Are we losing our rights in the name of safety?

[uptowngirl]

I have to say I have been through the airport four times over the holiday, and I am guessing travel was not bad, and security lines smooth because the TSA agents are going out of their way to be not only polite, but almost cheery. It makes a HUGE difference, this new attitude. Perhaps all it took was some American's standing up for their rights to be treated as fellow citzens and human beings?  Whatever it is I like the new attitude, I never once saw anyone being forced into the porno picture scanner (in fact they appeared to be turned off), or anyone being aggressively patted down.

[ChriswUfGator]

I think TSA laid low to be able to say "Told you, nothing to see here...".

Let's see what happens when they think they're back out of the national spotlight...bet it's a whole different tune then.

[cityimrov]

This thread gives rather good arguments for cars and against mass transit. 

Subways and trains are dangerous to ride on since terrorist can attack them while cars are safer since it's hard for a terrorist to harm us there.  Maybe building mass transit is a bad idea? 

[JC]

This thread gives rather good arguments for cars and against mass transit. 

Subways and trains are dangerous to ride on since terrorist can attack them while cars are safer since it's hard for a terrorist to harm us there.  Maybe building mass transit is a bad idea? 

You are joking right?

How many people die in mass transit terror attacks as opposed to car crashes and pollution related illnesses?

[urbanlibertarian]

 [/quote]

You are joking right?

How many people die in mass transit terror attacks as opposed to car crashes and pollution related illnesses?
[/quote]

Exactly.  Traveling by automobile is the most dangerous thing that the average person does each day.  Comparatively, air travel is almost miraculously safe.  This is the main reason why I think the cost of the TSA (in money and privacy) far exceeds the greatly exaggerated benefits.

[cityimrov]

http://gothamist.com/2010/04/21/yes_the_tsa_is_doing_subway_bag_che.php
http://www.dnainfo.com/20100421/manhattan/tsa-joins-nypd-subway-baggage-screening

If they aren't a threat, why is the TSA there?   People in this thread has made strong arugments.  A large portion of this county agrees with them as to why the TSA should have a strong presence in our mass transportation system.  The safety of the system is paramount and must be prefect otherwise they won't travel and will just take their car.  

http://sharing.kypost.com/sharewcpo//photo/2010/11/24/sign_20101124163408_320_240.JPG

Accidents?  According to most people, they are good; knowledgeable; and safe drivers.  Their license even says they are a "Safe Driver".  Dangerous accidents only happen to those dumb drivers.

[Lunican]

Fatalities as a result of car crashes is equivalent to approximately one 737 crashing every single day. No one seems to mind though.

And that doesn't even include injuries.

The numbers are pretty insane actually:

Car Crash Stats: There were nearly 6,420,000 auto accidents in the United States in 2005. The financial cost of these crashes is more than 230 Billion dollars. 2.9 million people were injured and 42,636 people killed. About 115 people die every day in vehicle crashes in the United States -- one death every 13 minutes.

In 2003 there were 6,328,000 car accidents in the US. There were 2.9 million injuries and 42,643 people were killed in auto accidents.

In 2002, there were an estimated 6,316,000 car accidents in the USA. There were about 2.9 million injuries and 42,815 people were killed in auto accidents in 2002.

There were an estimated 6,356,000 car accidents in the US in 2000. There were about 3.2 million injuries and 41,821 people were killed in auto accidents in 2000 based on data collected by the Federal Highway Administration.

[Garden guy]

I think it's just crazy that some of you people out there know for a fact that people would love to use a plane as a missile...and you're upset about our system making sure this doesn't happen again...you people are insane..you are guaranteed absolutely no privacy once you step out of your home..you want a bunch of privacy..then stay home. i want our skys and family safe...screw modesty and such.

[Lunican]

"You are guaranteed absolutely no safety once you step out of your home..you want a bunch of safety..then stay home."

[Dog Walker]

The steps we already had in place eight years ago are enough to guarantee that we will never have another 9/11 style attack.  Armored pilot's cabin doors, armed pilots, and most important a change in policies about hijackers have insured that hijacking for making airplanes a missile won't work again. That's why they did four planes at once in the first place.

Box cutters and pocket knives were NOT prohibited before 9/11 and did not have to be smuggled on board.  They were allowed on board.  I carried a pocket knife with a 3" blade for millions of miles of air travel.

What TSA is trying to prevent now is someone blowing a hole in an airplane and bringing it down.  Saying that the current enhanced searches and scans is to prevent another 9/11 attack is muddy thinking or inflated rhetoric.

The argument is whether or not the enhanced searches and scans are the most effective, economical and unobtrusive method for stopping explosives from being taken on an airplane.

[Garden guy]

I'm sorry but i see things different....flying missiles slamming into our cities seems to me to be one area of our oh so private world we all like to live in and throws it out the window. I think you'd change your mind if it were to happen again while you were flying whereever it is you go. There's alot of not so nice people out there if you haven't heard. Times are changing and getting nastier for our lonely planet and anything we can do to thwart anything like 9/11 or anything similar is OK. And if you'd like you can take other methods of transportation.

[JC]

http://gothamist.com/2010/04/21/yes_the_tsa_is_doing_subway_bag_che.php
http://www.dnainfo.com/20100421/manhattan/tsa-joins-nypd-subway-baggage-screening

If they aren't a threat, why is the TSA there?   People in this thread has made strong arugments.  A large portion of this county agrees with them as to why the TSA should have a strong presence in our mass transportation system.  The safety of the system is paramount and must be prefect otherwise they won't travel and will just take their car.  

http://sharing.kypost.com/sharewcpo//photo/2010/11/24/sign_20101124163408_320_240.JPG

Accidents?  According to most people, they are good; knowledgeable; and safe drivers.  Their license even says they are a "Safe Driver".  Dangerous accidents only happen to those dumb drivers.

When I was a carpenter in Manhattan I would carry









Among a few other various weapons of drywall destruction/construction!

That said TSA should not be searching anything on the subway, without probable cause.  There is no flimsy agreement where travelers wave their rights on PUBLIC! transportation.  What happens is NYPD uses that bullshit terrorism overreach to search "other" suspects and to profile brown people. 

[Lunican]

So can you opt out of searches by TSA on the NYC subway?

[JC]

So can you opt out of searches by TSA on the NYC subway?

Yes, walk...

NYPD can search any bag without any justification. 

[JC]

http://www.securityinfowatch.com/root+level/1279518