I Hate Airports

I want to start by singling out the Albany airport. I think they are running some scheme with car rental companies. It would make sense (to me) that you put a gas station right off the freeway as you approach the airport, so you can return the car with a full tank. But if you hide the gas station, then the rental companies win by charging you a much higher than market rate to refuel the car. Of course it is important to keep in mind that while the fee is above current market price, it is much cheaper than what people will soon be paying.

Now on to airports. I have said it before, and I will probably say it again: Even a place like McDonalds has high enough standards that you have to wear shoes, while airports mandate that people take their shoes off. Do they really expect me to feel safer because of everything they put me through? Probably. I mean the White House expects me to feel safer when they work in secret,and feel violated and less safe when the New York Times reveals these secrets.

It is so easy to get on a train. Twice in two days I sprinted for the train and was not held back by anyone. Twice in two days I was at an airport, spending vast amounts of time queued up, getting my ID and boarding pass checked (multiple times -- a great plan to keep people employed), taking off my shoes, taking out my laptop (more likely to be a vector of viri than any other harm -- thank goodness they don't force me to run a full scan before boarding), and herded through the metal detector.

As fuel prices rise, and airplanes become uneconomical, lets hope we have enough of our rail lines intact, and that we don't bring them down with the rigmarole at the airports.