Turn Your Kilt Across Your Tummy

[cessna152towser]

Amsterdam airport is a major European hub and the staff are accustomed to seeing kilt wearers passing through security. Previously I have opted for the sideways technique, walking through the metal detector slightly sideways so that the buckle on one side of the kilt passes through before the other. It is easy to overlook to do this and to set off the alarm. I was reminded of the problem passing through the airport last weekend when the security officer instructed me to "turn your kilt across your tummy". So I spun the kilt round ninety degrees and walked through the detector with the pleats to one side and the apron on the other, so that one buckle was at the front and the other at the rear. No problem at all and pnce clear of the detector it only took a couple of seconds to re-adjust the kilt.

[kiltedrennie]

That's interesting. What you're saying is the detectors are setup to expect metal in the front (zippers, buttons, etc.).

[unixken]

The detectors aren't that smart. It's more likely that the detectors are set up to ignore a quantity of metal below a certain threshold passing through the detector at any one moment, to prevent such nuisance alarms as would otherwise be set off by zippers, etc. By walking directly through the detector (facing front), you pass all three buckles through the detector at the same time. By rotating the kilt 90 degrees (or walking through sideways), you reduce the mass of metal passing through the detector at the same time. However, I've seen enough detectors improperly calibrated such that even a zipper sets them off. Personally, I'd walk straight through. If the detector goes off, they can wand my buckles. In the states, we already have the "freedom grope", and make enough concessions already.

[Laird_M]

Interesting post.
As for incorrectly calibrated detectors, I once had one go off everytime I went through, only metal objects were my buckle, zip and watch, and even with watch and belt taken off it still set off the alarm, and joked to the security team that it'd probably still go off I went through naked.
They weren't impressed, but finally let me through.

[kiltedrennie]

Ah, I see your point. I didn't realize the metal detectors had that narrow a zone.
I wonder what someone looking at a scanner image would think about the buckles.

Last time I traveled while wearing bifurcated unmentionables I totally forgot about my belt. Got the wand and a freedom grope. I really hate flying.

[Chas]

I have a pacemaker, so all these automated niceties are beyond my ken. I have to rely on old fashioned analogue or manual.

[sailortats]

I have always found the security agents at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam some of the most pleasant around. Very polite and more than willing to give a helping hand. I am not surprised that they suggested the "Kilt across the tummy" approach.

[TheOfficialBren]

Ha! The "freedom grope." Every time I fly it reminds me of Simon Sudbury and his ilk...

Seriously, though, I've had the zipper/buckle set it off. LAX was quite finnicky the last time that I was through there and judging by the staff's judgement I'd say that they were harrassing the wrong people. I'll leave that one right there lest I tread upon a rule ("freedom grope" or violate or whatever)...

[Creag]

I set off the detector at Heathrow in London with nary a bit of metal on me but the zipper on my pants. A very serious and imposing guard asked permission to search me. I replied "sure but you can't have my number". The corner of his mouth did quirk slightly.

[Deirachel]

From my days working TSA:

1.)

When I was working Hartsfield in Atlanta, I can say, in all honesty, it is an AMOUNT of metal in a single section for most magnetometers (the walk-through metal detectors). There is even a flashing light on the inside of them telling the attendant where the metal is. This amount is set up by a technician (i.e. you can set it to ignore no metal, some metal, or even enough for a firearm if you are stupid). With most setups in the US, jeans, with their copper rivets and zippers, are not enough to set off the machine, but add anything to that (a belt, a penny, even a foiled gum-stick wrapper) and you set it off.

2.)

There is no "judgement calls" to be made in who gets checked. It's a very if, then situation, and one which there is NO leeway. IF the metal detector goes off, then you have to get hand-wanded/patted-down. If a screener doesn't follow the SOP on this, they get fired and possibly charged with a crime. For the full body scanners (Xray type), then it's a threat/no threat if then (same with xrayed bags). Either you see something which is prohibited and/or you can not identify (which MUST then be searched manually) or you don't (grab your stuff and head out). That blob of stuff that you can't tell what it is? Someone has to put hands on or see it directly to identify it. To reduce your chances of getting searched, take off/out as much metal as you can. Gold, lead, and other dense metals make you more likely to get searched (they aren't "see-through"). I always enjoyed the jewelry couriers coming through my lines (and for a while there, they would actually come to find me if they could), because I would see their bags on the X-ray (as pretty much a Rorshach test on the monitor), know what it was, collect the bag, and immediately offer a private search. (Grab a supervisor, and as soon as I'm in the private room, roll up my sleeves if I'm wearing long sleeves, for their benefit...) Got an antique pewter (i.e. leaded) belt plate or kilt pin that your taking? Wear it and put it on the Xray belt by itself. Don't pack it in a carry-on, don't put it in the bin with your computer.

Additionally, people are identified by the computer systems for additional (read the full battery) screening. I can't tell you why (yes, I know why. I can't tell you due to security agreements). It's not the screeners choosing you, though. It's not your race. Again, this isn't a judgement call. If your ticket has the designator on it (I don't know what the current one is), you get searched.

Finally, there are the random checks. At most of the Class X airports, this usually isn't as much a need (as the screeners usually have enough of the set off the alarm or computer says search 'em) during the rush hours (Monday and Tuesday mornings are the weeklies, big holidays can put them to shame though). But, no matter the size of your airport or how busy, there are still random checks. Some screeners are jerks and pick on people they don't like (race, clothing style, attitude...), but most are just trying to do their job and be able to go home at the end of the day to their loved ones. Common methods were random number of people, have the Xray say when, or have the guys hand-wanding pick someone (I'd use the random number method, and have the last person to go for hand-wanding pick it. If the guy that set off the metal detector says 12, then the twelfth person entering the walk-through without anyone else setting off the metal detect gets to get hand-wanded. I didn't pick you, so I can't be faulted for bias.) The point of the random screenings have an official (real: "BS") reason and an unofficial (read: "real") reason. Officially, it's to verify the walk-throughs are working properly. Unofficially, it's to keep the screeners busy. I can attest to this as the teams who had too long of a "break" between hand-wandings got yelled at. As far as I was able to find out, it's because some people hate the idea of a government employee waiting for something to do. Of course, these same people seem to be angry there is not the same employee ready to handle them RIGHT NOW because they are busy with someone else. (These folks also don't really understand anyone sane in a security related job considers their best days to be the one nothing happened. Funny, or weird, is cool; exciting is not as it means something bad happened to someone).