microphone = weapon?
- Thread starter powerdog
- Start date
Re: microphone = weapon?
I recently flew both domestic (American, Delta) and international (Alitalia, Air France) with my shotgun mic and had no problems. I did get pulled aside and asked to power up the camera, a deck, and some firewire drives, but nothing was confiscated. Remember, it's not a shotgun mic, it's a supercardiod, unidirectional microphone.
Just make sure you show up early enough to deal with having to unpack, power things up, etc. And always smile.
I recently flew both domestic (American, Delta) and international (Alitalia, Air France) with my shotgun mic and had no problems. I did get pulled aside and asked to power up the camera, a deck, and some firewire drives, but nothing was confiscated. Remember, it's not a shotgun mic, it's a supercardiod, unidirectional microphone.
Just make sure you show up early enough to deal with having to unpack, power things up, etc. And always smile.
.
Jim Brennan
VHS Member Old Skool
Re: microphone = weapon?
Yes, but attach no logic to it. For example, they are not required to hand check DV tapes, but they will film
Yes, but attach no logic to it. For example, they are not required to hand check DV tapes, but they will film
XCheck
Veteran
Re: microphone = weapon?
[quote author=Jim Brennan link=board=Events;num=1103224717;start=0#4 date=12/16/04 at 12:48:17]Yes, but attach no logic to it. For example, they are not required to hand check DV tapes, but they will film[/quote]
Attach no logic to anything TSA does. The rules seem to change every week, and in fact, with every passenger.
Last week a guy in front of me had leather shoes on (you know, the "classc" type that usually has nails in them), and walked right through the metal detector without anyone giving a damn (including the detector)
I got pulled to secondary screening because I refused to take my sneakers off. Go figure. I guess I didn't smile enough, so I am making it up now.
Hi TSA, I like you! Do you want me bend over? Sure! With pleasure! I have to warn you, though, I had a smelly rabbit for lunch! 
(and I shot it with my shotg..umm, super cardioid, directional microphone)
[quote author=Jim Brennan link=board=Events;num=1103224717;start=0#4 date=12/16/04 at 12:48:17]Yes, but attach no logic to it. For example, they are not required to hand check DV tapes, but they will film[/quote]
Attach no logic to anything TSA does. The rules seem to change every week, and in fact, with every passenger.
Last week a guy in front of me had leather shoes on (you know, the "classc" type that usually has nails in them), and walked right through the metal detector without anyone giving a damn (including the detector)
I got pulled to secondary screening because I refused to take my sneakers off. Go figure. I guess I didn't smile enough, so I am making it up now.
Hi TSA, I like you! Do you want me bend over? Sure! With pleasure! I have to warn you, though, I had a smelly rabbit for lunch! (and I shot it with my shotg..umm, super cardioid, directional microphone)
Re: microphone = weapon?
haha!
Yeah the TSA really sucks. My father was tested for chemical residue from explosives (random person check) after spending a WEEK in a LIVE minefield with all sorts of explosive material (doing research on ways to safely remove explosives. We're no terrorists!) and their stupid machine didn't pick anything. And this is one of those "wipe the shoes and put it in the chemical reader" machines. Absolutely incredible.
Then there is the simple fact that every passenger on a plane has deadly weapons within their grasp. Say oh, a pen. You could kill someone with that.
Or if you were purposely trying to evade detection just bring a stupid sharpened piece of glass or plastic. These people are pretty dumb!
haha!
Yeah the TSA really sucks. My father was tested for chemical residue from explosives (random person check) after spending a WEEK in a LIVE minefield with all sorts of explosive material (doing research on ways to safely remove explosives. We're no terrorists!) and their stupid machine didn't pick anything. And this is one of those "wipe the shoes and put it in the chemical reader" machines. Absolutely incredible.
Then there is the simple fact that every passenger on a plane has deadly weapons within their grasp. Say oh, a pen. You could kill someone with that.
Or if you were purposely trying to evade detection just bring a stupid sharpened piece of glass or plastic. These people are pretty dumb!
