[Felonious Monk]

About a month ago, there was a thread on how to prepare for flights since the new "enlightened" Home Defense/Security measures are now in place.

I'm catching a hop down to sunny FL today, and here's what I've done to prep:

I've got a pocket FULL of quarters, and a pair of tube sox in my carry-on backpack. Instant sap.

I bought a MagLight MiniMag (about 6 1/2" long), and attached it to my keychain. Instant Kubotan.

I called the airport 3 times that day, and got independent confirmation from the Airport Operations office, Delta's desk, and Airport Security that the MiniMag should not pose a problem.
I will follow up and let you know how THAT one goes...

I bought an adjustable metal (aluminum?) cane at Wal-Mart ($13).
As I looked at it vs. the wood ones, I realized that I could take it apart into 2 pieces and have one straight stick-like weapon of approx. 16", and the other end with the crook of approx. 24".

So, in the new and subtle ways, if all goes well, I will be flying armed with "defensive aids" for up to 4 guys.

How's that?
Tell me what you think.

[KMKeller]

You're aware, I assume, that by the time you've reached the ticket counter, that Delta has run a full background check on both criminal and financial matters and that they have assigned you a risk code? And that your info now resides in a database that they own?

[Quartus]

Can you give us a reference for that, Keller?


Monk, I don't think the cane will pass muster, and might even get you interrogated. Uh, excuse me, "questioned".


:barf:

[hops]

Delta (2001 survey) has the highest bump rate of all the airlines. Delta just luvs to overbook their flights. Hope you get to make your flights. Enjoy.

[geekWithA.45]

Yah, the cane is dubious.

People who need them, and have carried them for a while have a different gait, and other behavioural patterns that a newbie without a real need will have a hard time faking. For example, someone who always has a cane will always know what to do with it in every case, such as sitting down in a restaurant, and so forth, whereas a newbie will encounter these everyday situations we take for granted will dither about what to do with the cane. Dithering is the giveaway.

I applaud your sentiment, but suggest that your good old fashioned American willingness to beat the living snot out of a hijacker is plenty enough.

That, and your sock sap. ;)

Note: Improvised airplane weapons are all over:

Tray = shield
Wrapped blanket around arm = armor
Coffee pot = hot bludgeon
Oxy tank (overhead compartment near air crew seats) = heavy bludgeon
Tightly rolled magazine = stick
Seat cushion = shield
Purse = sling

Imagination counts!

Relax, and have a good flight.

[Felonious Monk]

KMKeller-- Yeah, and all that's clean, so my risk code should be about as close to "zero" as they get.

Quartus-- I've been told that canes are accepted anywhere.
Since I'm 6'1" and 375, and have a 7" scar down my right hip from where they put my leg back together after a car wreck, I'll be happy to shoot 'em the MOON so they can confirm the need. :what: :rolleyes:

In addition, I'm under a doctor's care for a deteriorating L. Hip joint, that doesn't (really) necessitate a cane, but between the visible scars and the readily confirmable condition in the other hip, I'd be pretty flabbergasted if I couldn't get on the plane with my cane. Plus, I specifically bought a Wally-World thirteen dollar job so I could lose it without emotional trauma.

[Beorn]

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking... Just a few items of note...

In the event of a terrorist take-over, your seat cushion that may be used as a floatation device may be used as a shield.

In the unlikely event of a terrorist with a boxcutter, your flight attendant may be able to give you extra blankets and pillows to be utilzed as soft armor under normal clothing to severely limit the penetration of such a short-bladed instrument.

Now sit back, relax, and watch our inflight film, "1001 ways to turn the New York Times into a jo stick.":)

[TallPine]

What about just taking along the biggest, heaviest, thickest hardbound book that you can find ...?

They certainly haven't banned books now, have they?

For you christians out there, a Strong's Concordance would be just about right. :)

[Quartus]

I'll be happy to shoot 'em the MOON so they can confirm the need.


Well, then, all I can say is, "Go dude!"


:D

[KMKeller]

Quartus:

Here ya go!

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11287

[Ebbtide]

Since I'm 6'1" and 375,

Do you really think you'll need a weapon? :D

Being a big man myself, I hope you're going 1st class.

Have a nice trip and enjoy yourself.

[Felonious Monk]

Size isn't everything.
At least, that's what I keep telling my wife. :rolleyes: :D

Bye guys! Going to catch my flight.
Will report back on my experience.

[bad_dad_brad]

Felonious,

I flew to Houston from Chicago a few months a go and got singled out for inspection by the new Federal security folks.

Don't mess around, don't be cute, don't take anything along that will be even remotely suspicious. Although extremely polite, they are very serious.

Heck, I didn't even have a carry on, and they wanded me, patted me down several times, looked at my wallet, I had to empty my pockets, and they made me take my shoes off.

I am a very regular WASP type, and they searched me down to the third degree. Don't get cute, or you will miss your flight, end up in a little white room, with a lot of beady eyed security folks asking a ton of questions.

