X-rayed

[Lifeisgreat]

Has anyone else had to go thru the process of being X-rayed as they left Colombia? I had to endure this process and it made me very angry.

I do my best to avoid any unnecessary radiation exposure. …And yet here I was …standing in a lead shielded room with a military person who with (?)- a minimal amount of training exposed me to an unknown amount of radiation.

All this just to make sure I wasn’t carrying any balloons of cocaine in my stomach. I saw them X- raying young ladies and many other people. Imagine the potential problem if those ladies were pregnant. Radiation exposure can take a long time to show up as damage to our bodies.

Now I thought at first it would be a film shot of my stomach. However while enduring the process I now feel that they had the machine on for over 20 seconds while they looked. In other words I feel in the interest of time they just keep the machine running while they made their search…why waste film. Incredible!

Folks, I have to tell you that if they tried to do this to me in the USA, I would raise holly hell! It amazes me how Colombians go along with this and apparently so do we – Americans!

How about guys…what is the story on this violation of our bodies? Is their someone out there who knows more about this kind of stuff? Maybe a medical person?

I noticed that the security seems much lighter in the Bogotá capitol. I think from now on I will fly to Bogotá then fly to Miami from there. I think it will be worth it.

I have flown 6 times to Barranquilla, 8 times to Cali, and 3 times to Bogotá. Never an X- ray before. However, others have told me of being X-rayed. My concern is that I will be X-rayed again sometime in the near future. How much exposure should one person endure? Do we have any recourse on this process?

[Lifeisgreat]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

Thanks for all the feedback... I think that it might be worth our while to contact our embassy and complain. Really! Perhaps as they say...write our congressmen and congresswomen. I have heard that they really do respond to letters. They figure for every person who writes there must be many more who are bothered by the same issue.

You and I all know that most of the drugs are not coming via ballons in someones belly. It is coming via well organized trade routes where corrupt government officials and others look the other way.

I don't mean to start a frivolous campaign here...but we have enough people that review and interact with this site. Can't we flex a little clout here? We have a voice and I think it is time they start hearing it!

[Lifeisgreat]

... in response to Re: X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 9, 2004

Thanks for all the feedback regarding the X-ray situation... I think that it might be worth our while to contact our embassy and complain. Really!

Perhaps as they say...write our congressmen and congresswomen. I have heard that they really do respond to letters. They figure for every person who writes there must be many more who are bothered by the same issue.

You and I all know that most of the drugs are not coming via ballons in someones belly. It is coming via well organized trade routes where corrupt government officials and others look the other way.

I don't mean to start a frivolous campaign here...but we have enough people that review and interact with this site that possibly we could affect some changes?  Can't we flex a little clout here? We have a voice and I think it is time they start hearing it!

[Pete E]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

I got ex rayed leaving Cali in July.It was quick and fast.And its smart in a way,I think alot of people were getting under the radar by not fitting the profile,like one college proffesor In heard about,one load of cocaine a year going to a proffesional conference.Now they are randomly it seems Ex Raying lots of people.
BUT you raise an important issue about the radiation exposesure.I remember getting dental ex rays and them putting a lead blanket over my groin.Here we got them zooming in on exactly that area.
Normally I am not an alarmist and think most enviremental and health concerns are blown way out of proportion.But this one could be DANGEROUS.And wouldn't  it be ironic,subjecting innocent people to heatlh damage in a supposed effort to protect voluntary abusers from damaging themselves.
Government intelligence,the oxemoron multiplies itself when you throw 3rd world countries methods in to the mix.
Reminds me of the paraquat thing about 25 years ago.There was precious little evidence of damage from smoking marijuana but in an effort to not get you to do it the government was adding something with real health damage  to it.
Fires up my libertarian tendencies.Reminds me of a friend who owned 2 pieces of property in Santa Cruz County California,world headquarters for fruitcake envirementalism.They don't want you to build anything but if you want to pitch a tent on main street they might let you.He said after dealing with the building department there it made him want to go out and buy a book on building bombs.

