# Laser pointers and air travel



## elgarak (Mar 3, 2005)

I will be traveling by air in the near future, and I want to take my laser pointers with me (a red and a greenie, both <5mW). What's the current advice: Checked or carry-on? TSA regulations didn't help me.


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## bg2vo (Mar 3, 2005)

Put it in u luggage like i did last month. May regarded as a weapon on board.


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## bootleg2go (Mar 3, 2005)

I would leave them at home cause you for sure can't carry them on and the security people going through your luggage are always on the lookout for anything they can pocket. You won't be able to hide it as it's made of metal and is going to show up on there scan and when they see how neat it works it will go right into their pocket.

Jack


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## elgarak (Mar 3, 2005)

Leave them at home? No way! I have to give a presentation at a scientific conference, and that's the best way to show off your greenie!


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## bootleg2go (Mar 3, 2005)

You can't show it off if it gets ripped off. Why not ship it down to yourself insured? That way your covered. It's just that the theft rate of baggage items is skyrocketing and the chances are good that if you put it in your luggage, it will be a baggage handler showing off his new greenie to all his friends.

Jack


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## liteglow (Mar 3, 2005)

take it apart /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## Bengal (Mar 3, 2005)

Take the batt cap off and take a pen.
Make em fit together 
"Its just a pen!"
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif


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## Raccoon (Mar 3, 2005)

Goto your local pawnshop and buy a cheap firearm. You should be able to find something for less than $100, or even $20 if it's complete crap. It doesn't have to fire.

You are allowed by 2nd ammendment to travel with your firearm in your luggage. There is a special procedure for passangers who travel with firearms, and that includes that the TSA and other baggage handling agents ARE NOT ALLOWED to open your luggage under any circomstances UNLESS YOU ARE PRESENT. They will call you from the plane if necessary.

As a bonus, you MUST secure your luggage with a lock when traveling with a firearm. All other passangers are forbidden to lock their luggage. Aren't you special? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

That's right. For the price of a handgun, you can fly in style with the security of knowing that nothing will ever be stolen from your luggage.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/xyxgun.gif w00t.


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## senecaripple (Mar 3, 2005)

depends on where you are travelling. try carrying/travelling with a pistol in, to, or out of ny, nj or ma. let me know what happens. but dont waste your only phone call on me. 2nd amendment does not apply in these ne, mid atlantic states. of course, unless, you're an air marshall.


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## bootleg2go (Mar 3, 2005)

Very cool information, where/how did you find this out? Do you think you could just put a bb-gun pistol in your checked baggage? afterall it's a firearm too. The only thing is a dishonest baggage handler doesn't really care if he/she is not supposed to open something or not and they all have keys that will open all the common locks on luggage...unless you get a regular mini-padlock to lock you bag. This is cool info to have, Thanks

Jack


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## drpepper1024 (Mar 3, 2005)

If nothing else, just take out the batteries and check it. If they cant see what it does, then they'll be less likely to become interested in pocketing it.


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## NikolaTesla (Mar 3, 2005)

Put in a metal cigar tube with your personal items. Enjoy the cigar first. Take out the battery and put dot sticker over hole ant black tape over laser warning sticker.
This is for you paranoids.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif 

I for one just keep it in my brief case along with several flashlights. Just keep that pre addressed UPS or USPS priority mail container with and they can't say a DAMN thing even if its a knife and you mail it back to yourself. TSA clowns are all not playing with full deck anyway. Calling Dr Fine! Calling Dr Howard! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif


NikolaTesla


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## drpepper1024 (Mar 3, 2005)

How does a mail container keep TSA from being able to see it with an x-ray?


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## comozo (Mar 3, 2005)

I'd keep it in my shirt pocket you'll be able to keep an eye on it while they examine them. I have not heard of a laser declared as a possible dangerous weapon.


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## Raccoon (Mar 3, 2005)

I believe he means, that, in the event security wishes to confiscate something, you have a pre-paid parcel envelope to drop the laser in and ask for it to be handed to the nearest mail courier. Hense, avoiding confiscation.

I've never heard of this method, so I don't know if it's possible.

To senecaripple: Guns are not illegal in NY, NJ or MA. The Bradey Bill was abolished eons ago. Carrying a firearm in a locked piece of luggage is FAR from being a crime.


