airport security

[LisaJoy]

Well I had an interesting airport security experience today. I've been in NYC all week to use the Columbia library (it is our spring break). Flew back to Tennessee from LaGuardia today. At LaGuardia, they wanted to swab my AFO (this is the way they test for plastic explosives). Not a problem; this almost always happens in Dallas, although never in Nashville, and I fully expected it in NYC; I was there plenty early. They also swab the palms of your hands. This time, the swabs of my hands set off the alarms on their machine! They were very calm, but three of them started checking me -- I had the full body pat down, they made me take off my AFO so they could send it through the x-ray, and they swabbed my carry on, coat and purse, and put everything through x-ray again, including dumping out the ENTIRE contents of my purse (incontinence products and all) to x-ray. The swab of my purse set off their alarm again! Which seemed to kind of freak them out (they were calm, but I could tell they were taking it very seriously -- which I totally appreciate). Finally they ran the swabs through a different machine and no alarms went off. They said some medications can set off the machine. The only things I'm on are Ditropan XL, Wellbutrin XL, and Lodine, which is a prescription anti-inflammatory. Lodine is the only thing new since the last time I flew. Good thing I don't have hardware in my spine like a lot of you! Anyone else ever have problems with airport security? I must say, I was sitting there thinking about everywhere my hands had been that day -- hotel, restaurant for breakfast, airport shuttle bus, food court at airport -- and wondering if a bomb-making terrorist had been there before me.

By the way -- I'm not complaining about any of this. I appreciate the vigilance. It has just never happened to me before!

[Summer25]

The only thing I have trouble with is the latex glove issues. The only time I had a big issue was coming home from I think either D.C. or LaGuardia. They tried to tell me I wasn't allergic to the gloves they had. Ok then let me see the box they came from. They could not produce the box, so we had issues. I even had my MedicAlert bracelet on and showed them multiple times. Going to the Bahamas wasn't even an issue with the gloves. I told them I was allergic and they said ok. That was the only time I have ever had any major issues though. My mom had to take the entire contents out of her purse even though she was only picking up my niece from the airport. That was priceless...lol. I almost had to call my wheelchair company while I was in NY last september because we thought they broke the back on my chair. It kept popping off. Yea staying in Time Square and walking up and down it with a back popping off is not fun. Finally figured out that the hinge was stuck. That time we watched one guy pull my close to 60lbs chair up the stairs. Which of course was what caused the issue.

[angel]

I get the full body pat down every time i go through airport security. They feel down the front of you, under the boobs down your back and sides. Down both legs and feet. I set the alarms off every time with the metal detector. i am not sure if that is because of the hardware in my back or not.
I always joke with my friend annette when we fly and tell her when we go through security "I have to go get felt up now meet you on the other side"
Last time i flew i was leaving from Memphis and i had my son with me. Our flight was cancled and that made us a security alert so we had to go through even more security. They seperated me and my son on opposite sides of the area and went through everything we had, used the swabs as well. My son looked a little nervous i told him not to worry they just have to make sure it's safe.
I don't complain about it either I know it is just what we have to go through espically after 9/11. I would much rather be safe than sorry.

Angel

[LisaJoy]

The only thing I have trouble with is the latex glove issues. The only time I had a big issue was coming home from I think either D.C. or LaGuardia. They tried to tell me I wasn't allergic to the gloves they had. Ok then let me see the box they came from. They could not produce the box, so we had issues. I even had my MedicAlert bracelet on and showed them multiple times. Going to the Bahamas wasn't even an issue with the gloves. I told them I was allergic and they said ok. That was the only time I have ever had any major issues though. My mom had to take the entire contents out of her purse even though she was only picking up my niece from the airport. That was priceless...lol. I almost had to call my wheelchair company while I was in NY last september because we thought they broke the back on my chair. It kept popping off. Yea staying in Time Square and walking up and down it with a back popping off is not fun. Finally figured out that the hinge was stuck. That time we watched one guy pull my close to 60lbs chair up the stairs. Which of course was what caused the issue.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is how inaccessible the NYC subway system is -- only a very small number of the stations have elevators. (I know it's because of its age -- 100 years old) All of the buses are accessible, but you sure can't get anywhere quickly on a bus in NYC! Of course, I'm not a wheelchair user, but I sure felt the subway stairs in my legs. The first couple of days, my legs were so sore I struggled to walk at all! And I kept thinking about how I would get around if I were using a chair. Not to mention that a great many old buildings (including lots of the restaurants and store fronts) have no accessible entrance at all. In fact, one day when I was barely able to walk, I went in to a deli across the street from the library for lunch -- close proximity, excellent food. But the heated seating area was upstairs and I dropped my tray trying to get there. They were nice enough to replace my food without charge, but I had to sit downstairs where it was about 40 degrees (I mean that literally--small space with doors propped open to the elements to accommodate the rush).

