Airport security checkpoints have been the end of the line since soon after the 9/11 attacks for most friends and relatives who want to see off departing passengers. That is changing at some U.S. airports.
The Transportation Security Administration is allowing eligible TSA PreCheck members without tickets to pass through security and enter gate areas, reviving a tradition that largely disappeared after the attacks 25 years ago this week.
The program, called Gateside by TSA PreCheck" is free, but interested members must apply online one to three days before their planned visits and receive approval before going to the airport. If approved, they can enter security using a TSA PreCheck lane with an acceptable form of identification. The passes are valid for one calendar day, but reentries are allowed on that day.
I flew a couple times prior to 9/2001. I did not enjoy the random solicitors bothering me as I waited for a flight. I enjoy knowing everyone in the terminal is there for flying business and not pan handling or evangelism or some other ulterior motive that cuts into my interverted leave me alone so I can focus on my trip vibe.
You can just tell those people to fuck off, same as in any other public space.
I’m pathologically polite and non-confrontational and the anxiety of interacting is less intense than the anxiety of feeling like an asshole. I’m not great at enforcing my boundaries, so I appreciate it when societal policy sets them for me.
I used to be the same, but spending enough time in large cities helped me build the defenses I needed in order to tell those in need of off-fucking to do just that.
Sad how socially-enriched urban environments seem to best bring out my antisociality.
This assholes started it. You get to end it.