I’m sure you’ve heard the uproar about the body scanners at the airport. At first listen, I rolled my eyes at people that were whining about someone seeing them ‘naked’. Do you think some airport employee who is in a different room far away from you that sees a billion of of these images is going to get excited about seeing you like this:
As far as I’m concerned, scan as many people as you need to keep my plane from blowing up. But then I started wondering how they were able to produce the image and decided to look into it.
Turns out that they use a low dose x-ray. X-RAY?? That word strikes fear into my heart. Radiation?! What about CANCER? What about if someone was PREGNANT? AHHHH!!!
But after a bit of research, here’s what I learned…
it’s a very low dose of x-ray that is used in the machine. In fact, it is the equivalent radiation dose that you’d get from being up in the air for 4 minutes. That’s right… did you know that just flying exposes you to radiation? In fact, we are always being exposed to radiation. That’s life.
| Screening at an airport X-ray scanner | .02 microsieverts |
| Negligible risk | 10 microsieverts/year |
| Transcontinental flight | 20 microsieverts |
| Average yearly radiation exposure from the environment | 3000 microsieverts |
| Chest X-ray radiation exposure | 100 microsieverts |
| Mammogram | 700 microsieverts |
| Abdominal CT scan | 10,000 microsieverts |
| Enough to cause radiation sickness | 1,000,000 microsieverts |
| Enough to cause death | 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 microsieverts |
Long story short, experts are saying that these machines are safe. Safe for pregnant women, safe for children, safe for everyone.
But there is even better news: if you don’t like the risk, get an old fashion pat down. I had one on my flight home from Germany. Actually I had TWO. (Guess I look threatening? ;)). And from my experience, people are being completely dramatic. Another FEMALE quickly patted my body down top to bottom. It took about… oh 20 seconds. Did she touch my breasts- GASP!- yes. But it was equivalent to being in a crowd and someone’s elbow breezing past you. It’s not like she squeezed ‘em!
My opinion- they’re a good thing. Especially because you have the option to go for a pat down instead. And if they prevent someone with a bomb in their shoe or underwear from getting on my plane- wahoo!
And some groups are even having a little fun with the whole idea…
funny, huh?
OK, I’ve said my piece… know I want to hear what you think:
Airport Security body scans: Yay or Nay? Why?
Tina says
I don’t really mind the scanner things, but I think the pat downs from how I’ve heard them described seem a bit too personal. I don’t think I would be comfortable with one of those.
christina says
i say YAY for scans! keep up protected!!
Corey @ the runner's cookie says
This was all over the news this morning! Like you, I really could care less about having certain body parts grazed in order to ensure that people are safe on airplanes. And I feel terrible for the TSA employees who are just doing their job and are being called names for it. I hadn’t even thought about the x-ray exposure until you mentioned it – I really don’t like the idea of being exposed to extra radiation, but I can understand the safety value that it has. It will be interesting to see what happens with all the Thanksgiving travel…
Kelly says
I think the overall issue here is how reactive our government is. If someone really want to take contraband on a plane, they will figure out a way to do it. Every time someone finds a new way, it completely changes the security at the airport. It’s really aggravating for my husband because he flies anywhere from twice a week to twice a month on average for work. I also have had a pat down done, and it wasn’t bad at all. But mine were very different than the ones I have seen on the news so apparently they’re being a little differently at some airports. I would not care for those at all, especially if done by a male.
Lisa @ I'm an Okie says
I’m for whatever they need to do! Pat downs seem fine by me–I’m not one to really care about that kind of thing.
Jessie says
The pat downs suck… especially depending on how aggressive the TSA agent is. Sometimes its a little more than a “graze”. I understand its for our safety, but it gets old after about the 3rd flight where you are being rubbed down by a perfect stranger. I know the TSA people are just doing their jobs so I try not to give them attitude, but the fact that they are just doing their jobs doesn’t make the experience any more pleasant. I have a knee replacement so not setting off the alarm is not an option for me. I welcome the scanners being installed in the airports. Thanks for all of this info Brittany!
