Well, just from the gate, I have to say that I don't even
want to fly anymore if I have any choice about it!!
And that's more because of the hassle that's been created around it than anything else! The last time I had to fly I had driven to L.A. with my bro and sis, but was flying back because I wanted to stay a week longer than they did.
LAX was a NIGHTMARE ... starting with the 30-minute wait outside at the curb (before even entering the airport building itself) so that workers could open up
everybody's suitcases (even the ones that were being checked on the plane!!), rummage through them (looking for ... whatever!!) and then WE had to put our suitcases back together again (I had had to sit on mine to close it in the first place!
). After that, we took our luggage inside, stood in another nearly 30-minute long line to check the suitcases at the counter to be placed on the plane ... and then, of course, it was the
loooonnnngggg, but surprisingly not-so-slow-moving line to go through security .... put everything in a container, walk through the metal detector, take off our shoes ... reassemble ourselves afterwards ... and then still try to make it to the plane on time!
I thought I had avoided all that drama by packing EVERYTHING in my suitcase ... purse, cell phone, medicatlon ... everything but my ID and a book to read!!
But, no ... that wasn't good enough! It was still a 2-hour ordeal just to REACH the plane. And after that, I determined that, for me, it just wasn't worth it!! If I can get there by car or train, that's just the way I will travel from now on.
If I had to take my pick between the x-ray and the pat-down, it would be the x-ray for sure!! Not that I like the idea of being nuked and radiated ... I don't even use a microwave 'cause I don't like the idea of my food being radioactive if I'm going to ingest it
.... BUT .... just the thought of some stranger feeling all over me ... touching things that only a handful of people on this earth have EVER been given my express PERMISSION to touch ... is almost beyond my comprehension!!
I understand the
safety issues involved ... and yes, I want all planes safe for people that want/have to travel that way. The airports/government needs to do what its gotta do to make sure that happens ... and if x-rays and pat-downs are what that is ... then I suppose that's the way it's gotta be.
But .... because there are
choices ... I simply choose something else ... which is to drive, if at all possible.
