For several years now, I've been getting stopped regularly by airport security after having my backpack x-rayed. Now, I usually stuff my backpack with books, cards, clothes, etc. and I've assumed that was the reason. However, this year I packed light and only brought one deck of cards along with my usual stuff and I still got stopped. And get this, the only pocket they checked was the side pocket where only my deck was. So what is it about Magic cards that looks suspicious under an x-ray? Has anyone else had this problem? Any tips for avoiding this situation?
This is certainly understandable. If you have your deck in a deck box, and that's what's in your pocket, 9/10, the security doesn't immediatly think of Magic the Gathering. I don't really think you can avoid this situation in this day and age. You'll just hafta suck it up and just laugh at them when they want to see your cards.
Yea, under an Xray, it probably does look like a deck of cards... but i've never seen the Xray of a person with a deck on them. lol.
When I travel with my Ultra Pro, usually the important thing is to not stack cards up too high. When I get stopped it's often because I've shoved so much in there that it's thick and indistinguishable. In your case, maybe it was because there were individual items (cards) inside a case (deckbox) with a design they don't see very often.
For several years now, I've been getting stopped regularly by airport security after having my backpack x-rayed. Now, I usually stuff my backpack with books, cards, clothes, etc. and I've assumed that was the reason. However, this year I packed light and only brought one deck of cards along with my usual stuff and I still got stopped. And get this, the only pocket they checked was the side pocket where only my deck was. So what is it about Magic cards that looks suspicious under an x-ray? Has anyone else had this problem? Any tips for avoiding this situation?
Not to be mean, but could it be you that is acting weird. Airports do not fool around anymore. You do anything strange or look strange they will pull you over and give you the 4th degree.
I know I get pulled over almost every time for one reason or another.
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I have had my bag checked before and they went straight for my side pocket with 2 decks in it. On a side note, two spindles of DVD-R's with a couple phone/ipod chargers between them REALLY makes airport security freak out.
It's possible that the square/rectangular dark bits that show up on an X-ray looks a lot like chunks of C-4. Please note, in the picture in the link, the C-4 is the blocky looking stuff on the bottom, not the cylinder-like items on top.
This might explain why security keys in those dark, square looking items. Gotta make sure the card playing geeks aren't trying to sneak anything more dangerous than their BO onto the airplane.
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So what is it about Magic cards that looks suspicious under an x-ray? Has anyone else had this problem?
They were sleeved correct? I had this problem (they pulled me aside and checked in my bag for my EDH deck) when flying back from Pro Tour Charleston, and asked the guy why. He said that on the scanning device, the cards in the sleeves looked like a brick of plastic explosives (just as Vampyr notes). I don't know if it's specific to any particular brand (I use Dragon Shields), but would imagine that is probably the case with you.
Wow, they actually told you that epeeguy...I'm quite surprised. Usually it's not policy to divulge any info about what makes a parcel or item suspicious...that way they don't give away the characteristics they're spotting. Now all the terrorists will know to not pack their C-4 in deck boxes...:P
I've been stopped at airports for having a binder in my backpack. The security agents usually don't say anything when it's revealed to be a folder full of colorful game cards. One guy used to play before the days of foils, and said "hey, those are really nice!" but usally I get no comments either good or bad.
Wow, they actually told you that epeeguy...I'm quite surprised. Usually it's not policy to divulge any info about what makes a parcel or item suspicious...that way they don't give away the characteristics they're spotting. Now all the terrorists will know to not pack their C-4 in deck boxes...:P
Inspection procedures, as far as I understand it, aren't considered sensitive and are still subject to public inquiry (it's not like it's "secret" information). I've had a co-worker call TSA regarding some things they do during security checks, and they've told her why the procedure was in place. It's possible the procedure is secret and the inspector shouldn't have told me, but I don't see why it's a problem myself knowing that a certain material shows as explosives on their scanner. If anything, I'd be more worried if they published a list of explosive materials that didn't show up on their scanners.