Alexa @ The Girl In Chucks says
I personally don’t care. I don’t like the idea of people touching me, even for 20 seconds, so I’d just go through the scanner.
What I -don’t- like about the new policies is that if a person declines the body scan and the pat down and decides they just want to leave the airport and not fly, they are not allowed to leave. You have no right to decline to fly. WTF? Not cool at all.
I’ll be flying in a couple of weeks…I’ll let you know how it goes!
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
I don’t see what the big deal is. I mean, I saw the video of them strip searching the little boy and yeah..that was a little extreme. But for the most part, they’re not the bad. It’s not like the gaurds are patting you down to feel you up or whatever, they’re doing it to keep everyone safe.
Katie @ Healthy Heddleston says
I guess the issue is that the pat downs are become much more invasive than they used to be. I’ve heard many reports recently about the TSA going down people’s underwear.. which I know was not included in a pat down I’ve received previously.
Personally, I have no issue with the new body scanner but not all airports have enough of them and sometimes they aren’t working. Therefore, people are subjected to the new pat downs and are getting grumpy!
I heard an audio clip from Obama saying the TSA needs to constantly tweek the procedures to ensure safety and to maintain privacy at the same time.
Pure2raw Twins says
I think doing the scanners is fine. If it keeps us all safe than to me that is the most important thing 🙂
Maria @ Oh Healthy Day says
Great topic, one that I’ve been researching and thinking about a lot lately.
I personally DO feel violated with the scanners and will be opting out when I fly tomorrow night. I’ve read accounts of TSA employees saying things like “we have a hot 18 year old coming through” and have read many other accounts of far too friendly pat downs.
I believe that there are many other ways that security can be handled in a less violating way and it has been proven at other airports – whose track records on maintaining security are far better than ours in the U.S. For instance, in Israel, despite the amount of terrorists suspected to be near the area, they have not had one terrorist incident in the past 40 years. They don’t use body scanners and take way less invasive forms of security (question and answer sessions) than our TSA does – yet it works, remarkably well. I’d rather answer questions and have a TSA agent look me in the eye than get a pat-down. Just food for thought 🙂
christen says
love the post! I completely agree with you! Pat away..scan away …keep me and everyone else safe! I love it! love al lthe info you found on it!
Erika says
I say do it. Keep the country safe. Air travel and travel in general around the holidays (and just whenever) is annoying and at times inconvenient. At the time will I be frustrated with it, yes. But it’s for the greater good. And if the TSA is hot, well, then…:)
emily (a nutritionist eats) says
I think that people are being freaking out for nothing…I kind of feel bad for the TSA workers actually, I mean, you really think they want to touch people?! yuck!
maya @ finding balance in tokyo says
I am a unhappy about the scanners, not so much for myself, but for others who may be emotionally traumatized by the new procedures, such as rape victims and young children.
Some people are very uncomfortable with the possibility that their images may be saved, but it seems that the choice is either accept that possibility or submit to invasive genital groping.
If it was merely a standard pat down it would be one thing, but apparently some TSA officials have been attempting to make the (public) pat downs as degrading as possible to encourage others to go through the scanners. And I have also seen reports of poorly trained TSA officials reaching inside people’s underwear, spreading infections by not changing gloves, and in one case removing a man’s colonoscopy bag and spilling the contents on him.
I will be traveling to the US soon and am torn on which I will choose when the time comes.
Kelli says
I’m completely against them. I’m not sure where you’re numbers are from about the radiation but I’ve seen numbers that say it’s way more radiation, closer to a mammogram.
Recently my mom was flying to San Diego and opted out they don’t just say “ok, great, come over here”. They start yelling “OPT OUT!!!! WE’VE GOT AN OPT OUT!” They yell it so everyone around can hear and you’ll be embarrassed. I read on Sunday about a man who had survived bladder cancer and has to have a urine bag strapped to his body. He told the person patting him down he had it and to be gentle. Well, they popped it and he got urine all over himself. Everyone around him ignored what happened and walked away.
It’s sad that this is what flying has come to. Do they think that terrorist can’t just strap a bomb to themselves and walk into a building? Are we going to have to have full body scans to get into any building in the future?