Body scanners in Aus... No option to opt out?

[simongr]

How can something "emits 10,000 times less radio frequency energy than an average mobile phone call,"?

10,000 times less??? Maybe 1/10,000th

Sheesh these people are in government?

 

[Skyring]

Many years ago leaving Taipeh, mrsdrron was patted down by a fellow and I by a woman. Unfortunately she did not understand when I asked for the pat down to be repeated.

She understood all too well, I'm certain!

 

[medhead]

How can something "emits 10,000 times less radio frequency energy than an average mobile phone call,"?

10,000 times less??? Maybe 1/10,000th

Sheesh these people are in government?

Forget the magnitude. It is not even the right type of radiation. Might have to read the story to see who said that.

 

[medhead]

Forget the magnitude. It is not even the right type of radiation. Might have to read the story to see who said that.

Verified this with someone involved in this type of thing. I was wrong; they are millimeter wave scanners. So right type of radiation.

 

[Mal]

I've used them in the us plenty of times. The worst moment was when I had to have a pat down around my belt area because something was suspicious. I suspect I had too much junk food on that trip. Lol.

 

[MatF]

Went through a body scanner at SLC on the way home yesterday (well, Tuesday, SLC time). Was fairly quick and painless.

I'd laugh, too. KFC doesn't sell Coke.

Shows how often I go to KFC

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Lol.....



View attachment 3402

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Gotta have a laugh (part 2)

View attachment 3762

 

[awilcockson]

No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

So it appears that we've gone one step further than even the US.

The government has passed legislation "closing a loop hole" that would have allowed passengers to opt for a pat down search rather than being submitted to a full body X-ray, when scanners are installed at all Australian Internation airports from July this year.

This is terrible, I don't buy the line that these things are completely safe and subject you to "less radiation than a mobile phone several meters away".

Full-body scans rolled out at all Australian international airports after trial | News.com.au

Sorry for the nonews link, it was the only one I could find.

 

[medhead]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

As I mentioned in the other thread. these are millimeter wave scanners, so they do emitted RF radiation and it is very low. So the mobile phone comparison is a fair one to use.

 

[yohy?!]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

As I mentioned in the other thread. these are millimeter wave scanners, so they do emitted RF radiation and it is very low. So the mobile phone comparison is a fair one to use.

That puts my mind at ease - a great example of the diverse professions in the AFF community

 

[casanovawa]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

I despise these scummy devices where you often have to stand with your hands in the air like your surrendering...

If i didn't like travel so much i stop buying plane tickets but i'd certainly like to give an earful to whoever made this law...

 

[Ikara]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

If i didn't like travel so much i stop buying plane tickets but i'd certainly like to give an earful to whoever made this law...

You can, in this democratic country, it's called voting.

JB

 

[dfcatch]

I'm happy to trust medhead's expertise on this one.

 

[casanovawa]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

No i don't mean an abstract vote, i mean i'd actually like to give them a red hot, face-to-face earful telling them exactly what i think of their idea and where they could shove it...

If i was one of the jihad nutbags i'd be laughing my head off at what fools we make ourselves look like these days...

 

[awilcockson]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

You can, in this democratic country, it's called voting.

JB

As if any party is going to give up the power they have over the population with their constant terrorist scare campaign.

 

[Robert K]

If voting seems a bit tame, you could always try a riot.

Just let me know in advance so I can clear some room in my house.

 

[medhead]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

I despise these scummy devices where you often have to stand with your hands in the air like your surrendering...

If i didn't like travel so much i stop buying plane tickets but i'd certainly like to give an earful to whoever made this law...

I agree on the principal of this, I don't think these devices decrease the threat. But it is too late to give an earful to whoever "made" this law, they shot him in Pakistan last year.

You can, in this democratic country, it's called voting.

JB

Unfortunately, we (Australians) don't get a vote in the USA. This is little more that support for their industrial military complex, IMO

I'm happy to trust medhead's expertise on this one.

I've asked a few questions about these things, of people in the know. I've mention a few concerns I've had about the whole process in the past and fortunately I'm a position to quiz the workings of that process.

 

[samh004]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

You can, in this democratic country, it's called voting.

JB

I’m sure both parties have the same views on this issue.

Well, I guess it’s unfortunate for customs, they’re just going to have to view my body from afar, and not get the chance to feel me up

 

[AVC]

Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners

From what I know, the scanner being used are 'millimetre wave" scanners. Which use radio waves, as opposed to x-rays. But saying that, the frequencies are so high, the "jury is still out" about health concerns.

Even the x-ray versions use d ifferent technology to standard x-ray machines, which basically penetrate the body to project to a film under the body part being x-rayed. The airport versions are a "back scatter" type in which the x-rays only penetrate abouty 10mm then are reflected back. Still not good for high risk individuals (children, pregnant females).

What is disturbing though, is that workers who use the back scatter machines on a daily basis in the US, were being denied "exposure badges" to warn them of accumulative dosages. Radiographers don't wear those big lead aprons for nothing.

At the end of the day, most of it is BS. Unless thay start x-raying every single airport worker and vehicle coming in and out of the airport every single day, fancy front-of-house machines (at about a million a pop) just make it LOOK like security is tight. To the travelling public.