Security related stuff

[pecunium]

I had a miserable trip home, once I left the hotel in D.C.

Weather delayed my flight, which meant I missed my connection, and opted for the train from L.A. to SLO.

While I was at Dulles I asked if I could deputize someone to pick up my luggage (which was waiting at the airport in SLO, since it was already on the plane). I was told this wasn't allowed, since I'd need to show ID.

But it got me thinking. If I took a bump, and had a bomb in my bag, the bag would go on the plane, and I wouldn't.

To make things more amusing, when I told Maia I wanted to go get my bag, she said we could drive to the airport, but the bag was home already, since the had called her, and told her she could come and get it. This is amusing, because they called her on the landline, which wasn't on the bag, so they used a reverse directory to get it from my address; esp. because the landline isn't in my name.

Phone rings

Maia: Hello

Agent: Does Terry Karney live at this address?

Maia: Yes

Agent: Would you like to come and pick up his luggage?

Maia: Ok, do you want to know who I am?

Agent: No, we trust you.

So, anyone willing to answer a phone and say I live there can come and get my luggage.

On a different note, I pay the $15 extra to get a business class seat on the train. I do this because I want a table to spread the computer on (the snack/coffee/free wine is nice, but not worth the extra money. If I wanted them I could pay less for them in the Cafe).

No more. Because of the Londong Bombings they no longer have double-decker cars on the line (I don't know for any line other than the Pacific Surfliner). This also means the luggage racks at the ends of the cars, and the checked luggage underneath no longer exist. Maia says she heard a woman (with a large bag) told she had to sit with it so that, "if it blows up, you go with it."

Mind you, blowing a large hole in the bottom of a train one happens to be sitting in is likely to cause enough damage to make one's survivial problematic.

More to the point, nothing, and I mean nothing, stops me from walking away from it. I have spent entire trips in the Cafe car, my bag left at my seat.

I could, if I wanted, climb off the train. With a small bit of planning I could even look as though I'd taken my luggage with me (just tuck one in an outside pouch, drop my knapsack, with books and computer into it, and add some inflated ziplocks for bulk).

So, for the appearance of making me more safe, they have reduced the amount of money I'm willing to pay to ride the train (and I like the train).

I can only hope this is a temporary idiocy.

Comments

[cluefairy-j.livejournal.com]

There's a new security policy on the commuter rail that before any train can leave the station it has to be searched. This does not prevent exactly what you mention which is: I can leave a bag at any time and quickly exit the train....