Posted on 12/08/2004 2:40:01 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Passengers already are barred from smoking on commercial flights. Now they won't be allowed to bring their butane lighters on board either.
As part of the intelligence reform bill passed Wednesday, Congress added the lighters to the long list of banned items, including scissors, pen knives and box cutters.
Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota had pushed for the change for more than a year after learning the Transportation Security Administration allowed them on planes.
"When I found out that they had explicitly, in their rule, said you could take two butane lighters and four books of matches on board, I thought, 'What have they been drinking?'" Dorgan said. Matches still are allowed.
Dorgan cited FBI reports that would-be "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid would have been able to ignite his explosive and blow up a trans-Atlantic jetliner three years ago if he'd brought a butane lighter with him.
Wyden and Dorgan were so persistent in their campaign against the incendiary devices that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., joked earlier this year that he never thought butane lighters would get so much attention.
"This is probably not the biggest thing in the world," Dorgan said. "But it's one of those areas where a big government agency couldn't develop a little bit of common sense about something so obvious."
The ban takes effect 60 days after President Bush signs the intelligence reform bill into law.
All are potential weapons.
OH, PLEASE! Back off the hyperbole and hysteria.
I NEVER check in any luggage. Everything I need for a three day business flight can fit in a carry-on bag.
If the plane goes down and you manage to survive, you may just want to be able to start a fire. I have always for my entire adult life carried a knife and a means to make fire. For me it's just common sense and I resent the fact that someone would stop me from protecting myself or helping others in need. That is the reason why I haven't flown since 9/11 not because I'm afraid. I will only fly when there is no other way for me to get to where I need to be.
Let's see no little knives, no "fire-starting devices"…
My wife carries a lighter that she uses to heat up her eyebrow pencil. I like to have a lighter on hand, just in case.
I'm also concerned about the danger that lighters and matches pose to our society. Maybe congress should regulate the sale of bic lighters and matches. Perhaps a background check with a waiting period would help keep these dangerous implements of ignition out of the hands of the "pyromaniacs" and "psycho nutjobs". We should form a group to lobby congress and march on Washington.
You're a racist.
We're talking lighters here, not smoking politics.
I'm with you on this one. I also think that the government should require the airlines to issue all passengers padded pink coveralls with bunny ears to protect them from bruising themselves on any sharp corners. We should form another group to lobby congress and march on Washington.
I lkinda like to carry some duct tape, cable ties, and (if I have room) some plastic sheeting in my carry-on.
Well, don't you think smoking in apartments poses a danger to the smoker and other tenants, as well as driving up insurance costs for everyone. Oh... the insurance thing applies to private homes, and puts "the cheerdren" at risk. No more smoking at home. See? Stroke of the pen, law of the land. Pretty cool.
So I need to buy a lighter at every airport I stop? Hey let's just ban smoking altogether shall we? Who cares if it's legal, we need to stop terrorism. And Lord knows only terrorists smoke evil cigarettes. I think we also need to check diets of all passengers 12 hours before the flight as well. Someone may pass wind and could use that action to take over a plane. Sounds stupid but no more stupid than every other 'safety' measure passed by the national government in its ever increasing race to turn us into servile subjects
"...after passengers are required to strip nude and fly with a straightjacket and blindfold"
You forgot the colostomy bag and condom to prevent fart bombs and corrosive ammonia discharges
Good catch. Yes, I absolutely have cable ties in my little pouch, but forgot to list them earlier. I prefer a half-dozen of the translucent type in 8.00" length. They're fantastic for all kinds of repairs, especially automotive. I keep them bound with a safety pin.
I must admit, I don't keep any duct tape or plastic wrap handy. Looks like I'm doomed if those items are needed...
~ Blue Jays ~
Uh oh.... Now there is a sweeping statement. I am one of those smokers that DOES understand and I follow the 'NO Smoking' rules where ever I am. It just seems that sometimes there is nowhere for us to go.
Personally, I don't fly unless absolutely necessary.
That's right. Even more important that the federal government ban 5 gal buckets from private homes and airplanes. I saw one such bucket that had a picture of a poor little child falling into it head first. If some Psycho nutjob took one of those buckets on a plane he could fill it with water and start drowning everyone's kids. Imagine the horror. Of course it's more likely that he would run up and down the aisle with a zippo lighting everyone's hair on fire first.
I gave my wife a nicotine patch for a long flight last year. She put it in her back pocket so she had it to put on if the urge came up. The patch came in a foil packet, which set off the metal detectors. Next thing I knew they had her standing in a clear plastic cell along with a young memonite girl. LOL! I just cracked up, and my wife was not amused. She kept telling security she didn't have anything metal on her, and then they discovered the patch. If looks could kill, she was just staring at me and was REALLY livid. Luckily for me they didn't confiscate her patch.
Oh, knock it off with the sacntimoniousness.
and a smoker....:-)
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