Has security ever taken away your hair sticks?

[ambychelle]

When I had jury duty, I had to go through security. Because I knew I'd have to do a lot of sitting and waiting, I took some knitting and crochet to work on. Security took away my crochet hooks (which, btw.. are rounded on the end and in no way pointy) but let me keep my knitting needles because they were tucked down inside my yarn and they couldn't see them. they also took away my nail file, my tiny little keychain that has tweezers, nail file, and scissors on it (it's like two inches long and I wouldn't hesitate to let my 7 year old have one) because it was a "weapon".

So, if crochet hooks are a weapon, wouldn't hair sticks be a weapon too? I didn't have any pencils with me but I'm pretty sure if I wanted to whoop up on someone, I could do more damage with an average pencil than I could with a crochet hook *lol*

At the ER security, they took away nail clippers which was weird.

My husband has a prosthetic leg and they just sort of let him through without really checking him out because there's no real way for him to remove it without totally undressing etc. He could strap a machine gun to his leg and get through security. But me? Oh heck no.. I must look like a crazy lady who wants to take over the ER with my nail clippers *lol*....

I can totally see them asking me to remove hair sticks that are pointy. They'd probably take me in for questioning and want to know why I was hiding weapons in my hair. :rolleyes:

[longhairedfairy]

Did they give them back when you left?

[Magdalene]

Nope. I've made a point of not wearing metal hairtoys when I travel or when I had jury duty.

[ambychelle]

Did they give them back when you left?


Oh yeah.. they give them back. It's just funny to see what they take away. One woman was a teacher and wanted to work on some stuff for her class and had to get special permission to use blunt kid scissors. I guess airport security is the worst though because there's no way for you to get your stuff back unless you want to mail it to yourself.

[lyria]

I never wear metal through security for that reason, but I have definitely walked through with some seriously sharp wooden hair sticks and they have never cared. I agree that if it came doewn to it, they could easily be used as weapons.

On the other hand, so could almost everything. When they first started using plastic knives on airplanes I thought this was stupid becuase I had a whole case of cd's with me (shows you how long ago this was) and I thought to myself that if you wanted a weapon, you could break one in half and you would have something pretty dangerous. Airport security is dumb that way.

[krissykins]

I've never had my hairsticks taken away, but I did get blunt kid scissors taken away at an airport. It was right after 9/11 and I was only 10... Boo :(

[motormuffin]

You think that is bad...
I had to go to court and they put all of your stuff on a conveyor with the xray to see in your purse. They wacked out took my spark plugs I had in there. I used to ride a two stroke motorcycle everywhere and it would foul plugs so I kept an extra set. What the heck damage would I do with a spark plug?

[pepperminttea]

I lost a pair of metal ones that way (and they were nice, boo), but I've never a had a problem with wooden, and if you've any plastic, I doubt they'd mind that.

[Nouveaux]

Although I always avoid flying (or travel in general) when I can, I have wondered about this. They confiscated a spoon from my grandmother at one point. I can't remember why she had a spoon, but that's immaterial; it was a spoon. The woman in front of her got through with knitting needles!

I imagine if it came down to it, I'd tuck away the point and get it in under the guise of another silly womans' hair-thingamy. Then again, I make my sticks and all of them are wooden, and generally not ornamented, so I guess they wouldn't garner a whole lot of attention in the first place.

[vindo]

No, but my S&D scissors were taken at the statue of Liberty..or rather I convinced the ladys (that admired my hair) that I will give them hair advice if they let me hide my scissors in the bushes.

After the ferry returned there were tons of people digging in the bushes for knifes and other sharp objects..we had a good laugh.

[loyaboya]

Right after 9-11, a woman in airport security tried to take away my graydog hairfork. It just happened to be in my purse instead of my hair. I was so angry but she was adamant. Luckily it was a small airport and I was able to quickly tuck it into my luggage (and check it).

[longhairedfairy]

Right after 9-11, a woman in airport security tried to take away my graydog hairfork. It just happened to be in my purse instead of my hair. I was so angry but she was adamant. Luckily it was a small airport and I was able to quickly tuck it into my luggage (and check it).
So you can have it in your luggage but not in your hair?:confused:

[Carolyn]

So you can have it in your luggage but not in your hair?:confused:She could have it in her checked luggage but not with her on the plane.

