Getting Belted

I own an 686 Tool Belt, despite never having snowboarded in my life.

Why?

I like having tools handy and like clever gadgets. I'll admit that I like the idea of wearing something like this when I fly. The screwdrivers that make up the belt are generally under the length that makes the TSA twitch and only a crazy person would ever think this could be a "weapon".

Then I read Cory Doctorow's experience wearing such a belt in a UK airport.

Jeez.

The UK is the only country I've ever flown through that's even more batshit crazy with their security measures than the TSA. I'm sure someone thought they were logical at one point, but they've just devolved into utter madness.

Last year I few out to Europe and had a brief stopover in Heathrow. My TSA-approved bottle of contact lens solution was too big for Heathrow's security people and they made me toss it. This was after they scanned everything with some sci-fi device to confirm the rest of my liquids were not dangerous.

Why? Blind adherence to a stupid rule. The container fit in the supplied plastic bag Heathrow's security wonks provided me. It was just arbitrarily "too big" for one of the security wonks to let me carry without harassment.

I guess they were afraid of me cleaning my contacts.

Could be worse. Their security didn't otherwise hassle me (I can be a fantastic liar and I faked sympathy and understanding to just get through the herd of crazy). Others I traveled with got patted-down, while I was physically-unmolested.

I even saw Heathrow's security wonks pat down a five-year-old.

A five-year-old. Dangerous looking five-year-old. Terrifying romper the little demon was wearing. Could've been worse, I suppose. He could have been armed with a teddy bear or some such.

I bet they would have confiscated it, too.