Slimothy
Veteran
Re: microphone = weapon?
They are stupid, but I don't mind the extra aggravation. Just wish they were smarter about it. Can't be too cautious. They did a test where undercover officers tried to sneak things on planes and some of the things that got through were fake bombs, fake guns etc. Saw it in Newsweek a year or two ago. Absolutely unbelievable. Tim.
They are stupid, but I don't mind the extra aggravation. Just wish they were smarter about it. Can't be too cautious. They did a test where undercover officers tried to sneak things on planes and some of the things that got through were fake bombs, fake guns etc. Saw it in Newsweek a year or two ago. Absolutely unbelievable. Tim.
HansK
Veteran
Re: microphone = weapon?
[quote author=Slimothy link=board=Events;num=1103224717;start=0#9 date=12/16/04 at 14:21:16]They did a test where undercover officers tried to sneak things on planes and some of the things that got through were fake bombs, fake guns etc.[/quote]
Heh heh... there was a similar news report about some DEA agents that had planted real drugs in actual passenger's luggage so that they could train their sniffer dogs. Well, some of the luggage got away before they could remove the goods! That sure caused a mess. Would have loved to see granny opening her suitcase and finding a bag of hash... no more arthritis!
[quote author=Slimothy link=board=Events;num=1103224717;start=0#9 date=12/16/04 at 14:21:16]They did a test where undercover officers tried to sneak things on planes and some of the things that got through were fake bombs, fake guns etc.[/quote]
Heh heh... there was a similar news report about some DEA agents that had planted real drugs in actual passenger's luggage so that they could train their sniffer dogs. Well, some of the luggage got away before they could remove the goods! That sure caused a mess. Would have loved to see granny opening her suitcase and finding a bag of hash... no more arthritis!
bodaphoto
Well-known member
Re: microphone = weapon?
When we cam out of Peru last time and they were XRAYing the bags as we checked in, they weren't even watching the screen as the stuff was passing through. The two girls were talking and laughing with each other. Then there was this suitcase that unattended for 30 minutes while I was there. I was getting nervous and worried.
When we cam out of Peru last time and they were XRAYing the bags as we checked in, they weren't even watching the screen as the stuff was passing through. The two girls were talking and laughing with each other. Then there was this suitcase that unattended for 30 minutes while I was there. I was getting nervous and worried.
HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
Re: microphone = weapon?
[quote author=Gabe link=board=Events;num=1103224717;start=0#13 date=12/17/04 at 08:56:07]
They had a guy do an "ETA," explosive trace analysis -- I can't remember if they made me power it up or not.[/quote]
They did that to a monitor I carried on the last time I flew. They didn't make me power it up, but they made me take it out of the Porta Brace so they could swab it (both at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and Chicago Midway).
[quote author=Gabe link=board=Events;num=1103224717;start=0#13 date=12/17/04 at 08:56:07]
They had a guy do an "ETA," explosive trace analysis -- I can't remember if they made me power it up or not.[/quote]
They did that to a monitor I carried on the last time I flew. They didn't make me power it up, but they made me take it out of the Porta Brace so they could swab it (both at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and Chicago Midway).
Re: microphone = weapon?
This thread reminds me of a story that one of my square dance club's callers likes to tell. She was returning from a square dance convention, where she'd been given a crystal paperweight as a thank-you gift. She packed it into her carry-on bag along with her microphone. When the bag went through the X-ray machine, the agent's eyes got real wide. Apparently on the X-ray, the microphone (with its cord wrapped around it)--with the paperweight right next to it--looked like a bomb.
This thread reminds me of a story that one of my square dance club's callers likes to tell. She was returning from a square dance convention, where she'd been given a crystal paperweight as a thank-you gift. She packed it into her carry-on bag along with her microphone. When the bag went through the X-ray machine, the agent's eyes got real wide. Apparently on the X-ray, the microphone (with its cord wrapped around it)--with the paperweight right next to it--looked like a bomb.