Stupid security measures, a contest

[Hadmut Danisch]

On Fri, Feb 14, 2003 at 01:33:26PM +0100, Stefan Kelm wrote:
> to take bags through the checkpoint. What happened was that I gave my bag 
> to one of those officers, then went through the gate, then was given back 
> my bag which was not being checked at all...  


I had a similar experience:

When US ambassador David Aaron was giving a speech about the "safe
harbour" in December 1998 in Frankfurt, they had a metal detector
frame where you had to go through and an armed american security guard
who tried to look as evil as possible.

I had a suitcase with me and - it was cold - was wearing thick
clothes. When I went through the frame, it gave a very loud alarm.
The guard asked me to put the suitcase on the table and go through 
the frame again. I did so and again, there was an alarm. He asked me
to put my cloak on the table and to go through the frame again. Still
giving alarm. I had to put my jacket on the table and so on until I 
finally had undressed about 4 or 5 layers of clothes. When I was
wearing only the shirt, pants, shoes, and a tie, the alarm stopped
after I took out the belt. The guard was satisfied and allowed me to
pass without touching or even noticing the heap of clothes I put on
the table and my suitcase. (There's a similar scene when Clint
Eastwood is smuggling a tool in "Escape from Alcatraz".)

I asked him "Now you know that my belt was causing an
alarm. But how do you know that I don't have a gun in my cloak's
pocket or my suitcase which could have caused the alarm as well?"

For a second there was surprise and shock on his face, then he gave
me an army-like command to take my belongings, walk in and stop
causing a queue. But the unlucky guy who came just after me was
searched extensively.


regards
Hadmut

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