in agent and he told me that yes, Dallas has body scanners and that you can, of course, choose a pat-down if you like.
When I arrived at my terminal’s security point, the machine used was the exact same box like the one I walked through in Tampa International. Â The people went inside and stood exactly as I had and put their hands in the air the same way.
When it was my turn to be checked, I requested a pat-down.
“Of course, that is your choice”, said the TSA agent.
She proceeded to give me a manual pat-down, which I have to say was no big deal at all. Â At no time, did I feel uncomfortable or violated in any way.
So, what happened at TIA and why in the world did that TSA agent so unlawfully mislead me? Â Why did I receive such a completely different answer at Tampa International Airport and at Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport?
My thought is that the TSA agent believed 100% what he was telling me. Â I did not sense or see any body language that indicated that he knew he was lying. Â I think the man was told an untruth from his superior or someone else at TSA and is simply passing on the lies to airline passengers.
The important takeaway of this post is BEWARE. Â Be prepared for lies from TSA when you travel and when in doubt, insist on a pat-down.
I am now on the hunt for some black algae which will apparently release that radiation from my body. Â Any tips?
UPDATE: The program TSA Precheck is now available for those travelers who wish to avoid x-ray body scanners and avoid long security lines.
My 90 year old mother recently visited and when I took her to the airport to return home I was given the option to accompany her to the gate. The “check in” counter guy had to issue me a pass. I asked him if I would be required to go through a body scanner in order to do so? I told him I would not be going to the gate if it was required. He told me he didn’t know if they were using body scanners that day but that they are just a part of the time we all now live in. (Implying I should get over it) I told him “it is also a sign of the times that people will can refuse to fly because of the scanners”. He looked a little surprised I was so out spoken.
I don’t plan on flying anywhere unless I absolutely have to. If everyone did this the lack of business for the airlines might make them rethink their use. But most people just fall into line and don’t seem educated about this subject.
“Lemming like” behavior is actually a misnomer from a scam foisted on us as kids from the folks at Disney ! The filmakers intentionally through Lemmings off of a cliff and filmed them ! Google it !……I was told by a clerk at the drugstore as she asked me if I had a flu shot that mercury was simply a preservative. She laughed nervously as she said it …..
Sorry this happened to you Sarah. The scanners have been in at least part of TIA for some time. We last flew out of USAirways terminal in Jan 2011 and there were some there then. It was just after all the press and the man that had his phone’s video going thru security came out. I checked online and could find no info that there were scanners yet at TIA. We were disgusted that our choices were radiation or being groped, but we decided to opt out if it there were scanners.
When we arrived at security, we saw some scanners. Not many yet, but still. There was just one line but then you would be either directed to the metal detector or the scanner last second, so you couldn’t switch lines. 2 of us made it thru the metal detector, 1 was directed to the body scanner. We were so grateful our daughter, age 12, was not selected. I most worried about her, not wanting the radiation, but also not wanting to subject her to a pat down either. My husband was selected and opted out. They were nice about it, which surprised me after the press we had been reading at the time about it being yelled out, etc. The pat down wasn’t as bad as some we’d read about, and the TSA agent who did it was friendly. You still feel violated needing to be groped like that though. A crazy choice you have to make to get on a plane that is no safer after the ordeal and millions of dollars spent to “protect” us.
I think it happened to me for a reason … so I would blog about it and warn others. Please share this article as folks are going to be traveling a lot in the coming weeks for the holidays.
Wow.. thanks for this Sarah! We’ll be flying next summer (I’m in Atlanta) so I’ll be on the lookout for the machines. I have 2 boys (they will be 2.5 and almost 8 when we fly) and I definitely don’t want them exposed to radiation. I don’t recall this type of machine when I flew earlier this year in May… must be new. Good to know!!
M1ssDiagnosis, I believe you can ask for a check by hand for any item that goes through the machine. People do it with breastmilk and medicine all the time.
they lied to me too when I went to NYC last month…I was PISSED when I found out…i was more than willing to do a pat down instead
Not only are those machines harmful, but they are completely invasive to your privacy. They are basically looking at you naked. So really you’re being molested whether you choose the pat-down or the scanner. But with the pat-down at least you don’t get the radiation.
With all the newer guidelines about liquids, I’ve been wondering for awhile what you can do about liquids like essential oils, herbal tinctures, etc that you might be carrying on. Is there a way to prevent those from going through the scanners that you put your carry-ons through?
Cancer clusters starting to pop up!
http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/30/did-airport-scanners-give-boston-tsa-agents-cancer/
I was wondering if anyone was going to mention that! I’m positive they’re not telling the TSA agents about the radiation … otherwise they couldn’t get them to operate the scanners! The rank-and-file of the TSA isn’t told all the information they need to know — instead they are given “talking points” that they are supposed to say, and phrases they are supposed to use to respond to objections.
But someone definitely does know about the radiation and wants to keep it secret, because they aren’t allowing pilots and TSA agents to wear radiation badges to detect how much radiation they’re getting. Nurses and doctors who use X-rays have to wear them, but no one going through the scanners is ALLOWED to!
You can always opt out of the scan.
As someone who flies all around the country every week and consistently opts out (I actually am pregnant) I totally know what you mean. Some have no problem with it, and others debate me and try to still get me to go through the old-style metal detectors. I insist that I have the right to opt out and sometimes they even get the manager, but so far, they’ve always let me. But it’s a shame that they don’t all know the rules.
Thankfully, the ridiculous cost of airline tickets keeps me from using airlines.