Originally Posted by
Bucking Bar
Your instincts were correct.
You might know the rules, but the TSA might not and the Airport Cops are usually the folks the local Police don't trust out on the street in uniform.
Then you find yourself in a situation where you have all the knowledge, but they have all the authority, a gun and an unlimited budget to prosecute you with. You may be right; you will lose. Hope you are in front of a camera because without physical evidence, they'll just make up the rest.
Pushing those guys at all, is really, really, dumb.
I agree in general, no point in confrontation for the sake of confrontation... unless you don't mind a breathalyzer, a 100 panel drug test, and a blood draw. Then, they might believe that you are not intoxicated in any way, that you were just "clumsy" that day.
But does kow-towing to the TSA in every way make life better? The squeaky wheel gets the grease, like known-crewmember access and the like.
If there was any efficiency in the process at all, we'd have all had biometric ID's mailed to us within 6 months of 9-11 that can open any door in our system, and get is through airport security unscathed. AND, we'd have gotten trusted traveler as well.