Paraphenalia, planes, and paranoia

[occidentalis]

I admit that I am in possession of a smoking implement that has once been used for the combustion and inhalation of an illegal substance, namely the female flowers of the Cannabis plant.

I did not commit this terrible crime myself, as I only use the pipe for pleasant and legal inebrients such as damiana, leonuris, and lotus. One night at a party I found that my pipe had been leant, without my knowledge or permission, to a person of questionable breeding, who delighted in the use of said narcotic. Needless to say, my pipe was returned to me smelling strongly of the foul weed.

But there was also another smell - one I am less familiar with, but which stood out from the stench of the rank herb distinctively. It was a strange plastic-like odour, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, and appeared to be associated with an oily substance that covered the bowl of the pipe.

Anyway, someone smoked pot and dmt in my pipe without me knowing. Really. One day I might want to take that pipe on a domestic air flight. Reckon it's safe?

[occidentalis]

Ahh I've just realised we now have a legal matters forum. This probably should have gone there. Sorry .

[2b]

Some of the Eastern states now have laws regarding pipes no matter what they've been used for , i'd take a basic course in 'bong-craft' and make one when i arrived.

[Legba]

not worth it. it could end up in bali.

[Benzito]

Mate, a lesson in bong-craft is definitely the way to go.

When Cockatoo Island Music Festival was on at Easter time, I camped out for the whole weekend.

We got there, to set up our tents, at 8am on the first day. None of the shops were even open yet!

I took a brand new, clean, stem and piece and just found a bottle.

unfortunately, I could only find one bottle, so it had to be filled with the right amount of water then taken back to the tent to be turned into a bong.

But, needless to say, we were stoned by 8:10am.

Knowing how to make a bong quickly is a very useful skill!

[Benzedrine]

I don't think its a problem if its metal, I'd just heat it under a spirit lamp and wash it thoroughly with alcohol. I always used to put paraphenalia with pipe tobacco, to give it a legitimate excuse. Saying your trying to quit smoking by switching to a pipe makes a good cover story.

[occidentalis]

I have made many a bong in my time. However my pipe has accompanied me on several quite interesting journeys and I'm quite attached to it. It's a wood/plastic 'old man style' tobacco pipe so it can only get so clean.

[Darklight]

creach:

Reckon it's safe?

Given all the above, why invite the hassle?

[Fenris]

Firstly, how rude for somebody to borrow you pipe and smoke DMT in it and not invite you. Where is the common courtesey.

Secondly when was there a ban on bringing a pipe on an aircraft? If it smells of pot then thats no good but what if the pipe was accompanied by a tin of pipe tobacco and what if the pipe and tin was accompanied by a 70yr old dude and his walking stick?

If the pipe smells of tobacco and is accompanied by tobacco then where is the problem?

[occidentalis]

Fenris:

Secondly when was there a ban on bringing a pipe on an aircraft?

Well, there may not be, but it's not a good idea for a dreadlocked and otherwise 'interesting' person to push the boundaries of airport authorities.

Part of the reason I'm asking is because I was in a similar situation coming back from over east last year with a pipe I had come into possession of while there. I ended up leaving it cos it was a crap pipe anyway and the risk wasn't worth it. However I really am quite fond of my current pipe and would prefer to be able to take it with me wherever I go.

As I'm quite into not using plane travel anyway it's another incentive to travel overland. Any Perth crew fancy a bike ride to mullum for EB05? Spaced, I know you'll be up for it I'm serious.

[Rev]

stuff it full of pipe baccy when travelling

take it out when u use

that is if you dont mind the sweet taste of tobacco before its burnt

[Darklight]

creach:

Secondly when was there a ban on bringing a pipe on an aircraft?

Seriously, security can disallow just about anything they want on the spot, if they decide it has a potential as a weapon or negative use potential. Depends how large your pipe is of course

I was flying out last year to a mate's birthday we'd bought him some Snap-On socket spanners and had them engraved etc. Before we left we checked the list of things that you weren't supposed to have in carry on luggage which was all we were taking,, we checked the big sign at the airport check in, tickets, all the info etc, and there was no mention of tools being prohibited, only sharp objects.

At security check in they totally refused to let me on the plane with them despite the fact that there was no warning signs prohibiting them being taken on. Some security staff became quite hostile, and they sent me running around the airport looking for nonexistent alternatives to get them to the address as they kept me there until well after luggage check in closed, the alleged post office and courier services they described were nonexistent etc. Then they told me to throw them out, they're only spanners( yeah right, SnapOn tools cost more than the airfares ).

The reason I was given was that I might try to disassemble the plane while I was on it ( didn't know they made jet engine sparkplugs in imperial but never mind, the chances of me being able to access the engine in mid flight were poor IMO )

Fortunately one security staff member took me aside and offered to hold them for me until I returned the next day, though they explained that this wasn't official and I would just have to trust them cos they weren't supposed to do this.

