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Scan Or Pat, Pat Or Scan?

Scan or pat down, the 2 options facing travellers going through airports in the USA. It seems like most are opting for the sensual touch of a TSA officer rather than the scanner. Now, I'm sure it may be out of disappointment that said officer doesn't take them out for dinner and a movie first, but our pals over in the States are not so pleased about this. I wonder how pleased they would be if the plane they were on was about to make a large mess and take up the front-page, because the lady in the 3rd row refused a violating body scan or a pat-down.

Maybe it's just different strokes for different folks, but the UK introduced these full body-scanning machines, months ago and there was not nearly as much controversy over them back then, was there?

Maybe it's a simple case of British "keep calm and carry on" as opposed to the American freedom to keep one's private parts private?

Unless you really are going to be going through the scanners a few times a day, you won't pop like microwave pop-corn from the radiation and lets be honest, it's highly unlikely that unless you're Brad Pitt or Charlize Theron, the TSA agent is not going to be getting a major kick out of the pat-down as you may think. Go with the flow, get it over with and enjoy your flight and trip.

Either way you choose to look at it. So long as my plane is safe from becoming a giant firework, I'm quite happy for the scan or pat-downs to continue.

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Clayton Truscott

Clayton Truscott

Clayton is a comfortable traveller, having grown up in a small city that was far away from everything. He spent lots of time in the car as a child, driving up and down the coast of South Africa on surfing trips with his family. After studying abroad in the United States and spending a year working in London, he moved to Cape Town, where he completed a Master's Degree in Creative Writing. He now works as a freelance writer for various travel, surfing and action sports publications.