Originally Posted by
Carl Spackler
Those signs are just notice to you that a search could happen. If that happens, you will almost always be asked for your consent to the search. You should ALWAYS say no to that request. If they have proper probable cause, they will search it anyway and probably wouldn't have asked you in the first place. If they don't have cause, they will definitely ask for your consent because without your consent, they know that anything found is inadmissible in court. If you give your consent, anything found is admissible in court.
Carl
I'm not sure if these signs are different from ones commonly seen on the gates at a military base (I'd have to actually read the particular sign), but in the case of the military bases, your entering the gate IS your consent to a search. Now you have the choice of not going onto the base if you don't want to give that consent. I guess the same could be said of the airport tarmac, apron, or ramp; but in the end, it might come down to the semantics of the sign.
USMCFLYR