Pack a Gun to Protect Valuables from Airline Theft or Loss?
in [Digital Cameras]
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From: Nicko on 19 Jan 2010 21:28 I am not qualified to comment on the practice advocated in this article. I just thought it was rather amusing, and figured someone in one of these froups would beable to provide some insights. http://lifehacker.com/5448014/pack-a-gun-to-protect-valuables-from-airline-theft-or-loss Pack a Gun to Protect Valuables from Airline Theft or Loss If you don't like your bags being out of your sight and it makes you uncomfortable to think that airline workers are rifling through your stuff, you can take advantage of the TSA's own security rules byeek packing a gun. Most of the time, travelers are on the short-end of TSA regulations. In this instance, however, you can use travel rules to your advantage. If you're traveling with equipment you would prefer locked up and watched more closely than your run of the mill luggage, you can pack a firearm with the equipment or luggage. Whether or not you own an actual firearm isn't importantthe TSA considers a starter pistol a firearm, and it must be checked in and secured properly. Bruce Shneier, on his security and privacy centered blog, highlights how some creative professional photographers have been using this rule to their advantage. One of the photographers writes: A "weapons" is defined as a rifle, shotgun, pistol, airgun, and STARTER PISTOL. Yes, starter pistols - those little guns that fire blanks at track and swim meets - are considered weapons...and do NOT have to be registered in any state in the United States. I have a starter pistol for all my cases. All I have to do upon check-in is tell the airline ticket agent that I have a weapon to declare...I'm given a little card to sign, the card is put in the case, the case is given to a TSA official who takes my key and locks the case, and gives my key back to me. That's the procedure. The case is extra-tracked...TSA does not want to lose a weapons case. This reduces the chance of the case being lost to virtually zero. It's a great way to travel with camera gear...I've been doing this since Dec 2001 and have had no problems whatsoever. You can pick up a super basic starter pistol for around $16-20really nice starter pistols can easily cost $100-200, but you're not concerned about the qualitya rather small sum to ensure that your case of photography equipment or personal effects will be watched more carefully and only opened in your presence.
From: R. Mark Clayton on 20 Jan 2010 07:03 "Nicko" <nervous.nick(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:b5c04b72-9e09-42bc-990f-144febebaeff(a)14g2000yqp.googlegroups.com... I am not qualified to comment on the practice advocated in this article. I just thought it was rather amusing, and figured someone in one of these froups would beable to provide some insights. http://lifehacker.com/5448014/pack-a-gun-to-protect-valuables-from-airline-theft-or-loss Pack a Gun to Protect Valuables from Airline Theft or Loss If you don't like your bags being out of your sight and it makes you uncomfortable to think that airline workers are rifling through your stuff, you can take advantage of the TSA's own security rules by�eek� packing a gun. I saw the unwisdom of this back in 1991. BA were in disarray at CDG and I was diverted to LHR on a late flight. On the flight (and in front of me in the queue to get onward transfer tickets) was a man from Zimbabwe flying to Harare and he missed his connection to the direct flight. The desk told him that the next flight was in two days time from LGA and to get his bags out. He then explained that there were two new hunting rifles in his baggage, which would be contraband landside in the UK. It took nearly an hour before I got my turn...
From: C J Campbell on 20 Jan 2010 15:36 On 2010-01-19 18:28:38 -0800, Nicko <nervous.nick(a)gmail.com> said: > I am not qualified to comment on the practice advocated in this > article. I just thought it was rather amusing, and figured someone in > one of these froups would beable to provide some insights. > > http://lifehacker.com/5448014/pack-a-gun-to-protect-valuables-from-airline- > theft-or-loss > > Pack a Gun to Protect Valuables from Airline Theft or Loss > > If you don't like your bags being out of your sight and it makes you > uncomfortable to think that airline workers are rifling through your > stuff, you can take advantage of the TSA's own security rules by—eek— > packing a gun. TSA has had problems with thieves of their own, so I would not regard them as any more reliable than any other airline workers. In fact, cases containing firearms are labelled, which would seem to me to attract the attention of thieves. If you cannot carry it on, what is so terrible about sending it FedEx? Heck, I mail cameras in to Nikon for service every now and then. In cardboard boxes. I've never had a problem. This is why you insure your gear. -- Waddling Eagle World Famous Flight Instructor
From: Bowser on 20 Jan 2010 16:20 "Nicko" <nervous.nick(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:b5c04b72-9e09-42bc-990f-144febebaeff(a)14g2000yqp.googlegroups.com... > I am not qualified to comment on the practice advocated in this > article. I just thought it was rather amusing, and figured someone in > one of these froups would beable to provide some insights. > > http://lifehacker.com/5448014/pack-a-gun-to-protect-valuables-from-airline-theft-or-loss > <snip> And if you divert the TSA people from doing their real work to expedite your stuff through, then you are selfish and shortsighted. Do yourself a favor and get a proper carry-on bag for your gear. If you MUST check the stuff, through, insure it.
From: Paul Ciszek on 20 Jan 2010 19:39
In article <NsK5n.186$5N3.18(a)bos-service2b.ext.ray.com>, Bowser <its(a)bowzah.ukme> wrote: > >And if you divert the TSA people from doing their real work to expedite your >stuff through, then you are selfish and shortsighted. Do yourself a favor >and get a proper carry-on bag for your gear. If you MUST check the stuff, >through, insure it. The last couple times I flew, the airline staff insisted on taking away my carry-on bag and checking it. Even though I had only one carry-on item and it was of regulation size. -- Please reply to: | "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is pciszek at panix dot com | indistinguishable from malice." Autoreply is disabled | |