Security Gone Too Far?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I find it interesting that a lot of people in the UK (specifically) find all of this security stuff bothersome. However, during the hey day of IRA activities in Britain (remember Warrington?) there was a huge outcry for even tighter security at airports and ferry terminals.

Is this now a matter of "how soon we forget" or is it about whose ox is getting gored? Face it, we live in a dangerous world. If you are inconvenienced by airport security, so are the bad guys. Complaining because someone took away your fake knife-- and that's what it was, a fake knife-- really doesn't seem to show a grasp of the bigger picture.

[BoldHighlander]

I find it interesting that a lot of people in the UK (specifically) find all of this security stuff bothersome. However, during the hey day of IRA activities in Britain (remember Warrington?) there was a huge outcry for even tighter security at airports and ferry terminals.

Is this now a matter of "how soon we forget" or is it about whose ox is getting gored? Face it, we live in a dangerous world. If you are inconvenienced by airport security, so are the bad guys. Complaining because someone took away your fake knife-- and that's what it was, a fake knife-- really doesn't seem to show a grasp of the bigger picture.

Well said sir!

(from one of the under paid "security monkeys" getting ready to head off to my thankless job & place myself between the bad guys and the good guys traveling tonight!)

[Carolina Kiltman]

I have to agree, it seems stupid and arbitrary, but I saw why the ban on "innocent" things like hand lotion, at least the limiting of quantities.

After they caught a crew, each with one part of an explosive disguised as cosmetic is when all this happened. I saw a film clip of the results of mixing three 8 oz (250 ml) components in a parked plane's after toilet in a salvage yard. It blew the entire tail off! Pretty scary.

There are a couple of clear or nearly clear water like common household chemicals that when mixed together produce a deadly gas, used in chemical warfare. I would rather that they be too careful than not enough.

I haven't tried flying kilted, but have developed a totally non-metallic wardrobe. I slip out of my shoes, and breeze through the gate every time.

[Nervous Jock]

Complaining because someone took away your fake knife-- and that's what it was, a fake knife-- really doesn't seem to show a grasp of the bigger picture.

Agreed

[Darkislander]

I find it interesting that a lot of people in the UK (specifically) find all of this security stuff bothersome. However, during the hey day of IRA activities in Britain (remember Warrington?) there was a huge outcry for even tighter security at airports and ferry terminals.

Is this now a matter of "how soon we forget" or is it about whose ox is getting gored? Face it, we live in a dangerous world. If you are inconvenienced by airport security, so are the bad guys. Complaining because someone took away your fake knife-- and that's what it was, a fake knife-- really doesn't seem to show a grasp of the bigger picture.

I welcome security at the airport, after all we did get an attack. I was only trying to highlight how unfortunate it is that a SCOTSMAN dressed in TRADITIONAL HIGHLANDWEAR travelling from HOME with a plastic sgian is now "a threat". As I said, I asked security at the airport the year before and they said it was fine, but a REAL one had to be packed in the hold.

[McClef]

Trouble with the plastic one is that what security at one airport might pass as OK does not guarantee that you will get the same reaction at all airports.

As it's not an essential item to wear on a plane in any case I would always err on the side of caution knowing that at least I would get to keep it for wearing in future rather than seeing it confiscated.

My friend Andrew forgot to pack his kilt pin when we were flying back from Edinburgh Airport but was allowed through - very lucky in my opinion as most places would have confiscated it.

I was lucky too in June - unknowingly my real sgian was in my kilt jacket pocket which I took off to put through the machine at Cardiff and retrieved when I had gone through the portal. I did not discover this until I had arrived in Barcelona! I was lucky not to have lost it but also perturbed that this was not picked up at Cardiff Security as I wore the jacket on the plane and was therefore potentially an armed threat even though I was not aware of it until afterwards! Makes you wonder how much of a lottery it can be as to what gets through! I made sure it was in my hold luggage for my return flight!

[BoldHighlander]

I was lucky too in June - unknowingly my real sgian was in my kilt jacket pocket which I took off to put through the machine at Cardiff and retrieved when I had gone through the portal. I did not discover this until I had arrived in Barcelona! I was lucky not to have lost it but also perturbed that this was not picked up at Cardiff Security as I wore the jacket on the plane and was therefore potentially an armed threat even though I was not aware of it until afterwards! Makes you wonder how much of a lottery it can be as to what gets through!

My friend Andrew forgot to pack his kilt pin when we were flying back from Edinburgh Airport but was allowed through - very lucky in my opinion as most places would have confiscated it.

You know, for some reason I never gave the kilt pin much thought
Thanks for the reminder