[Themyst]

Sorry, but I just can't believe that we put up with this nonsense. It's :bs: and it doesn't make me feel any 'safer'. If there's a guy on a mission to do some damage, he'll figure it out. Please. This is all just so stupid and really makes my blood boil when I hear about it. Really, all this constant sticking and forking with the average citizen, it doesn't surprise me when I hear of someone going berserk.

Funny thing is, I was screened in a court house once and the wand kept beeping ... between my legs! There was nothing there, it wasn't my underwear or anything ... but they just let me through anyway. WTH?!!?? To this day, I don't know what on earth could have set it off. Talk about embarrassing.

[windinherhair]

I don't have any metal hair sticks yet, but I did set off the metal detectors with hair pins in an airport when we were on our way to New York City. It was after our wedding and I had my hair done. It was all pinned up in a twist with curls. The metal hair pins were setting off the detectors. The security guy just smiled and said "just married?" and I replied. They just let me go through after running the hand held detector over me, they knew it was my hair pins. :p

[Rivanariko]

They took away your crochet hooks? So, security for jury duty is tighter than security on an airplane? Because I definitely go through airport security with all of my crochet stuff in plain sight all the time. Never had a problem.
That's absolutely ridiculous.

[Monsterkitti]

I was on jury service for almost 6 months and wore hair sticks every day, I was a bit unsure on the first day if they would make a fuss about them but noone said anything. They were pretty hot on stuff in bags though so dont know if they would have made more fuss if theyd not been in my hair?

[ilovelonghair]

They've never made trouble about my metal hairsticks, which is kind of odd, but I nowadays just braid my hair for flying, is more comfortable when sleeping in trhe plane.

[Alaia]

Australian airport security took away my hairstick. It was in my carry on luggage because I was wearing a hat and I wanted to put up my hair on the plane when I took off the hat.

I told them that the pencils in my pencil case were sharper, perhaps they wanted to take them away too?

They made me buy an envelope and stamps to post the hairstick back to me, but I have never received it (this was two years ago or more). I reckon they just made us spend the money and then destroyed my hairstick anyway.

The worst thing? It was a custom-made WoodbyC and I have never had the money to get another one commissioned. I may even have lost the picture showing the design so I might not ever be able to get it again.

[Tomato]

I have a nice anecdote to tell from a diving holiday in Egypt. Every day there are passing THOUSANDS of divers with their equipment through kairo airport. So did I. I had my regulator in my hand luggage- like 1000s& 1000s divers before me. At the x-ray station I was asked by the officer what that thing in my bag is.... I had to explain quite a long time to him what this thing is. Unless it was his very first day (which I doubt) that guy must have seen regulators au mass. I cannot decide if I should be annoyed by his bureaucratic bullying or laugh my a** of.
I do not fly very much but every time I do there is something strange/ stupid / annoying. It does not improve my trust in security, it's just a way of wasting money and time! :mad:

[loyaboya]

So you can have it in your luggage but not in your hair?:confused:
Yup. They just don't want you to have access to it while on the airplane. Nowadays I rarely even use a carry-on because it's too much trouble. I will check even the smallest bag.

I have knitted on an airplane though! Circular needles seem to get through with no problem.

[enfys]

Easy Jet made us check our cases in before we went through security so we would have no chance to throw in any banned objects. Coming back from honeymoon I was frisked 3 times in Barcelona and had to take my boots off before the gave up. My second time through security, before my second ever flight. No one pointed out I was wearing a large Ficarre! That must have been it. It was really shiny and gold too.

Like Lyria was saying about plastic cutlery, in duty free you can buy glass bottles of spirits to take on the plane which could be smashed and make a deadly weapon. I bought a pencil sharper after going through security. Blades are for sale on the other side of it!

I've never been on a jury, but I guess they could be tougher because of high emotions in court? A brutal murder could bring out reactions in people listening to details.