I really don't think you'll find a way to avoid being stopped as long as you use air travel and carry your cards. The security is keying in on something that shows up on the X-ray as a dense, blocky item. I'm no X-ray tech or security expert, but I doubt any security personnel want to be responsible for allowing someone to make it onto a plane with C-4, even if C-4 isn't all that easy to detonate.
Personally, my concern is if someone were to post on here stating they WEREN'T stopped by security at an airport. That's the true cause for concern.
I don't know if it's specific to any particular brand (I use Dragon Shields), but would imagine that is probably the case with you.
My guess is that one could take a deck box full of sleeves and no cards and still get stopped by security. The X-ray will show something square/rectangular and having mass. For fear of QA/QC tests occuring, at the very least, or an actual pound of explosives being present, as a worse case scenario, the person carrying the item should expect to be stopped.
It's just common sense and basic precautions.
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Yep, cards, especially when they are sleeved, look suspicious when viewed by an X-ray. If this is a serious issue for you, I would suggest just not packing cards when you go on a trip, because it is entirely reasonable and expected for anything that looks suspicious to be checked out in this day and age. If you need to travel with cards, you can either pack them in your bags that you aren't carrying on (I don't think that that causes problems, although there's a chance that you'll lose your valuable cards...), or you can buck up, apologize to any who are inconvenienced by your cards and the investigation, and keep on keeping on, allowing security to make sure that you are not a safety hazard. Is it a big deal for you if people look through your stuff?
Also, as far as I can tell, sleeving and deckboxes are not entirely relevant to your search. If your cards are concentrated into a single mass, I.E. a loose deck in a backpack pocket, it looks suspicious and must be checked out. That might not be true, but when I got stopped when heading home from JSS nationals, they were alarmed by a jankier deck that I was carrying with me as well as my sleeved and boxed deck.
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Quote from releasethedogs »
also listen to yodafan he knows whats hes talking about
Quote from Penumbra Leprechaun »
Yeah, Yodafan's pretty much a EDH pro.
Yodafan: Official pro of one of Magic’s most casual formats.
If you need to travel with cards, you can either pack them in your bags that you aren't carrying on (I don't think that that causes problems, although there's a chance that you'll lose your valuable cards...), or you can buck up, apologize to any who are inconvenienced by your cards and the investigation, and keep on keeping on, allowing security to make sure that you are not a safety hazard. Is it a big deal for you if people look through your stuff?
Maybe the airport screener is also playing in the same event and wants to see what other decks people are playing so he can find the correct super secret tech sideboard to beat them all!!1!![/conspiricy]
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Maybe the airport screener is also playing in the same event and wants to see what other decks people are playing so he can find the correct super secret tech sideboard to beat them all!!1!![/conspiricy]
Not to mention the sheer look of scornful disbelief when the screener finds both condoms AND deckboxes in the same compartment of your carry-on bag...
The last 10 times I've gone through security, I've been stopped 8 times. And every time, I've had to explain what was in my deck-boxes. And those glass-bead counters I have in a tiny bag always gets checked.
Why didn't they stop me those last two times? I was traveling without my cards...
M:tG is a certain way to get stopped, if you ask me.
...you can buck up, apologize to any who are inconvenienced...
Who's being inconvenienced? The person being checked is pulled out of line so the rest of the passengers aren't inconvenienced and if the guy working airport security is inconvenienced by checking for suspicious items, he needs to buck up and get a new job.
Who's being inconvenienced? The person being checked is pulled out of line so the rest of the passengers aren't inconvenienced and if the guy working airport security is inconvenienced by checking for suspicious items, he needs to buck up and get a new job.
Fair enough. He was the main guy that I was thinking about, and really, it's probably not that big of a deal for anyone involved. But it's just the polite thing to do to apologize to him/her.
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Quote from releasethedogs »
also listen to yodafan he knows whats hes talking about
Quote from Penumbra Leprechaun »
Yeah, Yodafan's pretty much a EDH pro.
