to seriously resent security charades

[Morphene]

My DD has some SEN like issues so the unexpected appearance of a security charade at the Sage Gateshead was basically game over regarding her attending her lesson there this morning.

I seriously resent this bullshit. Actual security where needed is one thing. Standing around wearing yellow jackets glancing in people's bags is not actually providing any security whatsoever. On top of this it was creating a bottleneck and a nice juicy looking queue outside the building - so actively increasing the security risk from basically zero, to very slightly more than basically zero.

So on the basis that their security charade both made the members of the public marginally less safe, and also prevented my girl from accessing education, AIBU to award the Sage the Morphene for doing the terrorists job for them?

The value of the check isn't just how carefully they look inside a bag. It's also about looking at the behaviour of the public in the vicinity of a check

security charades? Ha. Tell that to those of us who have had their sweeties confiscated at the O2, those people see a lot more than you think......

seriously, of course security checks are not the answer to disturbed deluded and mad people who want to blow things up or stab people, but they are a start, and if they deter the copy cats , or the kids who think it is big to carry knives , or make people more confident about carrying on with their lives then long may they continue and I am happy to stand in line and wait for a few minutes.

Though I still don't see that a packet of marks and Spencer's Belgian chocolate covered toffee popcorn is a threat to national security. Two packets actually.

Ahh the irony of people saying I must teach my DD to over come or rationalize her fears of security guards and armed police.

You know you are fantastically more likely to die in a car accident than due to terrorism?

You need to rationalize YOUR fears.

We don't need armed police or the army on the streets!

If you want to save lives you should get the army on the roads stoping people who are texting while driving!

Maybe the O2 are perpetrating actual security then! The Sage definitely isn't. Presumably because it isn't a likely target and acts of terrorism are so very very rare.

I can't fault their logic, I just wish they'd have the conviction of it and let us just get on with it.

It had taken so very very long to get DD used to those lessons, I can't believe we are going to have to start over somewhere else.

How odd. I had my bag searched as we went into Alton towers last week. They didn't pat me down so in theory I could have had a knife up my sleeve.
It didn't cross my mind to think 'how silly, they are causing queues and aren't even doing a thorough job'.

YANBU. It's 90% theatre.

I carry large bags. Only 1 in 100 times will a security person do more than quickly glance at the items on top. I could fit all sorts in there, stick a book and an umbrella on top and almost every time get through security with no issues at all. What's the point, other than creating a massive bottleneck that's a better target than anything else.

Airport security is ridiculous. All the handwringing over little bottles of liquids and so on. It's just nonsense. Even the most highly qualified security experts absolutely rail against a great, great deal of it. But people just lap it up anyway, because some politicians said it will make things safer.

It scares me how many totally illogical things people will just accept unquestioningly if you tell them they'll be safer.

Ah got you! Sorry for being thick. I'll award myself one of your stars

kmc yes that! A million times yes.

That is why TM is so scary. She wants to reduce everyone's rights and she has correctly calculated that telling people it will make them safer (regardless of whether it actually will or not) is all it takes to get people on side.

donkey

It's 90% theatre.

Indeed, and yes, airport security is a joke. They once held me up for ages because of a pork pie but didn't stop my mother in law who had a large bottle of water in her hand luggage.

There's a youtube video of a security officer at a football match "pretending" to pat people down - it's hilarious and shows what a joke it all is as he barely touches each person so won't have any idea at all whether they're concealing anything.

Either do it properly or not at all.

Blimey. How can anyone seriously have a problem with security checks?
People on here are baffling lately.

'scares me how many totally illogical things people will just accept unquestioningly if you tell them they'll be safer.'

It 'scares you'? What do you suggest, do nothing? There aren't any safety measures gets rid of risk totally, but you have to be seen to be something.

Op your 'statistically more likely to be in a car crash' is of no consolation to those feeling anxious attending places with lots of people. We all know that's where the nutters target. Just get there earlier next time, or here's a thought, ring the Sage explain your daughter's situation they may just help you. They have always been hugely accommodating when we have visited with a family with specific needs.

Oh. I see what you're doing now. Just get a movie to watch.

Okay ...I actually now do think we should deploy the army to help tackle texting while driving. Imagine! We could save a hundred times over the number of people who have died in terror attacks since 2005.