[Carolyn]

This past weekend my son, DIL and GS flew home out of Minneapolis. The DIL had bought a sippy cup for the baby at a Disney store. It had a little snow globe in the bottom with Nemo swimming around. The asshat security guy was going to take it away. We had stayed while they went through security in case something like this happened. They handed me the sippy cup and I'll take it to them at Xmas. If that wasn't stupid enough, my son stopped in a gift show after they got through the security check and saw they were selling freaking snowglobes inside the airport. You could take those on the plane! :steam He explained to me that aiport security targets families and elderly women. The airlines apparently want only business travelers. The airlines are supposed to be in dire straights and they treat their passengers like crap. JMO of course :p

[halo_tightens]

I thought about this, actually, when I went to court last week with some family members. They check your bags as you go in the door, and you also have to go through a metal detector. I remember frantically thinking, "Oh no-- how did I fix my hair today? Is there metal?" I didn't want to be embarassed at the door, lol. Fortunately, I was just wearing my usual Gibson tuck, with one metal-less elastic and a wooden stick. No metal to hold up the line! :)

[Feye]

Easy Jet made us check our cases in before we went through security so we would have no chance to throw in any banned objects. Coming back from honeymoon I was frisked 3 times in Barcelona and had to take my boots off before the gave up. My second time through security, before my second ever flight. No one pointed out I was wearing a large Ficarre! That must have been it. It was really shiny and gold too.

I always travel with a ficcare in my bag, and I'm always scared that they'll take it away. Especially if it's a discontinued color. Lately I've started to travel with a scrunchie instead just to be able to relax more.

If someone urged me to mail something in an envelope I'd probably go and do it myself instead of trusting them to do it, thanks for the warning.

[Rentlle]

gosh :s in belgium they aren't that severe!!

[shadowclaw]

I've never worn hair jewelry of any kind through security. I only went on one trip that involved flying... I went to Europe and back and was on a total of 6 planes. I didn't have any problems with anything at all, but I didn't have anything metal with me.

Now I found it really interesting when my fiance went to two different courthouses wearing the same steel-toed boots. At one, the boots set off the metal detector, but at the other, they did not. I think I may have worn a metal necklace to latter as well, and it didn't set it off, either. Hmmm.

[Medievalmaniac]

I totally agree with everyone about how dumb airport security is. I NEVER fly. This past spring was my first time on a plane or in an airport since 2000. I was FLOORED when the woman took my brand-new, still-in-the-sealed-box vial of Oil of Olay face cream. Which I had run out of that morning and bought before getting to the airport. Fifteen dollars: Bu-BYE. And why? Because I could make an explosive something-or-other...with my Oil of Olay cream? On my way to a freaking medieval studies conference?! I was absolutely astounded. I bet that stupid woman took it and used it herself (OK, not really, but that's how mad I still am about the whole thing). It was a SEALED BOX, for the love of Pete!! I'm sure, had I had a hairstick in my hair, they would have taken that, too. I will never wear one in the airport, or even carry it in my carry-on bag, because -well, I love my hairsticks, and they're kind of pricy to be losing to airport "security" measures.

[Kiraela]

I flew from missouri down to louisiana three years ago, but I hadn't heard of hairsticks yet. I just had to mention that this :
My husband has a prosthetic leg and they just sort of let him through without really checking him out because there's no real way for him to remove it without totally undressing etc. He could strap a machine gun to his leg and get through security. But me? Oh heck no.. I must look like a crazy lady who wants to take over the ER with my nail clippers *lol*.... seriously made me laugh so hard that both my cats were staring at me.

[Periwinkle]

I've yet to have a hair mishap, though I've been told to remove kirby grips.

My personal 'look what security did to me' story is from going to see PMQs (that's Prime Minister's Questions) and having my ballpoint pen taken away from me. Excuse me, but what damage am I going to do with a ballpoint pen when there is specially manufactured bulletproof glass between me and the politicians?!

It wasn't even a weird ballpoint pen - just a regular biro thing. What makes it worse is that I'd already been through the very same security station with the same guy on it a few hours before and managed to smuggle my pen into the building...

[misspriss]

I've yet to have a hair mishap, though I've been told to remove kirby grips.

