Weapons Check- Canes?
Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 11:27 pm
This is the only issue I had with the convention this year, likely a result of increased security but something that needs to be addressed all the same. It seemed to me that the Hynes security staff and the Weapons Check booth had different ideas of what constitutes a "weapon" particularly with canes. (Your typical walking cane, nothing fancy.)
On the first day I was stopped right away at the escalator and asked to go check my cane in. So I went to the booth and was told my cane isn't a weapon and doesn't need a tag. Makes sense, I've been going to AB for 5 years with the same or similar canes and have not once been asked to check my cane.
Later that night I get stopped at the same escalator and was asked to check my cane again. I figured it might be a new policy this year and maybe the first weapons check person didn't realize that. However once more I was told I didn't need one.
Then it wasn't until midnight on Saturday, just an hour or two before the Hynes closed for the night when I was stopped again at the SAME escalator! I was asked to check my cane and by now I was getting a little frustrated and told the security person "I've already been asked to check it twice, and both times I was told by the weapons check booth I didn't need one." The guard was clearly upset that I didn't do as I was told immediately and gave me a scowl and a "Just do it." So back I went again. This time the weapons check guy just shook his head and said "I really don't think you need a tag on your cane, but since you were sent over here I'll just give you one." So my cane was finally tagged at midnight on Saturday. (And as I went back into the convention hall for the last couple hours, I noticed that all the other canes I saw being carried were untagged.)
Clearly there was a communication issue as to whether or not a cane is something that requires a weapons check tag, so I just want to put this out there so hopefully next year perhaps canes can be specifically addressed to the security personnel as whether or not they are "weapons" for the purpose of the weapons check. If they are, I'm happy to comply, it was just frustrating being told two different things by different security personnel.
On the first day I was stopped right away at the escalator and asked to go check my cane in. So I went to the booth and was told my cane isn't a weapon and doesn't need a tag. Makes sense, I've been going to AB for 5 years with the same or similar canes and have not once been asked to check my cane.
Later that night I get stopped at the same escalator and was asked to check my cane again. I figured it might be a new policy this year and maybe the first weapons check person didn't realize that. However once more I was told I didn't need one.
Then it wasn't until midnight on Saturday, just an hour or two before the Hynes closed for the night when I was stopped again at the SAME escalator! I was asked to check my cane and by now I was getting a little frustrated and told the security person "I've already been asked to check it twice, and both times I was told by the weapons check booth I didn't need one." The guard was clearly upset that I didn't do as I was told immediately and gave me a scowl and a "Just do it." So back I went again. This time the weapons check guy just shook his head and said "I really don't think you need a tag on your cane, but since you were sent over here I'll just give you one." So my cane was finally tagged at midnight on Saturday. (And as I went back into the convention hall for the last couple hours, I noticed that all the other canes I saw being carried were untagged.)
Clearly there was a communication issue as to whether or not a cane is something that requires a weapons check tag, so I just want to put this out there so hopefully next year perhaps canes can be specifically addressed to the security personnel as whether or not they are "weapons" for the purpose of the weapons check. If they are, I'm happy to comply, it was just frustrating being told two different things by different security personnel.