# Body Scan or Pat Down? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2010, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624 "2010-11-23T03:26:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/21 "2010-11-23T13:31:14Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > TSA are making strong claims about the safety of the scanners, but ISTR that they haven’t allowed any independent testing. That doesn’t inspire confidence. > > If I have to choose between a scan and a grope, I’ll take the grope. From the [FDA Web Site](http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/SecuritySystems/ucm231857.htm): > [@](#): > > In summary, the potential health risks from a full-body screening with a general-use x-ray security system are miniscule. Several groups of recognized experts have been assembled and have analyzed the radiation safety issues associated with this technology. These experts have published recommendations, commentaries, technical reports, and an American national radiation safety standard as a result of their analyses. This technology has been available for nearly two decades and we have based our evaluation on scientific evidence and on the recommendations of recognized experts. Public meetings were held to discuss these products with FDA’s advisory panel (TEPRSSC), and the American national radiation safety standard was available for public comment both before its initial publication and before its recently published revision. There are numerous publications regarding the biological effects of radiation and the appropriate protection limits for the general public that apply to these products. As a result of these evidence-based, responsible actions, we are confident that full-body x-ray security products and practices do not pose a significant risk to the public health. Stop spreading unsubstantiated rumours. People are exposed to background radiation daily. When in flight you are exposed to increased levels of radiation. Some calculations have deduced that the amount of radiation exposure from a backscatter X-ray is equivalent to 2 to 4 minutes of flight time. It is a non-issue. A HUGE non-issue. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/22 "2010-11-23T14:28:16Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > I flew recently and I went through the scanner. > I’m pretty comfortable with my body because I take care of it. If you’re fat, we can tell that you’re fat even when you wear clothes, we don’t need the ‘naked scanner’ for that. It’s not a case of feeling uncomfortable with my body. I like my body fine but it sure as hell isn’t for you to see, thanks very much. I don’t like the idea of having someone sitting in a booth looking at my nipples - if I did, I’d have chosen a far different profession. I don’t like either option. I don’t want to be looked at “naked” or be rubbed down by strangers. I don’t think we’re increasing safety by adding these measures. As has been mentioned, Someone’s going to take out a plane with an assload of explosives someday - then what? Rectal probes set up right after the scanners? Not to mention the fact that there are still subways and bridges and all sorts of other things to blow up. I’m going to be driving more and trying not to bother with airports at all, because I don’t want to deal with the bullshit. If I _had_ to choose… I don’t know. The pat-down is less invasive because nobody’s seeing my boobs, but someone’s touching me instead. I guess it depends on the employee, but you can’t know beforehand. I think the new scans and patdowns are too great an invasion of privacy than can be honestly justified in the name of safety. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/23 "2010-11-23T14:52:57Z")
If I had a choice, I’d pick the pat down. When I turned 40 this year, the doctor stuck his fat finger up my you know what, so a pat down is no biggie. I probably wouldn’t mind the body scan either, expect I’m not convinced that it’s entirely safe. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/24 "2010-11-23T14:54:49Z")
If the TSA really needs to see nude images of a short chunky middle aged man, who am I to hinder the process? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/25 "2010-11-23T15:05:08Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > It’s not a case of feeling uncomfortable with my body. I like my body fine but it sure as hell isn’t for you to see, thanks very much. I don’t like the idea of having someone sitting in a booth looking at my nipples - if I did, I’d have chosen a far different profession. > > I don’t like either option. I don’t want to be looked at “naked” or be rubbed down by strangers. I don’t think we’re increasing safety by adding these measures. As has been mentioned, Someone’s going to take out a plane with an assload of explosives someday - then what? Rectal probes set up right after the scanners? Not to mention the fact that there are still subways and bridges and all sorts of other things to blow up. I’m going to be driving more and trying not to bother with airports at all, because I don’t want to deal with the bullshit. If I _had_ to choose… I don’t know. The pat-down is less invasive because nobody’s seeing my boobs, but someone’s touching me instead. I guess it depends on the employee, but you can’t know beforehand. > > I think the new scans and patdowns are too great an invasion of privacy than can be honestly justified in the name of safety. I feel the same way. Either method is intrusive and unecessary. I hope I never have to fly again. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/26 "2010-11-23T15:08:17Z")
Just went thru a scanner at SJU 10 minutes ago. Biggest actual annoyance was the insistence on totally emptied pockets (just transferred everything to my coat pockets and sent that through). No hostility detected, but 1045 on a Tuesday is on the light side of traffic anyway. The TSA crew on shift seemed cool and respectful. Of course, over at Concourse B there could be chaos for all I know. Meh, I can live with the scan. I’m already accepting an exposure above background by flying at all. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/27 "2010-11-23T15:11:23Z")
