# Metal at the airport **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439 "2012-05-09T22:57:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/1 "2012-05-09T22:57:26Z")
Let’s say I buy 2 lbs of surgical steel ball bearings and eat them. Then I go to the airport and set off the metal detector. I insist I don’t know where the metal is and empty my pockets and walk through again, shedding clothing and making additional passes through the machine. Of course I will be escorted to a small room and interrogated and violated. Have I committed a crime though? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/2 "2012-05-09T23:01:57Z")
Lots of people have metal plates in their skulls or rods in their legs, etc. After explaining this, they’ll be manually wanded and patted-down if necessary. If you say you have no idea where the metal is coming from, they’ll search you and wand you, and let you go once they are satisfied you’re not carrying anything dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/3 "2012-05-10T00:31:23Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > Have I committed a crime though? If, as you claim, you indeed know the nature of the metal being detected but insist that you don’t, I strongly suspect you are on thin ice, legally. If it’s later shown that you did know, you are in trouble. (This opinion is based more on faith in the nitpicky nature of security regulations rather than on any detailed knowledge of them.) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/4 "2012-05-10T00:50:07Z")
You would be guilty of jerking around government or near-government workers for your own amusement, and of slowing down the line for everyone else. Whether anyone would figure that out is another question. I don’t think you’d be allowed to make your flight with ball bearings showing on your body x-ray, if you claim you know what it is. If you don’t know what it is, they can’t assume that it’s harmless and have to keep checking until they can prove that no one fed you small bombs. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/5 "2012-05-10T01:09:30Z")
I would imagine a wand search would locate the source of metallic objects. Then they would take you for a strip-search, just to be sure it was not C4 in the Depends. Once wanding your hairy stomach would show that indeed there is something metallic in your gut, and no obvious sign of amateur dermal insertion (no recent scars) I suspect they would call in the FBI or someone for backup. Then a trip to the hospital and Xrays would be in order, unless that skin-scanner picks up internal stuff. (I think it is very-short wave microwave and only sees through clothes to the skin.) As others have said, playing games with the security people can get you into real trouble. If you say “I don’t know” you are potentially obstructing justice (obstructing an investigation, lying to police). If you explain what it is, you are mocking their procedures, and they may simply say “we can’t be sure they are only ball bearings in this situation, go home, try again when you are disem-balled.” meanwhile, you may end up on a watch list or a no-fly list, depending on how pissed off they are. I suggest you not sign up for a White House guided tour at this time, either. Playing games with people who have all the power is never a good move. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/6 "2012-05-10T03:29:21Z")
On the other hand, would it be detected? One of my femurs has a [Schneider rod](http://www.google.com/search?ix=uca&q=schneider+rod&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=yjSrT7i_LIrS2QW198CmAg&biw=1440&bih=775&sei=1TSrT7SAAebY2QXlw8GvDA#um=1&hl=en&safe=off&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=schneider+femoral+rod&oq=schneider+femoral+rod&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=img.3...5095.14278.0.14557.16.14.0.0.0.2.227.2206.0j13j1.14.0...0.0.AqODulvUoL8&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=7a1be8d9ee330912&biw=1440&bih=775) in it. It has never set off the detector and the wand didn’t detect it the one time that I was pulled out of the line. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/7 "2012-05-10T03:46:57Z")
> [@cornflakes](#): > > On the other hand, would it be detected? One of my femurs has a [Schneider rod](http://www.google.com/search?ix=uca&q=schneider+rod&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=yjSrT7i_LIrS2QW198CmAg&biw=1440&bih=775&sei=1TSrT7SAAebY2QXlw8GvDA#um=1&hl=en&safe=off&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=schneider+femoral+rod&oq=schneider+femoral+rod&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=img.3...5095.14278.0.14557.16.14.0.0.0.2.227.2206.0j13j1.14.0...0.0.AqODulvUoL8&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=7a1be8d9ee330912&biw=1440&bih=775) in it. It has never set off the detector and the wand didn’t detect it the one time that I was pulled out of the line. Good lord, I hope that two pounds of steel shows up on their metal detectors… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/8 "2012-05-10T03:57:54Z")
It should probably also be noted that once you’ve been flagged by security for something suspicious (like setting off the metal detectors) you can’t just say “you know what, I don’t really want to fly” and try to leave. IIRC, someone did that a few years ago. Decided he/she didn’t want to deal with the hassle or didn’t want to get strip searched or something and ended up being arrested trying to leave the airport. Once they’ve decided you’re posing a threat, they want to know what you were planning to do, even if you back down. Unfortunately I can’t find the article right now. I’m pretty sure that it actually happened and wasn’t just something hypothetical we talked about here. ---
**Author:** ![MaltLiquor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@MaltLiquor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaltLiquor)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/9 "2012-05-10T04:08:09Z")
I would think that your rod is not being detected because it is buried in enough flesh as to block the signals coming back. Human flesh is decent shielding for this type of thing. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/10 "2012-05-10T04:30:11Z")