My personal 'look what security did to me' story is from going to see PMQs (that's Prime Minister's Questions) and having my ballpoint pen taken away from me. Excuse me, but what damage am I going to do with a ballpoint pen when there is specially manufactured bulletproof glass between me and the politicians?!

It wasn't even a weird ballpoint pen - just a regular biro thing. What makes it worse is that I'd already been through the very same security station with the same guy on it a few hours before and managed to smuggle my pen into the building...


...Well, the pen IS mightier than the sword...:)

[wendyg]

periwinkle: I remember once going to sit in the public gallery at the HoC and you weren't allowed to bring in anything you could write with or on. I'm not sure what the threat model is there, except that I guess they didn't want journalists there (journalists were supposed to have passes and sit elsewhere).

wg

[JamieLeigh]

Everytime I go to our county courthouse for anything child-support, car tag or birth certificate-related I have to be patted down, and go through a metal detector. I have never once had my hair sticks even glanced at......but then again, this is Northwest Alabama and not a HUGE population..... :shrug:

[freecelt]

I don't have any metal hair sticks yet, but I did set off the metal detectors with hair pins in an airport when we were on our way to New York City. It was after our wedding and I had my hair done. It was all pinned up in a twist with curls. The metal hair pins were setting off the detectors. The security guy just smiled and said "just married?" and I replied. They just let me go through after running the hand held detector over me, they knew it was my hair pins. :p I had a freind who had that happen too, they made her take her hair down :(

[mwedzi]

No, but they took my metal tooth afro pick once. :(

[going gray]

Hi gals, Just curious has anyone had any recent problems, flying with TSA taking away hairsticks, forks or ficcares. My hair is finally to at the length where I can wear some updos & I'd hate to give over my hairtoys, either in my carry-on or my hair.

[Ellyses]

I have had metal hair sticks taken at security (my hair is not nice and long yet though so you could easily see the ends on the other side of my bun), wood ones I have not every had taken away, although I also had a metal hair fork taken out of my luggage :/ lesson: no metal on planes I guess, even if it is in the bottom of the plane covered with 300 other peoples luggage LOL!

[Arianwen]

I flew with knitting stuff - no problem...I've never worn any "good" hair doohickeys to the airport though...

[MandyBeth]

OK I have done MAJOR political events, like working the floor for the past 2 DNCs and other such. Don't wear metal, but ok. Airport - nothing, they don't care here. Court - ahem had dpn in my hair, they didn't care, my 8g cbrs were a hazard.

[going gray]

Ladies, thanks for the "heads-up" ....

[ktani]

As much as I think it is terrible to lose something at any security check point, I would rather have security be over zealous than relaxed.

Right after 911 I flew to the States. My eybrow pencil, was not ok, my mascara was. I took no scissors or nail file because all of my luggage was carry on. I was not allowed to take my roller pin (extra long bobby pin without ripples on it). I had phoned the airport in advance to check out what I could and could not bring with me.

Since then, when I have flown, I phoned again, and my eyebow pencil and roller pin were fine. They have the liquids restrictions now and others.

For court here, they x-ray my bag and I have had no problems. I learned to get information in advance because courts to not return goods confiscated here.

A simple phone call can save anyone the loss of a precious item.

[MandyBeth]

Oh, working the floor at DNC means I get very close to anyone, as in could do harm with a 2 inch bobby pin. Makes sense. Court - went to take my dpn out, nope. Went to take my 16g stars out which have an end, nope. CBR only which don't have any end.

ETA:

Ktani, I get the rules. I don't balk. But dpn is safe, my pointy stars with quarter inch posts are safe, 12g cbr which I could straighten to a wire are safe. 8g cbrs tho are a danger? Huh? What am I going to do, throw them?

[ktani]

Ktani, I get the rules. I don't balk. But dpn is safe, my pointy stars with quarter inch posts are safe, 12g cbr which I could straighten to a wire are safe. 8g cbrs tho are a danger? Huh? What am I going to do, throw them?

I get where you are coming from even if I have trouble with the abbreviations you use, lol. The logic of all the security rules escapes me too. I could do more damage with a mascara wand than with my rounded off end eye brow pencil.

