Guillaume,
I have re-set your original post (below) so that the
group readers can judge for then selves.
First of all, judging from your return address you are
from Italy.
Second, and very important to those members of the
group who are planning on traveling in Europe. Now, I
don't know about Italy, but in Northern Europe,
(Germany, Switzerland, Austria, UK, Denmark, Sweden,
Norway, etc) the airport security people are not
"Thugs" or "Rent-A-Cops. Unlike in the US, they are
highly trained, intelligent, security people. Maybe
you are confusing them with the security people you
have in Italy. As a professional photog I have never
had a problem with airport security anywhere in
Europe....I am sorry I can't say the same for the US.
Judging from you post, I would assume that your
problems with the European airport security people
were more a function of your attitude than anything
else. In Northern Europe, a person is always treated
in the same way that he (or she) treats others.
Now, for those of you in this group that are traveling
to Europe in the near future. You will find the
security people very pleasent and helpful. However,
if you decide you want to act like an ass or an "Ugly
American", they can make your life miserable. Just
act like a normal person and you will not have a
problem.
Even the security people that walk through Heathrow
and some of the other airports carring fully loaded
automatic weapons and wearing military body armor are
always pleasent and helpful.
Your camera and film will go through the x-ray
machines at most European airports, but the carry-on
x-ray machines will not harm your film no matter how
many times they go through.
The only idiot, thug, rent-a-cops you will find will
be at O'Hare in Chicago.
Kind regards,
Bill Erfurth
- - - - - - - - - -
From: "Guillaume Dargaud"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
I just got back from vacation through Italy, France,
Denmark and Sweden and because of Kosovo I can tell
you
that films
are put through a hard time at airports.
In Paris I had to go through X-rays 3 times in half
and
hour !
Since I went through 7 airports imagine the cumulative
disaster...
At first the security thugs refused my plea to check
my
films (mostly Velvia but also 1600asa for pics of
Auroras)
by
hand and simply tossed them in the X-ray machine.
After the 3rd time I got so pissed I called the police
!
The cop gave me right and let me carry the films
instead...
I wonder how traveling pro photographers fare, but let
me
tell you that it's not a good time for the traveling
photographer in Europe right now...
Don't let the security rent-a-cops step on you, fight
back
!!!
Ho, and BTW, don't forget your spare ice-axe blade at
the
bottom of your carry-on luggage. It seems to bring bad
luck...
- -----------------
Guillaume Dargaud
CNR/IFA
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