I think NYC is considered to be overall a pretty accessible place. I didn't get to do anything fun this time (except for half an hour at the Museum of Modern Art, when I witnessed a guy propose to his girl in front of one of the giant Monet "Water Lilies" paintings!!). But in the past, I have found that I often got bumped to the front of the line (like at the ferry for Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty, or the Empire State Building).

[angel]

We took the kids to the statue of liberty a couple years ago and we got bumped up to!

Angel

[Gymp]

Yes but at an international land crossing,my brother inlaw and I were going to do some shopping at Top's and had a problem entering the US via the Peace Bridge at Niagara Falls NY.The border guard asked us for ID which we produced and then asked us our citizenship to which we replied Canadian.He then asked what our business in the US was and we replied to do some shopping at Tops.The Border guard kept our identification and directed us to the US Customs and Immigration building and told us to wait in the van until someone came to see us.We did as asked and in a minute 4 guards met us at the van and told us to exit the vehicle.We got out and noticed they had their hands on their holstered guns,we were escorted into the building and immediatly seperated.I was put in a room and within about an hour or so 2 US customs personel came in and I was searched then an interogation began.They asked where the drugs in the van were hidden,where our guns were and when I was last arrested.I replied,we have no drugs,no I don't have a gun and I've never been arrested.They left the room and came back a while later and then the same questions were asked.This went on and on for some time and it got to the point where I was starting to think we were going to be thrown in the klink and held for an indefinate amount of time,I also started to think maybe I was arrested before and I can't remember.These guards were being quite forceful with their questioning even wanting to see how much cash I had on hand to go shopping with.Anyhow about 4 hours later it all abruptly stopped,I was given back my ID and reunited with my brother inlaw and we were both told to enjoy our stay in the USA.

My brother inlaw and I left went to Top's,did our shopping and high tailed it back home.I do have to admit that the both of us looked like a couple of thugs,long hair and leather coats and we fit the criteria of "needs to be checked out".It was quite a scary experience for me.

Gymp

[Summer25]

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is how inaccessible the NYC subway system is -- only a very small number of the stations have elevators. (I know it's because of its age -- 100 years old) All of the buses are accessible, but you sure can't get anywhere quickly on a bus in NYC! Of course, I'm not a wheelchair user, but I sure felt the subway stairs in my legs. The first couple of days, my legs were so sore I struggled to walk at all! And I kept thinking about how I would get around if I were using a chair. Not to mention that a great many old buildings (including lots of the restaurants and store fronts) have no accessible entrance at all. In fact, one day when I was barely able to walk, I went in to a deli across the street from the library for lunch -- close proximity, excellent food. But the heated seating area was upstairs and I dropped my tray trying to get there. They were nice enough to replace my food without charge, but I had to sit downstairs where it was about 40 degrees (I mean that literally--small space with doors propped open to the elements to accommodate the rush).

I think NYC is considered to be overall a pretty accessible place. I didn't get to do anything fun this time (except for half an hour at the Museum of Modern Art, when I witnessed a guy propose to his girl in front of one of the giant Monet "Water Lilies" paintings!!). But in the past, I have found that I often got bumped to the front of the line (like at the ferry for Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty, or the Empire State Building).

We have only done the subway once. From the NY Yankees stadium to the Time Square station. We had planned on doing it from the Mets stadium to the same place, but the Mets one wasn't accessible, so at the last minute had to find transportation. They have started a program that if you call a certain number and tell them where you are and that you need a wheelchair van they will send one. However, it can take up to an hour to get that van there and we found out that if you are even 4-5 minutes late they will leave even though it says they can't leave until 15 minutes. Yea, try getting out of the Yankees stadium and having to walk almost a mile to where they will pick you up in 15 minutes. So, needless to say we were lucky and the subway was accessible. Yea, not fun when you are in Yankee country wearing Tampa Bay Rays gear....lol.

[Dodger67]

Don't you have laws to force them to make the stations accessable?
What about the famous ADA?

In South Africa we have an office in the Human Rights Commission that is responsible for enforcing such matters.
According to many reports they are very successful at resolving issues and are not shy of litigation against uncooperative owners of problematic facilities.