Right, and two pounds of ball bearings in the gut may be too deep as well. I vaguely remember someone once saying (pre-911) that the scan can only detect things close to the surface. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/11 "2012-05-10T04:38:08Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > go home, try again when you are disem-balled. 😃 Made me laugh. Of course I’m not planning on trying this, I was just driving around earlier and got to thinking about airport security and what might be done if you knowingly and intentionally present in a way that could indicate a threat without actually posing a threat. Like making a false report, except you’re not making a report. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/12 "2012-05-10T04:48:46Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > It should probably also be noted that once you’ve been flagged by security for something suspicious (like setting off the metal detectors) you can’t just say “you know what, I don’t really want to fly” and try to leave. IIRC, someone did that a few years ago. Decided he/she didn’t want to deal with the hassle or didn’t want to get strip searched or something and ended up being arrested trying to leave the airport. Once they’ve decided you’re posing a threat, they want to know what you were planning to do, even if you back down. > > Unfortunately I can’t find the article right now. I’m pretty sure that it actually happened and wasn’t just something hypothetical we talked about here. Yes you can. That was a wrongful arrest. Every step of the TSA security is voluntary. You only have to complete it if you wish to fly. You do not give up your freedoms upon lining up. You are always free to leave. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/13 "2012-05-10T05:45:15Z")
I’ve been through many airports with a little over a pound of surgical steel in me. I’ve never set off a metal detector. I used to carry a copy of an x-ray with me just in case, but I don’t bother anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/14 "2012-05-10T05:45:56Z")
A metal detector (like they used to use) will pick up metal through flesh no problem, as long as there’s enough of it and it’s arranged right. A millimeter scanner, though, like they use now, won’t-- It’s stopped very quickly at the surface of your skin. Though I suppose they might have metal detectors built into the same machines, too. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/15 "2012-05-10T07:24:30Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Yes you can. That was a wrongful arrest. Every step of the TSA security is voluntary. You only have to complete it if you wish to fly. You do not give up your freedoms upon lining up. You are always free to leave. The TSA [is of the opinion](http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/11/opting-out-of-advanced-imaging.html) that you can be fined up to $11,000 for doing that, but I don’t know if that’s ever been tested. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/16 "2012-05-10T08:02:08Z")
If they ask your consent for a MRI, just say no… 😉 Si ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/17 "2012-05-10T10:50:06Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Lots of people have metal plates in their skulls or rods in their legs, etc. After explaining this, they’ll be manually wanded and patted-down if necessary. If you say you have no idea where the metal is coming from, they’ll search you and wand you, and let you go once they are satisfied you’re not carrying anything dangerous. Mm-hmmm… My spouse has a couple pounds of surgically implanted metal in his right leg. It _always_ sets off metal detectors. Despite being manually wanded and patted-down, and not posing a threat, he has been refused boarding on occassion. We’ve pretty much given up flying - the TSA told us they want the \*original \*surgeon to fill out some paperwork or something on it and get him a card with a picture of the thing on it. Uh, yeah, right - the doc’s only been dead about 25 years at this point. No, he wasn’t issued a card when it was done, it wasn’t an issue back then, ya know? I mean sure, I suppose we could get an x-ray of the damn thing but that doesn’t help with the rest of their “requests”, which also seem to change every time there’s contact with them. It’s just easier to drive where we need to go. Yay, they’ve succeeded in protecting us from aviation terrorism - by keeping us off the airplane entirely. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/18 "2012-05-10T23:43:34Z")
I just got my knee replaced and my “original surgeon” had a boatload of standard information handouts, one of which said not to ask for a card saying that I have a prosthesis because airport security wouldn’t pay any attention to one. I would set the detector off and I’d have to be wanded. I do have a nifty scar to support the claim of knee surgery. But if they’re expecting surgeons to pass out cards, they’re going to need to do some outreach. At least one surgeon thinks they’d be pointless. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/19 "2012-05-11T16:27:30Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I just got my knee replaced and my “original surgeon” had a boatload of standard information handouts, one of which said not to ask for a card saying that I have a prosthesis because airport security wouldn’t pay any attention to one. I would set the detector off and I’d have to be wanded. > > I do have a nifty scar to support the claim of knee surgery. But if they’re expecting surgeons to pass out cards, they’re going to need to do some outreach. At least one surgeon thinks they’d be pointless. Absolutely correct, according to my informal polling of TSA people. I have a few plates and screws in my right ankle and most of the time it doesn’t set off the detectors, but when it does I’m wanded and patted. I was told there is no card I could carry that would exempt me from “the personal touch” ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439/20 "2012-05-11T16:53:43Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Yes you can. That was a wrongful arrest. Every step of the TSA security is voluntary. You only have to complete it if you wish to fly. You do not give up your freedoms upon lining up. You are always free to leave. The 9th Circuit, at least, disagrees with you: [U.S. v. Aukai, 497 F.3d 955](http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1265662.html) > [@](#): > > The constitutionality of an airport screening search, however, does not depend on consent, see Biswell, 406 U.S. at 315, 92 S.Ct. 1593, and requiring that a potential passenger be allowed to revoke consent to an ongoing airport security search makes little sense in a post-9/11 world.6  Such a rule would afford terrorists 7 multiple opportunities to attempt to penetrate airport security by “electing not to fly” on the cusp of detection until a vulnerable portal is found.   This rule would also allow terrorists a low-cost method of detecting systematic vulnerabilities in airport security, knowledge that could be extremely valuable in planning future attacks.   Likewise, given that consent is not required, it makes little sense to predicate the reasonableness of an administrative airport screening search on an irrevocable implied consent theory.   Rather, where an airport screening search is otherwise reasonable and conducted pursuant to statutory authority, 49 U.S.C. § 44901, all that is required is the passenger’s election to attempt entry into the secured area 8 of an airport.   See Biswell, 406 U.S. at 315, 92 S.Ct. 1593; 49 C.F.R. § 1540.107. Under current TSA regulations and procedures, that election occurs when a prospective passenger walks through the magnetometer or places items on the conveyor belt of the x-ray machine.9 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metal-at-the-airport/621439.md?page=2)