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## gregw (Mar 4, 2005)

Well, the method of sending it back to yourself in a padded envelope actually worked for me once, a very long time ago. 

I used to travel with a Cold Steel folder with a 3.5" tanto blade way back in the early 90's. I had absolutely no problems from anyone while having it in my fanny pack while going through security checks at airports all over the world, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York (Kennedy), Los Angeles, etc.

However, the one time this happened, I was leaving Canada from Toronto International, and Security there wouldn't let it through. They wanted me to put it in my check-in luggage, but by this time, all my bags had already been checked in, and I was almost at the boarding gate. Luckily, the security officer was nice enough to offer me a padded envelope to put my knife in, and told me that she (yes, it was a lady), would send it for me. I was leaving for Singapore on that flight, but had the knife sent to my friend's place in Chicago instead. I was actually resigned to losing my favourite knife, but it actually showed up at friend's place a few weeks later. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Obviously, this happened a long time ago, and the lady security officer was generous enough to do this for me as a favour. I don't know if the current crop of TSA hired security "goons" would do this for you though.

Ahh... I really miss the relatively "care free" way that air travel used to be before 9/11..


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## senecaripple (Mar 4, 2005)

[ QUOTE ]
*Raccoon said:*
I believe he means, that, in the event security wishes to confiscate something, you have a pre-paid parcel envelope to drop the laser in and ask for it to be handed to the nearest mail courier. Hense, avoiding confiscation.

I've never heard of this method, so I don't know if it's possible.

To senecaripple: Guns are not illegal in NY, NJ or MA. The Bradey Bill was abolished eons ago. Carrying a firearm in a locked piece of luggage is FAR from being a crime. 

[/ QUOTE ]


unless you have a nys carry permit, yuo wont be able to carry in ny or nj or ct or ma. you need a pistol permit in these states to carry.


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## cbfull (Mar 7, 2005)

[ QUOTE ]
*elgarak said:*
I will be traveling by air in the near future, and I want to take my laser pointers with me (a red and a greenie, both <5mW). What's the current advice: Checked or carry-on? TSA regulations didn't help me. 

[/ QUOTE ]

If it's a leadlight, can you adjust the pot to dim the beam? Seems like that might work.

Taking the batteries out or doing anything to it in an attempt to fool airport security could get you in a lot of trouble. They usually need to see any device operate before they let it through.

If you can't access the pot, put old batteries in it. That should do the trick.


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## ibdursty (Mar 11, 2005)

I had my 80mw pheonix in my carry on baggage from BWI to Vegas. They xrayed the bag and looked at it twice, but they let it through no problem. Same on the way back from vegas.


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## MrMom (Mar 11, 2005)

I attended the SHOT show this year and walked on and off several planes with a 5mw greenie in my front shirt pocket.


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## elgarak (Mar 18, 2005)

OK, Thanks for all the advice. I am just right now on my return trip and want to give an update. I had both pointers in my carry-on. I also had the L2, my digicam and some spare batteries in Pelican boxes in there. Leaving in Tampa, they inspected my bag. Since I seemed eager to show off the contents of all those nifty boxes, the inspector sent me throught after I grabbed the second one. The pointers were of no interest; the guy seemed more interested in the digicam box (it's fairly large). This morning in San Diego I had no problems whatsoever.

BTW, the percentage of greenies used at the conference has increased hugely since last year. You have sessions of up eight speakers, and last year maybe every second sessions had one guy with a greenie. In my session this year four out of seven had greenies. That seemed to be the percentage throughout the conference.


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## cbfull (Mar 19, 2005)

I had a security guy ask me to open my bag, and it was the green laser he wanted to see. He didn't know it was a laser, he just saw a cylindrical metal object. I told him it was for presentations, and he asked me how to operate it. He shined the green dot on his shirt for like, 4 seconds while looking at it, at I was starting to panic. After all, this laser was rebult and outputting 70+mW. He looked up at me again and said, "Cool!" I was SOOO relieved. I thought I was going to lose it.


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## Raccoon (Mar 19, 2005)

That must have been BEFORE the media hype and hysteria. I doubt a 70mW would survive customs today. Lucky you!


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