Are Jack Pads more dangerous than canes? a TSA experience

jriera · 03-30-2005, 04:26 PM

I have been at a client for a couple of days near LA, today I have decided that I need a new Jack Pad for my car (I cannot find any of the two that I must have somewhere) so I placed a Will-Call order with Pelican, on my way to the airport I went to pickup the Jack Pad.

After waiting a little bit over 40 minutes at the security line (lines where huge today for the SouthWest/America West terminal at LAX) the TSA screenner want to see 'the piece of steel' I show to him explain what it is, goes to his boss and says 'nope, you cannot fly with that, you need to go check-in that' .. obviously the idea of another 40 minutes security line was not very appealing and I said 'toss it' and went to catch my flight.

Right behind me and elderly gentlemen did not had any problems 'passing the exam' with a cane.

Moral of the story .. not sure there is one.. but if you have a friend at the TSA on Terminal 1 you may get a Jack Pad for a good price.

Now going to place another order for a Jack Pad.

Joeaksa · 03-30-2005, 07:18 PM

They hire idiots for this job, no rhyme or reason to what they allow...

JoeA

Nader · 03-30-2005, 10:12 PM

I once clubbed a stray cat to death with a jackpad. Kidding. But I did squash a roly-poly with one.

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Jordi,

How are you doing? I still remember that you sent me a throttle microswitch a few years ago for my '74 and I really appreciated the kindness! I haven't seen you posting here for awhile and was hoping all was well with you.

BlueSkyJaunte · 03-31-2005, 07:54 PM

A jack pad? Of course they wouldn't let you on with it. They wouldn't want you to hiJACK the plane!

-=rimshot=-

Thank you folks, I'm here all night. Be sure to tip your waiter, and try the fish.

fintstone · fintstone's Garage

Conversely, I always used to fly with a very large pocketknife in my pocket. It came in handy. Once (pre-9/11) they were holding our flight for a maintainer to come fix a broken part and I pulled out my very large knife and fixed their problem so we could get takeoff on time. The flight attendants brought me free drings the entire flight.
I quit carrying the knife in my pocket after 9/11 and seemed to have misplaced it. After my last flight, I was unpacking and found the knife...still in a zippered pocket of my carry-on. TSA had never caught it.

Hugh R · 04-04-2005, 10:52 AM

After April 15 you won't be able to take a lighter on a commercial flight. Also, I just went through Miami, and they're not going to let matches through either.

Jared at Pelican Parts · 04-04-2005, 11:17 AM

When i went to SEMA a few years ago, Stahlwille was giving out 10mm wrenches as sort of a promotional deal..

I got hrough the terminal at McCarran, and the guard says I'd have to check the wrench. (I only had a backpack with me) I asked him very politley how exactly a wrench would be considered a weapon. He gave me sort of a smug look and said "you going to check the wrench or not.." I said "Im not going to check a wrench, here you go"

He then throws it in a bag filled with nothing but 10mm wrenches.

MotoSook · 04-04-2005, 01:49 PM

Joe...Right ON! Those folks are just wasting tax dollars! A good majority of those TSA "guards" don't know one thing about security. And a resourceful person could easily make him/her-self more dangerous with a BIC pen than most folks would want to know about.

Sure I want security when I travel, but mediocre security for good money is just crap!