A Rant

Safety and Travel

1/05/03

It used to be a no brainer. When we wished to go some-place it's was fly, no other way, less hassle quicker and in many ways cheaper than by car. Now all of that is but a distant memory. For those my age in particular!

First came the closing of the terminals to extraneous non-passengers. For our safety?

No more leisurely meals and shared shopping trips. For our safety?

No more pleasant good-byes in the lounges. Who needs that? For our safety?

Hello to the hasty drop-off at the curb under the strict eye of the parking police, (most of the time observed by me to be talking among themselves!) You need to arrive hours before your flight. The waiting time cannot be spent in a friend's company, because they are denied accompanying you past the security check point. Then you have the long wait usually hours in the waiting area. Better bring a long book! You might indulge in thoughts of how great it used to be to fly!

I do not mean this to sound as if I'm against safety and security. I most assuredly am not! I do believe most is necessary. However for trips of 500 miles or less I will now give serious thought to driving. There are too many horror stories about people’s last flight. Is it a coincidence that the Fed takeover has made it all seem worse, not better? To me (my opinion), things seem to be getting worse and not better. We now have Grandmothers
being frisked. This grandfather had my shoes removed four (4) times on a flight from San Antonio to New Orleans, never one time leaving the concourse for my flight. Lest you forget don't ever look askance at any of the security people - you could very well be arrested.

The anti-social, surly and generally nasty attitude of (with few exceptions) agents with their officious, bullying demeanor does create an atmosphere of intimidation, fear and resentment. JUST THINK IF YOU CAN WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF WE WEREN'T CUSTOMERS PAYING FOR ALL THIS! Makes me reflect on this thought - Is this a way for the world wide have-nots to get back at those they perceive better off than they are? The general consensus among those in charge seems to be we are all guilty of something until they in their wisdom prove otherwise! They are right - because in paying for the privilege of being treated like second-class citizens, we are guilty (IMHO) of being stupid. I wish to add that not too long ago the big thing in the news was how the thieves at the airports were going through checked baggage and stealing anything of value they found in the luggage. Well they had to break locks etc. to do so, now you will not even be able to lock your own suitcase to prevent petty theft. (Does cut down the amount of effort the thieves must expend in order to rob us!!) There should be a great deal of peace of mind, however, as we are assured that not one of the new 50,000 federal
employees that will paw through your luggage behind closed doors will take anything. Hell, yesterday’s news was full of how they couldn't keep an illegal out of the White House, even had his picture taken with the (AT THE TIME), scumbag in chief Bill Clinton, but our luggage will be safe?

We now have a new and wonderful possibility? We will arrive at our destination with many of the things we started with AWOL, and with the hope that whomever has them is enjoying them. I for one must admit in some respects I feel safer, but at the expense of all the fun having gone out of making the trip! Airports today are like being transported into
Orwell’s 1984,and everyone is a big brother. At risk of repeating myself, all this adds insult to injury! Do you feel safer? Do any of you who fly feel as I do that we are in many ways exchanging so many of our rights for something of no value? Those weekend trips seem to have lost soooo much of their luster and appeal. The reality setting in is, that those trips will be replaced by driving there or staying home. I may be wrong but there seems to be indications that my point of view has merit. Take the case of United Airlines declaring bankruptcy, and so many others looking for help from the very people they seem to delight in treating shabby. We the taxpayers are going to be expected to bail them out, (called federal help, what a misnomer!).

These comments didn't start out to be such a tome, however I do hope that these views are shared by many of you out there who take the time to wade through this. SEE you on
the interstate!

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Archives Of Big Kahuna Rants –

Demagogues and Jackasses – 12/20/02

Envied By the Rest Of the World – 12/01/02

It’s All In The Timing – 11/21/02

We Are Involved Again – 11/19/02

Race-Baiting Demagoguery – 11/12/02

Who Will Weed The Garden? – 11/06/02

Going, Going, Going – 10/29/02