Also lets ban alcohol. It will certainly and in a very measurable way make you safer. That is actually safer, not fake safer btw.

I'm with you Morphene. Security charades are there to make it lok like something is being made safer, when it isn't. Even airport security isn't really as safe as most people think it is. The public wants someone to do something, so something is done just for the sake of it.

On Thursday I was in London Charing Cross Station twice and not a policeman in sight. I felt nervous and annoyed.

They may not have been in sight, but they were there. A friend told me about an incident at a major London terminus which went from 'no police in sight' to 'surrounded by armed officers' in seconds. The incident was actually someone being arsy about showing his ticket at the barrier, but the kerfuffle was enough to bring the police to the scene.

It is a charade yes, but a carefully designed one both to check the behaviour of people and also I suspect to do some profilling, it is easier/more acceptable to do so within the rules of checking everyone.

Yes they know that 99.999% of people are not and never will be terrorist so checking them is a charade to enable them to have the power to stop and check the 0.0001% that is.

I had airport security once in America just post 911, we had been flagged because we were not on a returning flight (going from a to b to c). In my glasses case I had a glasses screwdriver that was sharp and capable of doing some damage (I know I accidentally did it to myself) but they never checked. Why, not because they were incompetent but because they needed to be able to check everyone who did not have a returning flight.

myrtle honestly I would suggest we do nothing.

Almost everything we have 'done' so far including all the government initiatives involving referring people at risk of radicalization, have made things worse.

If you are trying to save lives then there is plenty you can 'do' that is fantastically more effective than pretending to look in people's bags, while creating a huge queue outside a building. Which, as was previously mentioned, is making people actually less safe.

Okay ...I actually now do think we should deploy the army to help tackle texting while driving. Imagine! We could save a hundred times over the number of people who have died in terror attacks since 2005. Also lets ban alcohol. It will certainly and in a very measurable way make you safer. That is actually safer, not fake safer btw.

You're just on a rant for the the fun if it, aren't you? How can anyone seriously have a problem with people checking their bags? I'd rather they did check them to be honest. So are you saying that bags shouldn't be checked full stop as there's no need, or that they should be checking them more rigorously as the checks they do do are more of a pantomime? As your statements there are completely contradicting themselves if so!

Why don't you ring them then op, explaining your dds issues I bet they would arrange to have you fast tracked through. They are extremely helpful.

'If you are trying to save lives then there is plenty you can 'do' that is fantastically more effective '
Like what?

I don't see the point of bag searches either, like you say they just create a group of people in a different area outside the gates.

We went to Alton Towers last week and you weren't stopped unless you had a bag so could've easily walked in with a knife in your pocket or suicide vest, in my bag I had a dslr camera and separate fairly large lens which could've contained explosives, it's no deterrent at all to someone who knows how to conceal weapons, they wouldn't queue up to have their bags checked anyway.

I suppose they have to look as if they are doing something but I'd rather they spent the money, (which I suspect is hundreds of thousands of pounds countywide) on better every day security.

Like it or not I'm fairly sure they profile who gets the more thorough bag checks, not that many mums with kids are carrying out terrorist attacks at the moment. Just because they didn't check your bag that closely doesn't mean they were the same with everyone

cheesqueen my DD has a problem with security checks because she has an irrational but deeply affecting fear of police/security personnel.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to point out this fear is irrational because hardly anyone gets killed or injured by police/security personnel.

Of course SOME people have been killed by the police. Not very many - but I'm certain it is more than the number of people who have been killed by terrorists.

So I also think it is perfectly reasonable to point out that anyone who is feeling nervous or anxious walking about in stations or other crowed areas, is ALSO being irrational - and is certainly not justified in insisting the place be full of visible police or the army for that matter.

Both my DD and those currently fearful of terrorists should actually be far FAR more scared of getting in a car, or of contracting heart disease, or of going anywhere there is lots of alcohol being drunk.

I am annoyed because everyone else's irrational fear is causing security pantomimes in places that my DD was previously just about finally happy to actually go.

I lived in N. Ireland during the troubles and the security checks didn't stop any bombs getting through, in fact, I'm sure they put ideas into the heads of the odd person.