ARC 4+ and Port Security

I had to empty all metal out of my pockets before going through the scanner at the Cruise Ship Port Security.
At BOTH ends of the Security I got a "What's That !!" from the personnel handling the container holding my ARC 4+.
After I told them that it was a flashlight and turned it on for them I still got a puzzled look. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I got a kick out of it.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Glenn

Nice one. Wonder what'd they say about a weaponlight

The same thing happened to me at the airport security going to Ibiza,(now that song comes..), and I had to explain to the officer what kind of electronic device I am carrying, I said it is just a torch, a very special one...it took me like 10 min. to tell him about why it is so white, led technology, still there is a lot of people out there that they don't know what we are talking about...

At the SS1 launch this weekend, one of the guys next to me was playing with his LED coin cell light. Without saying what I do I asked him about his light. He said, "it's actually quite bright for an LED". Of course, when he said that, I handed him my Arc4 and told him to turn it on. It came on in L16 and he said, "cool" (he was being nice and not saying anything about the dim level). I told him to hold the button down. When full power was produced, he says, "wow, that's not an LED is it?" I just smiled and said, "you bet".

Peter

lol, Thats kewl Peter. Being the creator of it, must kinda be nice to see what people say about your lights, not knowing anything of them. In 3 weeks I go to Pheonix to visit Arc, then family in a close second. I have heard that Airport security isnt too bad once you show that the light works an all to them. We'll just have to see. I have no idea what security is like if you have a light in your baggage. I was thinking on taking a few others, you know, my Mag6D, Twintask, why not my spot. Will that get through? Heh, but really, anyone with expirience in whats in your baggage whether carry on or checking in?
Cameron

Getting ready for a trip myself and would also welcome current comments on baggage & carry on bags!

Actually when travelling to Asia I would avoid having my Arc4 with myself. I've seen more valuable things confiscated by the so called security personnel....

I just traveled to Europe for a two week trip. At no point in the airport security did my two flashlights get questioned. I carried an Arc LSH and a Surefire A2. I kept them in a small carry pouch along with my digital camera, my Bose noise cancelling headphones, MP3 player, and some extra batteries.

The pack went through the security x-ray machine in the U.S. and in Europe with no questions. And security is tighter in Europe than it is within the states. In Frankfurt I had to go through three security stations.

So carrying a light will present no difficulties. The airport security folks are mostly just curious and there job is not that exciting. So asking what something is breaks the boredom.

[ QUOTE ]
RayT said:
The pack went through the security x-ray machine in the U.S. and in Europe with no questions. And security is tighter in Europe than it is within the states. In Frankfurt I had to go through three security stations.


[/ QUOTE ]

So a couple years ago, about 6 months after 9/11, I'm in the Zurich airport coming back to the US from a meeting. I'm standing in the security line and the guy in front of me (Middle Eastern looking BTW), has a couple handgun cases and the security guy opens them up, takes out the handguns, and proceeds to examine them, all the while pointing them straight at another security guy's head standing next to him. I can't tell you how safe I felt /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif.

Did some flying recently into and our of Chicago. I had my ArcLS, ArcAAA on the keychain, BadBoy drop in in a Brinkman AA light, at least 1 CMG Infinity ultra from countycomm with the government serial number stuff on it, at least 2 of their $1 keychain lights. Also some spare batteries for all those.

They made me put my laptop, my shoes, my 3 year old daughters shoes and her teddy bear all through the X-Ray machine separately. But otherwise did not give me a second glance.

All in all not as bad as stories I've heard from other folks.

The pleasure and convenience of traveling in this country by air started to go downhill long before 9/11. If it weren't for my mom living almost on the opposite coast I'd refuse to fly anywhere just on principal that they make my life difficult for no plausible increase in my security. Oh well. And they wonder why they keep loosing money...

Every time I go through security, I completely empty my pockets (Arc AAA and a Arc4), putting everything in one of my backpack pockets. So far, no one has even asked to see anything. (There's a lot to look at in my pack... laptop, cellphone, two flashlights, power supply, extra batteries, digital camera, flash drive, SecureID card, misc non metallic crap, a book, bottle of water, etc.) Maybe they just don't notice the lights.

I overheard a guard tell another suspect^H^H^H^H^H^H^Htraveller that you get one chance to go through the detector with your shoes on. If you don't beep, you don't have to take your shoes off. If you beep, then it's shoes followed (maybe) by a closer look at you and your stuff. I make sure I have nothing metal on me when I go through. It's worked so far.

Yes, I was also lucky up to know, just a small lighter I had in my backpack was confiscated this year.
But I've seen courious things in Asia and I will just not risk my Arc4. ArcAAA and similar is fine.
And they confiscate loose batteries (for what reason ever). And in some Asian airports, they just confiscate the stuff (heard the same about Ireland recently, they confiscated a brand new Leatherman Wave which was forgotten in the depths of a handbag) and you will never get it back, not like in former times.

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they confiscated a brand new Leatherman Wave which was forgotten in the depths of a handbag...

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Anything with a blade or has sharp or pointy edges is definitely a no no these days. Even a nail clipper with a fold out nail file will get confiscated on international flights out of Hong Kong.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

However, I do think that flashlights should be pretty safe though.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I just got back from a trip to Mexico, everything went through easily and it was quick too. I put my laptop, cell phone, digital camera in those plastic containers and picked them up on the other side. My Arc 4 was sitting in my backpack along with a PT Surge.

No one asked me to turn anything on, I remember back in the pre 9/11, I had to turn on my laptop, cell phone and CD player to make sure that they works.

Also, no one confiscated my battery coming back from Mexico in both carry on and check-in. I was in Cancun International Airport.