My wife Kay and I have done a lot of travelling and never lock our cases. Here's a good reason not to bother, if like most of the world, you use the popular soft zippable cases as we do.......
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... KC9Ar9SNIQ
Openng a locked suitcase
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bobjeffreson
- 1/4 scale GOD
- Posts: 687
- Joined: September 7th, 2006, 9:03 pm
- Location: Sydney Australia
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bobjeffreson
- 1/4 scale GOD
- Posts: 687
- Joined: September 7th, 2006, 9:03 pm
- Location: Sydney Australia
Re: Openng a locked suitcase
That last post of mine reminded me of an incident on my trip to the USA in 2010.
I had decided to leave my travelling mates and fly down to Mississippi and pay a visit to William Sharp...aka cadguy... and personally thank him for finding my Pacesetter sprintcar.
My mates dropped me at Des Moines Airport and I checked in. I was then instructed to take my checked bag to an X Ray machine across the Terminal. Handed my bag to the female Customs Officer and walked away. Then I thought I'll just hang off a way and watch proceedings, as I had plenty of time to kill. As my bag exited the machine I went to walk on when I noticed the woman head towards my bag. She carried it to a bench and opened it..as I said, never locked...
The woman began to methodically examine my bag and I'm thinking "Hang on...what's going on here". Suddenly she pulls out 2 books I had purchased in Knoxville and carefully packed in the centre. She begins to flick very slowly through them and continues perusing the books for the longest time, as if she is searching for something.
I'm now wondering and thinking...."Wait a minute.... this is taking way too long"...... then finally she places them back into my bag, along with a slip of paper, zips it up and puts it onto the trolley and off they go.
When I get home to Sydney and open my bag the paper says "Opened and inspected by US Customs"
OH, BTW....the 2 books were "The Mighty Midgets" by Jack C Fox and "USAC Sprint History 1956-1980" by Hungeress Maloney and Cadou.
The Officer was obviously a speedway aficianado and speed reader and needed to check some history...
There should have been a extra note on the slip of paper...
" and read cover to cover, Thanks US Customs Des Moines Iowa"
Always only too happy to assist US Customs....OH YEAH!
I had decided to leave my travelling mates and fly down to Mississippi and pay a visit to William Sharp...aka cadguy... and personally thank him for finding my Pacesetter sprintcar.
My mates dropped me at Des Moines Airport and I checked in. I was then instructed to take my checked bag to an X Ray machine across the Terminal. Handed my bag to the female Customs Officer and walked away. Then I thought I'll just hang off a way and watch proceedings, as I had plenty of time to kill. As my bag exited the machine I went to walk on when I noticed the woman head towards my bag. She carried it to a bench and opened it..as I said, never locked...
The woman began to methodically examine my bag and I'm thinking "Hang on...what's going on here". Suddenly she pulls out 2 books I had purchased in Knoxville and carefully packed in the centre. She begins to flick very slowly through them and continues perusing the books for the longest time, as if she is searching for something.
I'm now wondering and thinking...."Wait a minute.... this is taking way too long"...... then finally she places them back into my bag, along with a slip of paper, zips it up and puts it onto the trolley and off they go.
When I get home to Sydney and open my bag the paper says "Opened and inspected by US Customs"
OH, BTW....the 2 books were "The Mighty Midgets" by Jack C Fox and "USAC Sprint History 1956-1980" by Hungeress Maloney and Cadou.
The Officer was obviously a speedway aficianado and speed reader and needed to check some history...
There should have been a extra note on the slip of paper...
" and read cover to cover, Thanks US Customs Des Moines Iowa"
Always only too happy to assist US Customs....OH YEAH!