Pete

[LatinLuver]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

I feel your pain. Think about how much radiation you are being exposed to when they zap you like that. Probably the equivolent of smoking 3 packs of cigarettes for 5 years.
When you go to the dentist just to get a small xray for a tooth, they cover your hold chest with a led apron.
Unfortunately the effects of this zapping won't be known for many years.
10 years from now if people start having problems due to this radiatiom exposure, they will stop doing it and not give it a second thought. Jeez thanks

[Seeker]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

A friend of mine went to Cali for the very first time in September, '04. He was also x-rayed on his return flight. I realize I've been lucky until now, but my luck may run out in terms of being x-rayed. I understand your frustration and anger over this incident, but it is part of the deal of searching for a Colombiana. Although annoying, I suppose it won't deter any of us from booking those flights to Colombia. Focus on the positive.

[Keith Smith]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

I've been through that on two occasions (June 2002 and August 2004). Personally, it's something that I don't care for very much.

[thundernco]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

Have been x-rayed a few times in Cali, a couple in BOG.  Hasn't happened to me lately though. -TNC

[kented]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

As my wife told me many times in CR, "You're not in the US anymore".  As I found, in the third world the police are virtually powerless to protect personal propeerty against thieves but they are really great on petty things (which essentially inconvenience honest citizens).

To me, I don't care if I get X-rayed but individual liberties and convenience are more respected in the US than LA.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: X-rayed, posted by kented on Dec 8, 2004

Yup,
I went to DAS here 4 times to get my Cedula.They respect nobodies time but their own.Lines of people waiting.These guys playing power games and taking 3 hour lunches.They don't want to start anything that might possibly take beyond 11AM ,the start of their 3hour lunch,to complete.Regresso Manana.
In the US we would be calling our congressmen and getting some butt kicked.Here everybody seems to feel powerless,its just the way it is,we can do nothing.
Lines for everything.First of the month stay away from the banks,everybody lined up to pay their bills.
Experts at figuring out why they can't do it or a harder more time consuming way to do it.Thousands of little turfdoms and empires.Economy in the banos and not a clue why.

Pete

[Heat]

... in response to Re: X-rayed, posted by kented on Dec 8, 2004

To me, I don't care if I get X-rayed but individual liberties and convenience are more respected in the US than LA. ""

Outstanding post!

[thunderbolt]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

First of all, drug smuggling is the US problem rather than Colombia's, so I am sure this whole process is NOT their idea.

Secondly, people outside of the US, especially in third world countries put up with almost whatever their government puts them through, short of starvation or violence.

Thirdly, I am sure if someone REALLY does not want to be X-rayed, the customs could arrange that for a reasonable fee.

[Kiltboy1]

... in response to X-rayed, posted by Lifeisgreat on Dec 8, 2004

Hi Terry

This is Andy, i met you at Pete's last febuary. Congrats on the marriage. The first time i ever went to Cali and was at the final checkpoint in the airport, this was in 2001, and was about to put my carry on in the xray machine ,when this Idy Amien looking guy came up to me and said in perfect english "WE HAVE A PROBLEM", Well you know what that means.He said that i needed to be xrayed and you have a cloice, now it is a cost of 15 dollars but if i wanted to wait until the afternoon, It's FREEEEEEEEEEE !

HAHA, well of course there was only one flight , so i said OK. What has changed now, and i have been xrayd by the new wayas well,  is that they loaded you in a van with other people and took you like 15 miles back into cali to a hospital to be xrayd. You can imagine that i felt like i was going to be put in some Colombian Prison  and had the "Midnight Express "making me look for soap! UFF

So the new way is not too bad and as i understand, they are doing this on the reccomendation of . guess who--THE US GOVERMENT !!

Congrats again on the marriage and i wish you lots of , well, PATIENCE !!

Buena Suerte