[Barb]

Well I had an interesting airport security experience today. I've been in NYC all week to use the Columbia library (it is our spring break). Flew back to Tennessee from LaGuardia today. At LaGuardia, they wanted to swab my AFO (this is the way they test for plastic explosives). Not a problem; this almost always happens in Dallas, although never in Nashville, and I fully expected it in NYC; I was there plenty early. They also swab the palms of your hands. This time, the swabs of my hands set off the alarms on their machine! They were very calm, but three of them started checking me -- I had the full body pat down, they made me take off my AFO so they could send it through the x-ray, and they swabbed my carry on, coat and purse, and put everything through x-ray again, including dumping out the ENTIRE contents of my purse (incontinence products and all) to x-ray. The swab of my purse set off their alarm again! Which seemed to kind of freak them out (they were calm, but I could tell they were taking it very seriously -- which I totally appreciate). Finally they ran the swabs through a different machine and no alarms went off. They said some medications can set off the machine. The only things I'm on are Ditropan XL, Wellbutrin XL, and Lodine, which is a prescription anti-inflammatory. Lodine is the only thing new since the last time I flew. Good thing I don't have hardware in my spine like a lot of you! Anyone else ever have problems with airport security? I must say, I was sitting there thinking about everywhere my hands had been that day -- hotel, restaurant for breakfast, airport shuttle bus, food court at airport -- and wondering if a bomb-making terrorist had been there before me.

By the way -- I'm not complaining about any of this. I appreciate the vigilance. It has just never happened to me before!

We have been through airport security a lot in the last few weeks and have not ever had anything like that happen. Good heads up though that it could be a medication. Thanks for posting so we won't be freaked out if that happens to us ever.

[LisaJoy]

Don't you have laws to force them to make the stations accessable?
What about the famous ADA?

In South Africa we have an office in the Human Rights Commission that is responsible for enforcing such matters.
According to many reports they are very successful at resolving issues and are not shy of litigation against uncooperative owners of problematic facilities.

Yes, ADA does require accessibility in public accommodations, but there's lots of leeway for older structures. The vast majority of the NYC subway system dates to the early 20th century, and the system itself is vast. So they've only added elevators to some of the major stations, like Grand Central. Which makes the system pretty unusable. They meet the requirements of the law by having ALL of the bus system completely accessible, it just takes a lot more time because the streets are so congested.

In contrast, the subway system in Washington DC is much newer (started in the late 70s), and is almost completely accessible (I think there are a few of the older stations that don't have elevators).

I also found the San Francisco subway system to be pretty accessible.

[ollieholmes]

Our London underground is a total nightmare, there can only be like 12 step free stations over the entirre network of 200 ish stations. The buses vary massively, some are acsessible and others are not. And even if they are it does not guarantee that the driver will park it close enough to the kerb or the kerb will be at a sensible height to actualy get on the bus.

I had to use a rail replacement bus service today and despite the bus i used having a sign to say it could take a wheelchair i would love to have known where. It reminded me of a big american school bus, the steps where bad enough for me let alone someone with mobility problems.

[Lifeisgood]

Well I had an interesting airport security experience today. I've been in NYC all week to use the Columbia library (it is our spring break). Flew back to Tennessee from LaGuardia today. At LaGuardia, they wanted to swab my AFO (this is the way they test for plastic explosives). Not a problem; this almost always happens in Dallas, although never in Nashville, and I fully expected it in NYC; I was there plenty early. They also swab the palms of your hands. This time, the swabs of my hands set off the alarms on their machine! They were very calm, but three of them started checking me -- I had the full body pat down, they made me take off my AFO so they could send it through the x-ray, and they swabbed my carry on, coat and purse, and put everything through x-ray again, including dumping out the ENTIRE contents of my purse (incontinence products and all) to x-ray. The swab of my purse set off their alarm again! Which seemed to kind of freak them out (they were calm, but I could tell they were taking it very seriously -- which I totally appreciate). Finally they ran the swabs through a different machine and no alarms went off. They said some medications can set off the machine. The only things I'm on are Ditropan XL, Wellbutrin XL, and Lodine, which is a prescription anti-inflammatory. Lodine is the only thing new since the last time I flew. Good thing I don't have hardware in my spine like a lot of you! Anyone else ever have problems with airport security? I must say, I was sitting there thinking about everywhere my hands had been that day -- hotel, restaurant for breakfast, airport shuttle bus, food court at airport -- and wondering if a bomb-making terrorist had been there before me.

By the way -- I'm not complaining about any of this. I appreciate the vigilance. It has just never happened to me before!
I have heard that if you use hand lotion with glycerin in it, this can cause the swab tests to come back positive. This happened to the mother of a friend of mine. She had an aircast boot on after ankle surgery. When they swabbed that, the result was positive. So she had to go through the whole pat down, swab routine, and they eventually figured out that the hand lotion she had used had rubbed off on her boot which made it set off the sensors. Could that be why your hands tested positive too?