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TSA pisses me off

T

TitanDiddly

Guest
The TSA doesn't go by the rules.

For example, earlier this year I flew back from CA to MA with a stop in Phoenix. I had a sealed lead acid battery connected to an auto adapter to power my laptop. Sealed Lead Acid batteries (SLAs) are allowed on onboard aircraft with no restrictions as stated in 49 CFR 173.159, subsection D. Actually there are a few restrictions: Must be protected from short circuit(mine was) securely packaged(mine was), and able to withstand a vibration and pressure test, as explained in 49 CFR 173.159 subsection D. If a battery passes those tests, it can be labeled as Nonspillable SLA. Mine was.

I took it through the LAX TSA security check got flagged for inspection, the battery issue was specifically addressed, and passed/allowed to be on board in the cabin. However, when we stopped in Phoenix, somebody spotted the zip cable which I used to make the connection from the battery. Normal zip cable is polarity marked with one conductor red, the other black. Somebody spotted the red wire, and as we all know, red wire = bomb. So they called in the TSA, upwards of 10 inspection personell, 6 adminitrators, four police officers, and two bomb-sniffing dogs, all of which determined that it was, in fact, not a bomb, therefore shattering the 'fact' that red wire = bomb. However, they couldn't have held up all those passengers on the full plane for more than an hour without something to show for it- so they told me that it was a wet battery(which it's not, as I explained above, it is exempt from that status and special requirements), confiscated it, and put it in the cargo bay with an ungodly amount of packaging.

I was told that the punishment for this 'crime' is up to $250k in fines and 5 years in FPMITAP, but since they were feeling generous, they'd let it go this time. Now, because of the Phoenix TSA's incompetence and pride, I will be flagged for inspection for boarding flights for the rest of my life.

Thanks TSA, for the safety you've provided. Not a week goes by the I don't hear a news story about you harassing people- I mean, apprehending terrorists.

When was the last time that the TSA actually caught someone trying to pull off some terrorist act?

BTW: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin...RT=173&SECTION=159&YEAR=1999&TYPE=TEXT
That's the relevant regulation.
(d) A nonspillable wet electric storage battery is excepted from all
other requirements of this subchapter under the following conditions:
(1) The battery must be protected against short circuits and
securely packaged;
(2) For batteries manufactured after September 30, 1995, the battery
and the outer packaging must be plainly and durably marked
``NONSPILLABLE'' or ``NONSPILLABLE BATTERY''; and
(3) The battery must be capable of withstanding the following two
tests, without leakage of battery fluid from the battery:
(i) Vibration test. The battery must be rigidly clamped to the
platform of a vibration machine, and a simple harmonic motion having an
amplitude of 0.8 mm (0.03 inches), with a 1.6 mm (0.063 inches) maximum
total excursion must be applied. The frequency must be varied at the
rate of 1 Hz/min between the limits of 10 Hz to 55 Hz. The entire range
of frequencies and return must be traversed in 95 plus-minus 5 minutes
for each mounting position (direction of vibrator) of the battery. The
battery must be tested in three mutually perpendicular positions (to
include testing with fill openings and vents, if any, in an inverted
position) for equal time periods.
(ii) Pressure differential test. Following the vibration test, the
battery must be stored for six hours at 24 deg.C plus-minus 4 deg.C
(75 deg.F plus-minus 7 deg.F) while subjected to a pressure
differential of at least 88 kPa (13 psi). The battery must be tested in
three mutually perpendicular positions (to include testing with fill
openings and vents, if any, in an inverted position) for at least six
hours in each position.
Click to expand...

 
I too am irritated by the TSA, but as long as people are able to remember the attacks of Sept 11, they will be free to run things how they like. They can always point their fingers and say "Look at that. Remember?" Despite the fact that the measures the FAA took before the attacks and after the attacks really dont protect us from terrorism.
I'll probably die of old age before the govt forgets about that.

Am also ticked off with United Airlines, but thats another story.

 
I know this may not help now, but if you are carrying such a device on a plane, I'd have all these links printed and in-hand.
 
Originally posted by: TuxDave
de ja vu? I could've sworn I read this before.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I posted about it when it happened, but this is shorter version, and I'm still pissed. I'm going to send a letter to the blue collar jerk who sent me one before when I get back to my dorm where the info is.
 
All the security in the world does nothing to protect any of us if we are too scared to be non-PC and REALLY isolate potential threats to our safety - terrorists!
 
why the fsck did you rollover? raise hell, should have cited the regulations (with appropriate numbers) and statutes. damn...
 
Originally posted by: chambersc
why the fsck did you rollover? raise hell, should have cited the regulations (with appropriate numbers) and statutes. damn...
Click to expand...

Didn't have them on hand, and they refused to show them to me.
 
Bleh, they keep going through my luggage and not putting things back to where it was. I was taking some hard drives with me so I wrapped them in the clothes in the suitcase and TSA is like "oh I'm going to inspect it and put the hard drives on the side of the suitcase where it can actually receive shock." I'm thankfully that the hard drives are working so I'm not that pissed.
 
Welcome to the real world.

Public offices care care about looking good primary, first and foremost. Because they're funded by the public, they've gotta look good to the public; that is their #1 priority. If they look bad doing their jobs, the public protests, and the politicians cut funding.
 
you fly around with a car battery? WTF man... and you wonder why they searched you?

Let's see, you had a large 12v battery, cables going left and right, some kind of power adapter contraption and a laptop as an excuse to need all of the above. Geee i fvcking wonder why those guys got suspicious :roll:
 
Originally posted by: halik
you fly around with a car battery? WTF man... and you wonder why they searched you?

Let's see, you had a large 12v battery, cables going left and right, some kind of power adapter contraption and a laptop as an excuse to need all of the above. Geee i fvcking wonder why those guys got suspicious :roll:
Click to expand...

Dammit, that's the whole point! It's NOT a car battery! The only danger the thing poses is if you hit somebody over the head with it. I wouldn't be complaining if they had searched my seat and found it okay. But what they did is search my seat, and said "Hey, we just spent an hour holding up all these people, but it turns out that it's alright. We can't just walk away and say 'Hey, we were wrong, sorry!' No, we need to come out on top. I know, let's ignore section D! That way, we can charge the passenger with a crime and come out as heroes! YAY!'. :|

Why shouldn't I be allowed to fly with an approved 12v battery, a few wires connecting things(not going left and right), and a laptop? What if the battery were a commercially available Li-Ion backup battery? Would you be mad then? The power system wasn't dangerous. Suspicious? Of course. But suspicion is temporary, you, and the TSA don't get that. Suspicion = reason to investigate. The outcome of the investigation is what should determine if it goes on the plane, not suspicion.
 
Originally posted by: TitanDiddly
Originally posted by: chambersc
why the fsck did you rollover? raise hell, should have cited the regulations (with appropriate numbers) and statutes. damn...
Click to expand...

Didn't have them on hand, and they refused to show them to me.
Click to expand...
There's YOUR first mistake.
Your second one is not getting an airline power adaptor. BTW, you can recharge your lappy bat in the bathroom, the shaver plugs still work, unless the Flight Engineer has pulled the circuit breaker.

 
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