I just respect the reasons behind the caution. I would rather everyone complied with the daunting task that is designed to keep people safe. It is a far from a perfect system as we all know. It is better than before though and it unfortunately is necessary these days.

[MandyBeth]

DNC is Democratic National Convention. Big huge deal. dpn is double pointed needles, aka a metal hair fork which might be a viable weapon. cbr is a captive bead ring, body piercing jewelry, got a bad pic in my Charlie album if you need visuals.

[ktani]

DNC is Democratic National Convention. Big huge deal. dpn is double pointed needles, aka a metal hair fork which might be a viable weapon. cbr is a captive bead ring, body piercing jewelry, got a bad pic in my Charlie album if you need visuals.

Ah, as a Canadian, non knitter and non piercer I thank you!

[christine1989]

Flying to Italy a few years ago the airport security checked me (and my mom) out top to bottom because we had changed our tickets at the last moment (apparently that is suspicious to them). They let me keep my two hairsticks but determined that the mini bottle of conditioner I had was a threat :rolleyes: Ironically they totally overlooked the large amount of percocet in an Excedrin bottle. To date I have had more luck transporting drugs with me than shampoo and conditioner :).

[going gray]

Thanks for responding ladies, suppose I'll just be smart about it & not put my my "treasures" in my carry-on luggage. My husband & I travel a lot, so why take that chance!

[MandyBeth]

That is one thing to never do - carry rx meds in a non pharm labeled bottle, esp controlled drugs. Tho with a valid rx and needed, I am amazed at what you can have with you. But out of original packages may be a violation of federal drug trafficing laws

[ktani]

That is one thing to never do - carry rx meds in a non pharm labeled bottle, esp controlled drugs. Tho with a valid rx and needed, I am amazed at what you can have with you. But out of original packages may be a violation of federal drug trafficing laws

When I phoned the airport, I was told anything like that out of its original container, including vitamins, is not looked on well and can be confisicated.

[enfys]

That is one thing to never do - carry rx meds in a non pharm labeled bottle, esp controlled drugs. Tho with a valid rx and needed, I am amazed at what you can have with you. But out of original packages may be a violation of federal drug trafficing laws

When I was going on honeymoon I was so paranoid I took a pack of BC pill and two weeks worth of contact lanses in each suitcase we had and in my carry on luggage, just incase mine was lost from the hold or confiscated from me. All the pills were in the outer packs with my name, address and prescription details on. I was fine. Hurrah!

The hair sticks and fork I brought back with me I put in my hold luggage just in case. Didn't want to lose them :(

I find it funny that the Eurostar has no security; I had a much less stressful time on that.

[swivelhop]

Sorry, but I just can't believe that we put up with this nonsense. It's :bs: and it doesn't make me feel any 'safer'. If there's a guy on a mission to do some damage, he'll figure it out. Please. This is all just so stupid and really makes my blood boil when I hear about it. Really, all this constant sticking and forking with the average citizen, it doesn't surprise me when I hear of someone going berserk.

Funny thing is, I was screened in a court house once and the wand kept beeping ... between my legs! There was nothing there, it wasn't my underwear or anything ... but they just let me through anyway. WTH?!!?? To this day, I don't know what on earth could have set it off. Talk about embarrassing.

I kept thinking about this for some reason. Metal pants fly? Most the wands and scanners now have a meter or beep differently for various quantities of metal. I imagine the guards get used to common items and how much they beep or read on the meter.

[Kat]

After the ferry returned there were tons of people digging in the bushes for knifes and other sharp objects..we had a good laugh.
I did that once with a small pocket knife when I had to go across the street from my former work building to the federal building. I always carry it so forgot to leave it on my desk. They said I'd have to take it back to my car--wasn't going to walk that far, so I tucked it into one of the potted plants outside.

I think when they take that stuff though, they don't let you keep it. I couldn't even get the security guard to hold it for me. And I know the last time I went to the courthouse, they had a box there to throw your weapons into...which I doubt they went digging into to retrieve them when you got out!


What the heck damage would I do with a spark plug?
My guess is they figured you could use it as a component in some sort of explosive device.