Long story short I arrived back next day on a late plane to find the staff member in question had gone off shift. The supervisor ( who wasn't the same bloke as the day before ) kindly offered to find my mate's present for me. When he returned with it he said there was no real reason I wasn't allowed to carry the items on board that he could see, and that the bloke the day before was being over zealous

Since then I've heard dozens of firsthand reports of security staff harassing travellers. Seriously hassling travellers, little old ladies, parents with sick kids, the lot. And on my way to catch my original flight out the last thing I saw at security was some poor woman in tears because she was being held there as the xrays were showing something in her luggage that was unidentifiable and they'd ripped it apart and not found anything, so were ferrying it between the xray machine and the ripping apart table to see whether they could work out what was happening

Don't even start me on fucken LAX, they asked me what I had under my shirt and when I said it was a passport holster about half the security staff shat themselves, refused to believe that it was in fact as described on the pack, and searched me for 15 minutes while my passport stayed face up on top of a pile of my stuff, well within grab reach of every other passenger walking past. When I pointed that out they said it wasn't their problem.

I hate flying at the best of times, but now I think I want my pilot's license. Just to avoid the harassment.

[wandjina]

can't remember where i saw/heard about this...but perhaps said item could be packed together with a range of embarrassingly bizarre sex toys and visibly well-worn underwear? maybe you could put a condom on your pipe?...may dissuade relevant parties from more thorough investigation :D

[apothecary]

Good ol' isopropyl alcohol will clean your pipe completely of all cannabis and DMT resin.

If you're ultra paranoid you could soak it twice. I'm not sure how well wood and plastic would hold up being soaked in alcohol...but that's the only way you're gonna get it clean.

[2b]

Darklight i understand what you've gone through , i've had similar experiences with the nail file you find on nail clippers . The real paradox is as I spent a long time working in pubs , i quickly learnt that as soon as a fight broke out (or looked light starting) you got rid of all stubies , pots (vic), jugs ,ashtrays made of glass. The last thing you need is a glassing. So you arrive at the airport , go through all this screening , they take your nail clippers of you then let you loose in a shoping centre full of duty free, you buy heaps of alcohol and it all come in great big glass bottles , so not only do you have a couple of litres of potentialy flamable liquid , but you also have plenty of bottles to wave around and wack and slash people with :confused:

[Fenris]

apothecary:

Good ol' isopropyl alcohol will clean your pipe completely of all cannabis and DMT resin.

Would the ion trap mass spec at the airport even have a listing for DMT? Although it is highly illegal it is relatively unknown(present company excepted).

I can understand the need to check for drugs of abuse, but the ITMS library surely can't encompass 100% of every drug ever conceived.

[occidentalis]

Fenris:

 

Would the ion trap mass spec at the airport even have a listing for DMT? Although it is highly illegal it is relatively unknown(present company excepted).

Probably not. I have heard that sniffer dogs are not trained to detect it. But given the presence of the cannabis residue in the pipe, anything else just makes it dodgier.

[spaced]

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by creach:

 

Any Perth crew fancy a bike ride to mullum for EB05? Spaced, I know you'll be up for it I'm serious. [/QB]

---

Dude, you must have read my mind! This, although it looks easy enough is a massive undertaking. I've got a few travellers atlases I'm going to start looking through some time soon, but I don't know if I'll make it for '05. Would be a good excuse to chuck in my lame job though. A ride commencing in the winter months would, however capitalise on the fungi and be running in the opposite direction to the grey nomads who are the last things you want to see on a pushbike.

I find that implement possession based paranoia is directly proportional to the speed of the vehicle. A plane - cameras everywhere, got to keep your cool, people trained to see if you're not keeping your cool; a car - cops, RBTs that could inadvertantly land you in the shit; but a bike - well I guess the threat's there but I never really been all that conscious of it.

Curious side topic - I've heard of people getting busted for "drink driving" when riding a bike, who are then not allowed to drive a car because of the charges, yet can still continue to ride a bike?

[occidentalis]

Yep, I know someone who lost their licence by cycling pissed. But they can't stop you from riding!

[nabraxas]

airport horror stories

--a friend on crutches was catching a plane out ov melbourne for the gold coast.

when he got to the metal detectors his crutches made it beep.

they made him take everything out ov his pockets, put it in a bowl & put that through the luggage scanner; then they asked him to try going through without his crutches.

while he was trying to do this a female passenger who had just gone through, grabbed his wallet from the bowl. luckily he was w/his brother who saw her & shouted out "hey that woman's stealing your wallet".

security staff did nothing, so my mate caught up w/her as she was trying to slip his wallet into her purse.

she made some excuse like "oh i thought it was mine", & gave it back. security staff watched on uninterested.

so, even in "secure" areas--keep an eye on your valuables---no-one else is, except thieves.

[Rock n Liam]

My uncle who is an amazing book restorer (worked on the book of the kells), was travelling to the USA for a book restoring conference. Most of the people he was traveling with weren't your average people, very strange often hermit like and really only ever restoring books.

One of them was detained by airport security for 24hrs because he was acting suspiciously, and then when questioned wouldn't answer the questions as the security would have liked.

The ammount of power that has been given to airport staff was ridiculous, but even more ridiculous is the abuse of it by the security. Sure, security is neccesary, but most of the people effected have nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism, except being treated like them while visiting airports.

[darkstar]

The whole deal with security staff being proficient at hassling the harmless and letting others steal stuff under there noses really bugs me.

Someone I know had a laptop knocked off at the x-ray machine!

Now come on like that couldn’t have been stoped.