How To Fly Without ID
lookingglassnews.org
lookingglassnews.org
I accidentally traveled without ID last year. My drivers license is the only picture ID I carry. I'd given it over to test drive a baby seat at a store, and forgot to get it back. Left for vacation the next day.
My stops were Portland, San Jose, and Austin. At all three airports I explained my situation, showed them my YMCA card (or library or credit card or something) and they marked my boarding pass for special security. The processes were not draconian, just a pat down, and actually faster than the regular security line. I skipped the line and went to some designated place on the side, zipped through the pat down, and then had to wait for my properly ID'd wife every time.
YMMV, but based on my experience, I highly recommend traveling without an ID!
I also got to go through the much-faster special screening, but I had to step into a chamber where they puffed you with air. Not for weed scent, for bombs, though I was mildly concerned at the time.
All in all a fun experience. Next time there's a big line at security, I'm going to tell them that I forgot my id. w00t
Nitrates exist in fertilizer - and thats what folks make bombs out of.
Weed is often fertilized with nitrates, and trace amounts of these elements are present in your sweat, in your pee, and so on. When you go through a bomb detector after a heavy weed weekend or so, you're going to be flagged for closer inspection.
This was explained to me by a security agent at an airport I was travelling through after a heavy week in Amsterdam.
How exactly can you know if someone is an American citizen if they don't show any government approved ID saying so?
Everyone gets a jury trial, free speech, etc.
Its like in Argentina, they have some toll roads but in their constitution they claim that roads may not be charged for. So people pass through the tolls claiming "I am declaring that I am refusing to pay the toll in accordance to our constitution." And vuala, no toll :)
We must use our legal rights to fight back from the government grabbing power.
The reason I ask is: http://www.lookingglassnews.org/ does not look like the pinnacle of journalistic integrity. The author of this story certainly sounds intelligent, but all of the conspiracy theory crap on this site makes me wonder.
John Perry Barlow (of EFF fame) litigated this issue in late 2006. He lost at every step. What came out of that is that the TSA does indeed have a written regulation requiring you show government ID, but that regulation is secret. Info on his litigation is at http://papersplease.org/gilmore/
Honestly, I think these folks have a better idea of what the intent of the Constitution was than many of the justices on the Supreme Court. Like anything, the Supreme Court is mostly about politics these days, rather than protecting anyone's rights. (Sometimes both interests are aligned, of course, but many times they are not; especially with respect to ID.)
Sorry to say that, but "good source of legal advice" is by definition one that works in court, not one with high moral ground.
Incidentally, I have some recent US coins that say, "Live free or die," but it doesn't seem socially acceptable to have that attitude anymore.
"Live in constant fear of the government and live" doesn't have the same ring...
Berkeley Professor David Wagner conducted basically the same research as this dude: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~daw/faa/
He came to similar findings regarding selectees: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~daw/faa/noid.html
Neither of those pages are dated, though, so it's still possible things have changed in the past three years. Even so, it's worth noting that both these sites are reporting post-9/11 information.
I'm curious and a bit adventurous, so perhaps I'll give it a shot. I bought the jetBlue pass, so I'll have plenty of opportunities. http://jetblue.com/deals/all-you-can-jet/?intcmp=HPHero1Eng_...
If you are flying domestic between MSP and SFO during the holidays I highly recommend not bringing your ID. TSA simply put some marks on my boarding passes and make me go through special screening. It was better than the usual customer experience during the holiday flight season because the "terrorist aisle" was much shorter than the normal path through security. I wouldn't recommend it in PHX or TUS. The TSA agents there seemed to be people who really wanted to be Minutemen Militia border guards but weren't smart enough to get in.
I flew with 0 ID a couple years ago and it was like having a zip pass to get through the line. Times have changed.
(My guess is never.)
Incidentally, my credit report thinks my name is "Johnathan Rockway", which is a name I've never used on any credit card, nor one that appears on any ID I have ever possessed. Accurate!
Either way, I enjoyed your idea and your tone. "Accurate!" he says...
And PS: I hope that they wouldn't let in the ignorant author of the article in without a valid passport.
Assuming this article is valid - how would an airline even know that the name on the ticket doesn't match if I refuse to produce ID? (it was a domestic flight so no passport)
Very disappointing and arguably unconstitutional.
EMPTY THE LUGGAGE OR ITEM AND PHYSICALLY SEARCH ITS CONTENTS BY A QUALIFIED SCREENER
Yeah, you got on the plane without showing ID. But if they really wanted to, they could determine who you are in other ways (DNA from hair on clothing, etc)
I'd certainly be interested in discovering whether airlines are required to confirm that passengers have these.
Many airlines now also require 'official' ID for flights even within a country, but AIUI that's purely airline policy rather than a legal requirement.
He asked me to show an ID, I asked "why?", and he just responded "Because I say so". I was a bit too flabbergasted and not prepared for that answer and just showed him. He then proceeded to someone else who was even requested to come to the counter and let his bags get checked.
I'm curious whether I was actually required to do so.
I see no reason why it is any of the cops business to know who I am when I'm just walking down the street.
Same situation applies at the border, there is a seperate section for Schengen countries in the Amsterdam airport and you normally get in and out without showing an ID. I see no reason why it suddenly is any business to the customs officer to see who I am.
However, in every airport where I've seen that, I've certainly been able to get as far as the gate without ID (particularly if I've a pre-printed boarding pass), but I've always needed either a passport or EU member state ID card to actually get on the plane.
If you can get on without your ID, however, there are generally no checks at all at the far end.
In France, while the law now states that one can prove their identity by any means, it is up to the officer asking you whether they accept your proof. So, if the officer doesn't accept 100 non-government documents and you don't have your ID with you, you're in trouble. Not carrying ID at all times can lead to arrest.
In Germany, every person must posses a national ID card, but there is some leeway about presenting it to a requesting official (it doesn't have to happen on the spot). Nevertheless, most carry one all the time.
In Greece, ID cards are compulsory and you can be detained for not presenting one upon request.
In Italy, you're only required to carry your ID card when outside your local authority, but unless you know all the police in your local authority, you're simply required to carry it always. Failure to present ID can result in detention until you can be identified.
Portugal requires you to present your ID card upon request, but doesn't mandate that you carry it at all times.
China requires every citizen to carry an ID card which will soon have biometric data about the person including reproductive history.
In Spain, you are required to present ID, but failure to do so won't end in arrest unless there's another reason to arrest you and you can request that the officer come to where you store the ID.
At least in Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France, Germany and also in Switzerland (not EU)
They'll put you in another line and often times it'll actually be faster than the main security line.
I've done this multiple times, the first time after I actually did lose my wallet in Vegas and had to fly back home. Apparently it happens all the time.