Funny thing is, I was screened in a court house once and the wand kept beeping ... between my legs!
Haha! Should've given them a confidential look, lowered your voice, and said, "I have, uh, piercings. Know what I mean?" MWAHAHAHA!

On a fountain pen forum I'm on, people were really worried about their pens after that whole liquids scare. One person called TSA and was told that the pens had to be completely empty and dry, and that the pens would be swabbed out and if there was any liquid in them at all--like, if they'd emptied the pen and the remaining bits of ink hadn't dried--they pens would be confiscated. Now that sounds to me like someone at TSA either toeing the line because their boss was standing there, or someone trying to scare the person that called, but...come on! These folks were all nervous, of course, because when you're flying with a pen worth thousands of dollars, you don't want to check it (for obvious reasons) but you also don't want security taking it when you try to carry it on (and probably going "geez, this is one of those old-fashioned pieces of junk!" and tossing it).


When I phoned the airport, I was told anything like that out of its original container, including vitamins, is not looked on well and can be confisicated.
I always worry about my partner because he'll toss a Xanax in his pocket and off he goes (I finally got him a little pill case so he wouldn't lose his pills). Okay, it's only one, and unlikely he'll ever be searched, but if he ever is for some reason (either on a traffic stop, or because he works at a car rental place at an airport), though I know it's doubtful they'd find a single tiny pill in his pocket, I don't want to be driving to where he is with his prescription bottle or something to prove he can have it, or frantically calling his doctor or pharmacy to get proff that he had a script!

[StephanieB]

When I phoned the airport, I was told anything like that out of its original container, including vitamins, is not looked on well and can be confisicated.
That's quite true.

They can't forbid or confiscate any RX meds that are properly packaged and prescribed to YOU, in amounts appropriate for the period of time you are going to be away. And I mean anything... I have traveled with morphine, with no trouble at all.

But, if it's not pharmacy-packaged with the RX sticker/label - they will confiscate it, if they find it.


Also... not that I'm admitting to anything :rolleyes:... but I know for fact that no security agent will check underneath the seat cushion (if you have one) or sheepskin of your wheelchair. A few stupid security agents may ask you to get up, but if you refuse to do so and challenge them - they will back down, because they know that the law forbids them from making you get up, if you say that you can't physically do that.


That said, I have not had anyone take a hair toy from me... since I won't wear them hwereve I must pass a security checkpoint... because back in 2000 (yes - pre-9/11), in San Diego, airport security refused to let me pass with my hair pinned up in a French twist. They made me remove all of the hair pins, thereby having to undo the salon-done French twist, and then, after I finally successfully passed the metal detector, they refused to give me back my hair pins. They kept 'em, leaving me with a serious hair mess. So I would never wear my hair any way but down or in a non-metal scrunchy that I was willing to lose to some overzealous agent, when traveling by air, ever since that. I have also worn microbraids (post-9/11) thru TSA... but I burned the braid ends, rather than used beads.

[noelgirl]

I've gotten through airport security with knitting needles without a problem, but here's my weird story: Last year, I had to testify in a criminal trial, and the week before the trial I had to come to the courtroom to meet with the prosecutor. Well, since it was just another stop in my day I hadn't given it much thought, so I came right from dance class with my dance bag in tow. Well, of everything I had in there, they didn't have a problem with the bobby pins and other hair toys - they had a problem with my leotard and tights! Apparently their rationale was that if my stuff made it to the prison side of the facility, someone could put on any extra clothes and escape. Yeah, that's going to happen, with my teeny tiny little leotard and tights. In November, no less. Oh, but they could get my leg warmers, too. My mistake.

[Chestershire]

I wonder if they're in belgium so carefully too?
I remember my english teacher was put aside on an american airport because he was 'criminal looking'

[ktani]

That's quite true.

They can't forbid or confiscate any RX meds that are properly packaged and prescribed to YOU, in amounts appropriate for the period of time you are going to be away. And I mean anything... I have traveled with morphine, with no trouble at all.

But, if it's not pharmacy-packaged with the RX sticker/label - they will confiscate it, if they find it.

And that is a huge unnecessary risk to take!