Yodafan: Official pro of one of Magic’s most casual formats.
Why didn't they stop me those last two times? I was traveling without my cards...
Wow. You're paranoid.
This should only be a Warning, not an Infraction for spam/trolling. There's a little box I forgot to check to make it just a Warning. I'll have that dealt with.
I'm just saying it's a weird coincidence. Don't make a fool out of your self and call people things like that ever again. It's just too dumb.
There are more constructive ways of dealing with trolls than by calling them 'dumb'. If you think someone is out of line with a post, please just report it or clarify your position in a way that avoids name-calling.
Funny, I didn't have any problems going to or from Nats this year with my deck box. I had my deck case as a carry on. Contained my standard deck, pre-filled decklist, counters, dice, and extra sleeves for draft, pens and pad. Never detained or inspected once. Came back with all that, plus two giant cards from Game of the Year. No issues.
Maybe you shouldn't treat your hobby like it's a secret.
I never got stopped going to camp. I'm a counselor and I usually bring a shoebox or two of cards to give out to the kids so they hasve stuff to do when it rains. Its kinda cool to teach them too. Some of them think its stupid, but I don't care a couple of them fall in love with it and want to play every night.
Anyways the shoeboxes I bring are tightly packed with cards so I don't know why they would stop you. Just wondering what kind of sleeves(if any) were you using?
A lot of the time the inspectors stop you because they think you look suspicious rather than anything else. If you look different than what they consider normal, and happen to have something that shows up as a blob of something in your bag, they may stop you just for that. My ex-girlfriend had blue hair, and traveled all the time, and almost every time they stopped her for inspection, just because she looked different.
What I've noticed is, if you have black hair, and you are either greek, muslim, italian, or any other similar ethnicity, you'll get stopped. I fly almost every week, and it happens to me every time. Yet, if you are blond, you'll usually have no problem. So I've noticed. Don't get me started on this issue guys - they basically pick out the closest to a stereotypical bomber they can find.
What I've noticed is, if you have black hair, and you are either greek, muslim, italian, or any other similar ethnicity, you'll get stopped. I fly almost every week, and it happens to me every time. Yet, if you are blond, you'll usually have no problem. So I've noticed. Don't get me started on this issue guys - they basically pick out the closest to a stereotypical bomber they can find.
Maybe but I have blonde hair and blue eyes and I got stopped a few times before...how shady do you look?
This is interesting, I went to and from Japan in early June with a ton of magic cards in my carry on back pack and suitcase (sleeved, unsleeved, etc). They did not even mention it.
Yea, under an Xray, it probably does look like a deck of cards... but i've never seen the Xray of a person with a deck on them. lol.
"Was he a terrorist?"
"Naw, just a nerd."
Not to be mean, but could it be you that is acting weird. Airports do not fool around anymore. You do anything strange or look strange they will pull you over and give you the 4th degree.
I know I get pulled over almost every time for one reason or another.
This might explain why security keys in those dark, square looking items. Gotta make sure the card playing geeks aren't trying to sneak anything more dangerous than their BO onto the airplane.
PM me if you have any to trade or sell.
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Ye have enemies? Good, good - it means ye've stood up for something, sometime in thy life. - Elminster of Shadowdale
They were sleeved correct? I had this problem (they pulled me aside and checked in my bag for my EDH deck) when flying back from Pro Tour Charleston, and asked the guy why. He said that on the scanning device, the cards in the sleeves looked like a brick of plastic explosives (just as Vampyr notes). I don't know if it's specific to any particular brand (I use Dragon Shields), but would imagine that is probably the case with you.
I've been stopped at airports for having a binder in my backpack. The security agents usually don't say anything when it's revealed to be a folder full of colorful game cards. One guy used to play before the days of foils, and said "hey, those are really nice!" but usally I get no comments either good or bad.
