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Cerrida82 t1_jduvfxv wrote

Reply to comment by Harry_Gorilla in TSA stirs debate after ruling peanut butter as a liquid by bwaredapenguin

So are Magic: the Gathering cards, apparently. We got stopped because they found solid, rectangular shapes in our suitcases. Explosives? Nope, just our MtG decks.

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gtrocks555 t1_jdwli7f wrote

Got stopped for a card game in a box with “sharp edges” too. I didn’t even open it though, they just took it out, saw it was a card game and told me why it was flagged and let me be

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Harry_Gorilla t1_jdv4vyi wrote

I can see that. The coating on the cards and the type of paper stock probably make for a nice organic looking orange brick on the X-ray, like a brick of Semtex

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Callinon t1_jdwo8zj wrote

Forgive me for saying so but it sounds like this machine isn't very reliable. If it's routinely mistaking cards for bombs and peanut butter for homemade explosives, that feels like a very high false positive rate to me.

Maybe instead of banning everything in sight, it'd be better to fix the machine?

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Ketheres t1_jdwu6cg wrote

>this machine isn't very reliable

Because it isn't. It's practically all about theatrics to make people feel safer in a post-9/11 society.

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DjuriWarface t1_jdwwv4b wrote

False positives are fine though. Mostly no harm done. False negatives are the concern. I realize the TSA is still not that effective but still.

Not being able to bring peanut butter through TSA is hardly going to affect anybody.

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Callinon t1_jdx31l7 wrote

Never travelled with very young children I take it?

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Harry_Gorilla t1_jdxboow wrote

Do your children only eat peanut butter with their fingers? Just make it into sandwiches, put it in crackers, dip the celery in it, or whatever it is you do with peanut butter BEFORE you pack it, and it will cruise through the xray

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LuvCilantro t1_jdx60nq wrote

You could always put it in your checked suitcase. It is quite plausible that the number of people who MUST travel with a jar of peanut butter in their carry on is small enough to not warrant an exception.

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Callinon t1_jdxb4hv wrote

>You could always put it in your checked suitcase

Never travelled with very young children I take it?

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Harry_Gorilla t1_jdxbf6v wrote

False positives like crazy. That’s why there are still humans checking every bag the computer flags

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Eruionmel t1_jdwuida wrote

>it'd be better to fix the machine?

Oh thank god, someone finally suggested it. We assume you have ideas on how better to literally see through solid objects? If you'll head right this way, our R&D team would love to get started on your plan...

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