[StephanieB]

And that is a huge unnecessary risk to take!
No, you don't understand, ktani... I am prescribed morphine for the severe pain I live with. It wasn't illegal morphine. lol
I have severe spine problems and incredible nerve pain.

[slz]

Flying low-cost (easy jet I think ?) from France to the UK last summer, I had to trash a brand new, not even opened 250ml vial of organic coconut oil my mom had just given to me - I was furious, I showed the girl it was brand new, never opened, still sealed and that she could at least use it (even explained her, it's good to oil your hair, yadayada :D ) instead of trashing it ! But she said they weren't allowed to. I just hated the waste of a perfectly fine and much needed product :rolleyes: . Stupidity, would you call solid coconut oil a liquid ? :rolleyes::rolleyes:
My sister who is a biology teacher always has her dissection kit in her purse - they wanted her to trash it once at the airport (well yes, there are sharp scissors and a scalpel in there, but enough to hijack a plane ? :rolleyes: ), she went to the airport bank to have them keep it in a deposit box until she returned - quite expensive stuff so it was worth it. But she was lucky it happened in her hometown.

[IcarusBride]

I was inpatient at a mental facility for a few weeks when I was younger and I saw some people do some serious damage to themselves and others with mundane things. I saw someone stab a nurse in the eye with a pencil (this was completely traumatizing to see, and the main reason I left the facility afraid that the other patients would do much worse to me than I was capable of doing to myself!) and I also saw a girl break a spoon in half and use the jagged edge to saw through a vein in her wrist and she had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance.

[ktani]

No, you don't understand, ktani... I am prescribed morphine for the severe pain I live with. It wasn't illegal morphine. lol
I have severe spine problems and incredible nerve pain.

I did understand you! I just meant that taken out of the prescription package and possibly losing it, was the risk, not that I thought you had or carried illegal drugs.

[RocketDog]

I flew in and out of the Vegas airport last week wearing a ficcare and didn't get a ding out of the metal detector. I did make sure to pack my hairpins and other stuff in my checked bags though, just in case ;)

[Krentje]

The Greyhound bus security took my crochet sticks away :(, i was planning on crocheting a hat for my boyfriend as a present for his birthday during the 18 hour busride, but nope.

[Phexlyn]

I wonder why they take the crochet sticks and sometimes not the knitting needles. I think those are far more pointy...

If I know I have to pass airport security, I only wear soft hairtoys, pins or scrunchies, or I just make a braid to avoid this. So far, it has worked pretty well and unless security starts to insist one day I could strangle someone with my braid... I'll stick to that method ;)

So no, no hairsticks lost so far. They once wanted to keep my blunt kid scissors, but I convinced them to let me off.

[PrincessBob]

My spouse had jury duty today and I saw him to the courthouse door, but I was wearing my metal hair comb and didn't want to worry about it. When I've had jury duty, he has always seen me to the jury waiting room, so I felt bad.

[Konstifik]

Woah! Your airport security is way more... Strict, than those I've experienced here!
Place all metallic things on that xray-thing-checker, walk past the metal detector and say what you've got if it bleeps. I've got through with unmarked pills, hairsticks and other hair accessories, knitting needles, shampoos and conditioners and all sorts of stuff that seems to get stuck in the US, with absolutely no problem. O_o

[candlesandfish]

I'm really worried about going through security now when I have hair that's too long to leave down, but I suppose I'll just have to stick to braids or one of my plastic hairtoys...my favourite hairpin is resin and blunt as blunt can be so presumably they'll let me keep that one.

Security has got somewhat stupid... another joy with the liquids is that I'm allergic to most hair & body stuff so everything I use pretty much is natural-ish and comes in bulk rather than small containers. Hooray for travelling, not!

[luxepiggy]

I travel at least once a month to NYC, Miami, Vegas, LA and Paris, and I've never had any issues with hairsticks, although mine are all wood or plastic. I often set off the metal detectors at the courthouse/city hall/passport center due to my high heels, but they always just look at me and apparently conclude that I'm harmless (^(oo)^)v

[MandyBeth]

Oh, I have a pharmacy on me at times. Try to get a pharm there to get a trip length supply, but if that doesn't happen? But labelled and statement of need for US travel is fine so far. Outside US just the label is enough.