Inspection procedures, as far as I understand it, aren't considered sensitive and are still subject to public inquiry (it's not like it's "secret" information). I've had a co-worker call TSA regarding some things they do during security checks, and they've told her why the procedure was in place. It's possible the procedure is secret and the inspector shouldn't have told me, but I don't see why it's a problem myself knowing that a certain material shows as explosives on their scanner. If anything, I'd be more worried if they published a list of explosive materials that didn't show up on their scanners.
I really don't think you'll find a way to avoid being stopped as long as you use air travel and carry your cards. The security is keying in on something that shows up on the X-ray as a dense, blocky item. I'm no X-ray tech or security expert, but I doubt any security personnel want to be responsible for allowing someone to make it onto a plane with C-4, even if C-4 isn't all that easy to detonate.
Personally, my concern is if someone were to post on here stating they WEREN'T stopped by security at an airport. That's the true cause for concern.
My guess is that one could take a deck box full of sleeves and no cards and still get stopped by security. The X-ray will show something square/rectangular and having mass. For fear of QA/QC tests occuring, at the very least, or an actual pound of explosives being present, as a worse case scenario, the person carrying the item should expect to be stopped.
It's just common sense and basic precautions.
PM me if you have any to trade or sell.
Games finished:17
Games ongoing:1
Town/Mafia/Other - 13/2/2
Won/Lost/replaced/modkilled- 4/13/3/1
NK'ed(vig'ed)/Lynched/Endgamed(Survived) - 7(2)/5/5(1)
Matrix Mafia Town MVP
Medieval Mafia Mafia MVP
Ye have enemies? Good, good - it means ye've stood up for something, sometime in thy life. - Elminster of Shadowdale
Also, as far as I can tell, sleeving and deckboxes are not entirely relevant to your search. If your cards are concentrated into a single mass, I.E. a loose deck in a backpack pocket, it looks suspicious and must be checked out. That might not be true, but when I got stopped when heading home from JSS nationals, they were alarmed by a jankier deck that I was carrying with me as well as my sleeved and boxed deck.
Yodafan: Official pro of one of Magic’s most casual formats.
Maybe the airport screener is also playing in the same event and wants to see what other decks people are playing so he can find the correct super secret tech sideboard to beat them all!!1!![/conspiricy]
Currently offering 2 non-foil Kolighan's Command for a Date Stamped foil!
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Not to mention the sheer look of scornful disbelief when the screener finds both condoms AND deckboxes in the same compartment of your carry-on bag...
UN-POSSIBLE! SPACE-TIME PARADOX!
Why didn't they stop me those last two times? I was traveling without my cards...
M:tG is a certain way to get stopped, if you ask me.
[High~Light Studios]
Who's being inconvenienced? The person being checked is pulled out of line so the rest of the passengers aren't inconvenienced and if the guy working airport security is inconvenienced by checking for suspicious items, he needs to buck up and get a new job.
Fair enough. He was the main guy that I was thinking about, and really, it's probably not that big of a deal for anyone involved. But it's just the polite thing to do to apologize to him/her.
Yodafan: Official pro of one of Magic’s most casual formats.
Wow. You're paranoid.
This should only be a Warning, not an Infraction for spam/trolling. There's a little box I forgot to check to make it just a Warning. I'll have that dealt with.
No.
I'm just saying it's a weird coincidence.
Don't make a fool out of your self and call people things like that ever again. It's just too dumb.There are more constructive ways of dealing with trolls than by calling them 'dumb'. If you think someone is out of line with a post, please just report it or clarify your position in a way that avoids name-calling.
[High~Light Studios]
Maybe you shouldn't treat your hobby like it's a secret.
Anyways the shoeboxes I bring are tightly packed with cards so I don't know why they would stop you. Just wondering what kind of sleeves(if any) were you using?
http://mkipps.blogspot.com/
Maybe but I have blonde hair and blue eyes and I got stopped a few times before...how shady do you look?
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