Who needs it the hassle. American airports are now just about the most secure places on earth anyway.

[Quartus]

Thanks, Keller.


I think. :(

[Ewok]

I'll be flying El Al to Israel in April. Should be quite an experience.

[Lone_Gunman]

They will let you take the cane on the plane, until you get to your seat, and then the crew will "store" it for you until you arrive at the gate. They wont let you keep it during the flight.

[twoblink]

#2 Pencil. It will go through the scanner with no problems, and if need be, a nice jab to the eyeballs will end everything; and you can take notes with it if you are being hijjacked..

The socks idea is a good one though, but double up, the single layer usually breaks....

Buy 100% cotton socks, if need be, WET THE SOCK. wet cotton is like 10x stronger then dry cotton.

The other item you didn't mention is a belt. a belt with a metal buckle is great, swing it (metal side out) like a nunchuck...

[Bainx]

a buddy of mine just returned from a cruise. Leaving Knoxville was a snap in terms of security. Very rapid.

Getting back from Ft. Laugterdale [spell] was a different animal.
FOUR and ONE HALF hours in the sheeple/herding/security line!!
It was awful. The more that people complained, the slower the federal search workers worked. The search they performed [I won't go into details] was an absolute joke, according to him.

Enjoy the friendly skies.

[Lone_Gunman]

Swinging a belt with a big buckle in the tight confines of an airplane sounds like a poor plan to me.

#2 pencil to the eyeball sounds better.

[labgrade]

Hope your flight went well.

I would have checked the sock, as used, prior to flight. Making sure a hit, or even the cetrifugal force, didn't rip it up on first use. Don't belive there's any regs saying you can't have those quarters in a leather sack - stored separately.

Always have liked those mini-mags. Like you said = instant Kubotan.

bad-dad-brad,

Who needs it the hassle. American airports are now just about the most secure places on earth anyway."

& that's the rub, no?, -dad.

We seem to lately care more about what happens on the planes, not in the airports.

Only the passengers "are about the most secure (sic) places on earth ... " & they are not - just merely disarmed.

Hoping for zero visits, but I'd just betcha that anyone with any degree of "sophistication" & some scoots to throw about somewhat liberally (old definition) could enscounse any object they'd wish on any A/C they'd want.

Baggage handlers just tossing their own "stuff" into the hold, food handlers, cleaning-folk taping whatever under seats/into magazine "racks"/into bathrooms ....

Flying is no more secure than pre-9/11 - only the possible will of passengers to resist has changed now that the rules have changed forever.

But, hey! We get to yak about how to "protect" ourselves while paying additional surcgarges for sfaety that doesn't exist.

[/musings]

[twoblink]

The belt in confined spaces, should be used like a "rat's tail" like snapping a towel. Forward, and yank. Like a whip.

[labgrade]

& BTW, those straight-line Bic (no-click) pens are way superior to anything #2 pencils.

[CatsDieNow]

One time on a little puddle-jumper, one of the security folks had just finished confiscating from me a dozen ballpoint pens and two nail clippers (could have outfitted the entire plane there). :rolleyes:

He then wants me to trim my long fingernails. I showed him one particular finger and explained to him in very coarse language that I would require one of those items he confiscated to do that. Then I walked towards the gate.

I fully expected to be detained, but I guess he was just way too lazy to chase me.

[geekWithA.45]

CatsDieNow:

I applaud you. Yes, you did invite being tackled, arrested, and harrassed within a hairs breadth of your life, and arguably it's not worth it, but they were way, way over the line.


Everybody: Repeat after me:

We're Americans. Standing up for our freedom and dignity in the face of overstepped authority is our heritage, and should forever be our national past time.

[dustind]

damn, is there a more perfect police state than airports... i can't wait until the rest of the usa gets this bad

[org]

I'm a pilot. I travel every two weeks, without fail. Since I have started this schedule (June of last year) I have been "randomly selected" for secondary search EVERY TIME. It matters not if I'm in uniform, resplendent in stripes and brass, or in faded blue jeans and a sweatshirt. Either way, my bags get the secondary search, and I get to show off my socks to the nice TSA people.

From all this, it's become obvious that someone in an office somewhere (Washington, probably) set down the "profile" and common sense is not needed, thank you.

The thing that chaps me is that if they're searching every person that obtains a ticket in a manner that sets off the bells, every time he travels, somebody else is skating through without EVER being checked. The whole situation sets the stage for someone that knows the way the system works (what the alarm factors are) to avoid the enhanced searches by avioding the factors that precipitate the searches....and virtually everyone that travels much is well aware of those factors. It would take a truly stupid terrorist to get caught in a "random search". Those are just to fill squares and allow the TSA to justify their existance.

I'm all for security. I just wish they'd get their act together and do REALLY random searches. That's the only way it will do any good.

[Felonious Monk]

Full debriefing here (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14395)