For the last 8 years my wife has had no choice but to submit to the pat down every single time she flys. Her artificial knees set off detectors and the pat down is what is required. She would gladly do the body scan if allowed to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/28 "2010-11-23T15:13:00Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > If the TSA really needs to see nude images of a short chunky middle aged man, who am I to hinder the process? Indeed. I hope ‘Vision’ is part of their benefits package. The next time I fly, I fully expect to hear screams & see eye-balls turn white. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/29 "2010-11-23T15:22:42Z")
Of the two I’d choose to be scanned. Hadn’t thought about possible side effects for frequent travellers. I only fly a few times a year. I think our privacy is largely illusory nayway. Whichever option becomes the norm, I’ll just go with it and try and manage my own stuff so I can get through it quickly and painlessly, with no effects on my fellow travellers. My hope is that people can just roll with it. We’ve been taking our shoes off at security for what, nine years? Yet there’s always at least one gasbag huffing about having to untie or whatnot. Get some slipons and shaddap already. This isn’t new. And the people who are planning their grassroots mess with the TSA movement need a stern talking to. That is misguided. I assume they all still need to get where they’re going. They might think it’s fine to screw it up for themselves, but how wrong is it to mess with other people. Travelling at peak times is brutal enough without someone deliberately setting out to make it more difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/30 "2010-11-23T15:27:13Z")
I really don’t care either way, but would opt for the scan because hopefully it would be faster. In my experiences traveling internationally, intimate pat downs are the norm (I remember a VERY touchy-feely guy in Amsterdam and a serious pat down in an airport in India). As far as some guy seeing my naked body on a scanner - for me, it’s a big “so?” My face isn’t recognizable, he’s not really seeing ME naked, he’s seeing a blurry naked lady who could be anyone. I just don’t get the fuss. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/31 "2010-11-23T15:33:58Z")
I choose none of the above. Neither is going to prevent terrorism. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/32 "2010-11-23T15:43:21Z")
Another one for option C, for reasons already elucidated above. (I got dragged on thousands upon thousands of miles worth of int’l flights when I was a kid, and I get motion sickness easily, so I don’t exactly have the travel bug now. Any vacations I’ll be taking in the foreseeable future will be within driving distance.) ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/33 "2010-11-23T15:47:44Z")
Probably go for the scan (quicker as well). Don’t mind any of it, as long as I can fly. I get more ittitated by the long lines and the waiting than the actual security check. Now if I’d be asked into a room while the security officer was puting on a rubber glove…that’s a different story. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/34 "2010-11-23T15:53:02Z")
> [@Glory](#): > > As far as some guy seeing my naked body on a scanner - for me, it’s a big “so?” My face isn’t recognizable, he’s not really seeing ME naked, he’s seeing a blurry naked lady who could be anyone. I just don’t get the fuss. This. I’d choose the scan over a pat down anytime, no question. I wouldn’t even care. And anyway, I read that the person who sees the scan isn’t even the person who waves you through, so it’s not like the same person would be looking at you and then see you naked and be able to connect your face with the image. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/35 "2010-11-23T16:05:24Z")
If I had to fly, I’d take the scan because it’s quicker. I hope to never fly again; I don’t need the hassle. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/36 "2010-11-23T16:14:40Z")
> [@MegaBee](#): > > I choose none of the above. Neither is going to prevent terrorism. Well, it will stop the really stupid terrorists. There’s an article in the upcoming issue of _The Atlantic_ called “The Things He Carried” that people should read. I’ll attempt to link to it below, but I may have access only because I’m a subscriber… > **[The Things He Carried](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/11/the-things-he-carried/307057/)** > > Airport security in America is a sham—“security theater” designed to make travelers feel better and catch stupid terrorists. Smart ones can get through security with fake boarding passes and all manner of prohibited items—as our correspondent did... ETA: It was actually from 2008. I assumed it was new… ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/37 "2010-11-23T16:39:21Z")
I got ‘lucky’ and got both, the one time I had a body scan (at BWI in July); only a partial pat-down however. Apparently, I have dangerous-looking cellulite on my thighs. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/38 "2010-11-23T16:46:55Z")
It’s not a pat-down – it’s a full search for explosive traces. Even cops aren’t allowed to search people in that level of detail in public. The full body scan (WBI) is optional – but people who opt out many times get shamed, intimidated, and THEN the crotch search. So option C for me. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/39 "2010-11-23T16:47:56Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > If I had to fly, I’d take the scan because it’s quicker. I hope to never fly again; I don’t need the hassle. The walk-through metal detector is even quicker, and less hassle. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624/40 "2010-11-23T16:55:34Z")
I don’t care, and speed is usually more important to me, so I’ll choose the scanner. In fact, I’ve had to use the scanner the last few times I’ve tried. Although _I_ don’t care, there are enough other people that _do_ care, so maybe I’ll choose the pat down next time, if I don’t feel like I’m in a hurry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-scan-or-pat-down/561624.md?page=3)