# My bags contained "traces" of an explosive substsance: My TSA story. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 14, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245 "2005-06-14T18:24:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/21 "2005-06-15T01:49:18Z")
Yep. November, 2000, I flew from Atlanta to Boston (Logan). Both airports inspected my carry-on bag, because of suspicion of “traces of explosives.” Don’t recall what kind of flag it set off, but I got tagged at both airports. I have no idea what could have _ever_ been in that bag that would have appeared to be an explosive. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/22 "2005-06-15T02:17:48Z")
The wand thingie is so sensitive it’s named after Alan Alda How Sensitive is it? Underwire in bra’s set it off. oh, Cartoonie, just for you: (_)(_) ---
**Author:** ![Opus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/858c86/32.png) [@Opus1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opus1)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/23 "2005-06-15T02:53:06Z")
As a competitve Scrabble player, I frequently travel to tournaments with one of [these](http://www.samtimer.com/st-clock-close1.html). It frequently sets off the alarm bells when I put it in my carryon luggage, which then must be carefully opened and dusted. The guy who designed and sells the clock frequently takes large numbers of them to tournaments to sell. He’s also of Indian (Asian Indian) descent. I can’t imagine all the problems he has with airline security. ---
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/24 "2005-06-15T04:02:35Z")
> [@Danalan](#): > > Even small amounts of foil set off the detector. The foil on the outside of one breath mint will do it – yes, I found this out the hard way. Oddly, though, the _pocketfull of change_ I had while traveling through a detector in NYC didn’t make it do a damn thing. ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/25 "2005-06-15T05:00:07Z")
Heh. I hate those damn metal/gunpowder detectors. I aint no steekin’ terrorist! Except… … I was in Coffs Harbour, a small holiday town in NSW, Australia. It’d been a long trip. I was setting up a new site and things were taking a lot longer than planned. I’d been back and forth between home and Coffs, so had done a lot of flying in a short space of time. I was tired, cranky and sick to \*@&#$ death of being searched by airport people. So I’d put my laptop bag through the xray machine and was waiting at the other end of the conveyor belt, grumpy as all hell. Then the conveyor stopped. “What NOW?”, I think to myself, as I look at the two guards. The guy operating the machine had turned white as a sheet and was pointing animatedly at the screen. An older security guard came over and calmed him down. And then I saw it. The gun in my laptop bag. Except, I don’t have a gun. And even if I did, I sure wouldn’t bring it onto a plane! But sure enough, on that screen was the image of a gun in my bag. The older guy came over to me and asked me to empty my bag out. He was keeping his shit together, but I’m guessing that inside he was a bit unsettled. I know I was already starting to imagine the stripsearch and buttprobing I was about to receive. I calmly took everything out of my bag and he inspected it all. Cables, laptop, battery charger, CDROMs. I showed him all the empty compartments. He put my empty bag through the xray machine again and nothing came up. But it was clear there was no gun in the pile of stuff sitting on the counter. The gun had mysteriously vanished! The look on his face said that he didn’t feel like giving me an anal probe. He got me to pack my stuff up, then took me aside for a gunpowder/explosives test. Thank the Hades that came up negative or I’m sure I’d’ve been dragged out the back, kicking and screaming, a jar of vaseline my only friend. Max 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/26 "2005-06-15T05:12:34Z")
> [@Maxxxie](#): > > He put my empty bag through the xray machine again and nothing came up. But it was clear there was no gun in the pile of stuff sitting on the counter. The gun had mysteriously vanished! [That’s not a bug, it’s a feature.](http://appserv.gcn.com/vol19_no14/news/2135-1.html). > [@](#): > > Previous technology only used X-ray systems to scan carry-on baggage and other items as travelers and their companions moved through checkpoints into secure areas. TIP will add a training function that FAA officials hope will increase screeners’ diligence by inserting fictional threats throughout the duty cycle and keeping a record of responses. Funny old world. ---
**Author:** ![monkeyfist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9c0ed/32.png) [@monkeyfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monkeyfist)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/27 "2005-06-15T05:13:01Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I read once (sorry, no link) that a random check of paper money in the average U.S. citizen’s pocket will test positive for drugs, since sometime in its lifetime, especially old and 100-dollar bills, it has been in close enough contact with genuine drug money that DOES have drug traces on it. > > Could be an urban legend, but it doesn’t sound too far-fetched to me. I guess it depends on how sensitive the scanners are and how much they want to get you. Here’s your link, snopes confirms it is true. 🙂 [A large percentage of U.S. currency bears traces of cocaine.](http://www.snopes.com/business/money/cocaine.asp) > [@](#): > > Contrary to our first thought upon encountering this interesting little fact, that trace amounts of cocaine turn up on approximately four of every five bills in circulation doesn’t mean the now-contaminated currency was at one time used to snort coke or passed through the dope-laden paws of seedy characters. Rather, the drug is easily conveyed from one bill to another because cocaine in powdered form is extremely fine. > [snip] > A single bill used to snort cocaine or otherwise mingled with the drug can contaminate an entire cash drawer. When counting and sorting machines (which fan the bills, and thus the cocaine) are factored in, it’s no wonder that so much of the currency now in circulation wouldn’t pass any purity tests. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/28 "2005-06-15T10:51:30Z")
> [@Opus1](#): > > As a competitve Scrabble player, I frequently travel to tournaments with one of [these](http://www.samtimer.com/st-clock-close1.html). It frequently sets off the alarm bells when I put it in my carryon luggage, which then must be carefully opened and dusted. The guy who designed and sells the clock frequently takes large numbers of them to tournaments to sell. He’s also of Indian (Asian Indian) descent. I can’t imagine all the problems he has with airline security. You should just change your name to Qwerty. In other news, there is a competetive Scrabble tourny? Wow…I did not know this. What is the scintilating news behind the scenes of Scrabblers/scrabblites? ( what do you call yourselves?) ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/29 "2005-06-15T11:17:33Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > In other news, there is a competetive Scrabble tourny? Wow…I did not know this. Indeed there are Scrabble tournaments on every level from the local to the international. They even turn up on ESPN. I’ve caught bits of a couple of them (once straight up and once as an ep of the ESPN Classic series _Cheap Seats_) and they’re a hoot. People in the audience gasping at missed plays, in-depth analysis of the wisdom of blocking “Bingo avenues,” and so on. [Here](http://slate.msn.com/id/2105210/entry/2105211/) is an article on last year’s national championship. And an obligatory reference to Stefan Fastis’ book _Word Freak_. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/30 "2005-06-15T11:39:18Z")
Tease 🙂 Someone at the security counter **did** mention that leaking toothpaste frequently sets off the “residue” meters. Since many but not all travellers carry their own toothpaste in their bags, I find this to be fairly disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/31 "2005-06-15T18:34:02Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > … > I grinned and showed my dentyne pack. > > And there you have my Titty of Mass Destruction story. Actually, Dentyne is a well known Weapon of Mastication. You should have known better. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/32 "2005-06-15T19:43:03Z")
> [@ILovCoffee](#): > > Going to Las Vegas earlier this year-I’m wearing Teva sandels and a denim dress/mumu. At security I forget to un-shoe and point out the sandles and the TSA person says,“Okay go ahead.” Then the person behind me wanted a pass too because he was wearing sneakers and they waved him thru too. Hello? Richard Reis and the shoe bomb? remember? My feet were nearly naked and there ain’t much to a sandel. [The TSA official can’t actually require you to remove your shoes before you enter the metal detector.](http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=183&content=09000519800b68b8) They can have you remove your shoes if the metal detector goes off, or if they are otherwise of interest, though. I don’t remove my shoes automatically anymore when going through security, and I have not yet been hassled. I’ve flown about 10 times since I stopped taking off my shoes. I’ll gladly take them off once I’m through the detector if they want, but I won’t do it just to follow the rest of the herd that is sending theirs through the x-ray machine. So far no one has shown any interest in my shoes. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/33 "2005-06-15T19:59:20Z")
> [@inkleberry](#): > > Oddly, though, the _pocketfull of change_ I had while traveling through a detector in NYC didn’t make it do a damn thing. I forgot to remove my watch the last time I walked through, and I didn’t set anything off. Of course, it _was_ a cheap-ass Walmart watch; however, it was still made of metal. I _think_. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/34 "2005-06-15T19:59:54Z")
I wouldn’t dare do this now but sometime prior to 9/11, I flew round trip from Washington National to Houston International and had forgotten that my carryon contained a battered Swiss Army knife. The screeners at National paused when checking my carryon, I can only assume it was the knife that got their attention and they were deciding what to do about it. They eventually let me proceed with no problem. That knife was still there on the return trip. The screeners in Houston had no problem whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/35 "2005-06-15T20:59:19Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > That knife was still there on the return trip. The screeners in Houston had no problem whatsoever. Just this past Christmas I flew from Cincinnati to LAX with a Swiss Army knife (w/ 3 inch blade) in my purse. I had forgotten to take it out but the screeners didn’t even notice it. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/36 "2005-06-15T21:51:47Z")
There was a movie at Sundance this year all about it, too. [http://www.7thart.com/wordwars/](http://www.7thart.com/wordwars/) ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/37 "2005-06-15T21:55:31Z")
Um. That was supposed to be responding to the scrabble discussion above. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/38 "2005-06-15T22:40:10Z")
You know, I gotta ask: What about all the bomb-squad and EOD technicians that fly regularly to get to jobs? They legally handle explosive material on a routine basis. Don’t _they_ get flagged too? The guys in my last squadron weren’t _peace officers_ (for which, I understand there’s a different check-in procedure if you are, and carry a weapon), so how the hell would they vouch for themselves if they repeatedly got flagged? I don’t think the TSA and DoD talk to each other that much . . . Tripler I’m curious . . . ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245/39 "2005-06-16T11:11:16Z")
Look, they’re drones. They did just what they were supposed to do. My stuff showed residual particles of… **something**. Nobody took me into a room and talked to me, did a full-body cavity search. Nothing. They wrote down my driver’s license # and ticket #. And sent me on my merry way. I opened the offending case last night and found that a small bottle of skin lotion had burst, making a mess. Perhaps it was leaking before I even took off and that was what set off the meters? Who knows. At any rate, the bomb squad guys and such have ID proving what they do for a living. Let’s say the TSA really does run a list and keep an eye out. Let’s say I never set off an indicator again. So be it, I am not of interest to them. Let’s say a bomb squad person or other person allowed to use explosives or firearms routinely sets off the meter. After a while, that person’s name keeps appearing on a TSA list. SO WHAT? They have ID proving that they are in the business of either shooting things off or blowing things up. The TSA cannot very well prohibit folks from boarding planes because they are in the law enforcement business and therefore are in a position to have legally gotten explosives/gunpowder residue all over their clothing and personal effects. I am guessing they are more concerned with people who have no business having that reside all over them, that do. Normal folk. Civillians. Americans just like…me. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bags-contained-traces-of-an-explosive-substsance-my-tsa-story/308245.md?page=1)