By George Tsai
So yes, we have cause for concern. Thousands of people, including two of my friends, still suffer from flight phobia. They are reluctant to fly.Apparently the security consciousness is here to stay, unless we win the war on terror. When can we win it? It seems to be a $26 million question.Some travelers try to avoid certain airlines that they think are targeted by terrorists. A couple of acquaintances went abroad on airplanes painted with emblems of foreign countries. In fact, air travel is much safer now than other means of transportations on land such as train and cruise ships at sea. What we need now is to beef up our security in these two areas.Likewise, the security measures at courts in Queens are as tight as at any airport except that you don't take off your shoes. As a juror, I had gone through that check for a week or so in the State Supreme Court building in Kew Gardens. These measures are perhaps designed to prevent deranged criminals rather than terrorists from entering that building to hurt innocent people.During the past four years, I have taken Amtrak twice and boarded a cruise ship twice, and of course I have been on the subway train numerous times. Surprisingly, their security checks appear to be very slack.Take Amtrak, for instance. A year after the Sept. 11 tragedy, my wife and I took the train to South Carolina via Washington. With two suitcases, we went through a checkpoint of sorts without being checked. Two months ago, we took Amtrak to Toronto to visit a relative. Our suitcases were never checked during the round trip, nor was there any random check. Blame the shortage of manpower on the authorities concerned on both sides of the border? Maybe.In comparison, however, the security check on cruise ship was much tighter, but it's not as stringent as at the airport. With a cell phone and several dollars in quarters, I walked past the ship's makeshift checkpoint door without being asked about those metal things in my pocket. There were two possibilities for that. They were undetected by the monitor or its operators didn't care much about them.Some crazy people, though, could bring knives with them and do terrible things onboard. Keep in mind that a cruise ship carries 3,000 to 5,000 people, so the security check should be as strict as at the airport, if not stricter, before passengers can get onto the ship.Recently when we returned from a trip to Bermuda, we noticed that the customs officers at the Cape Port, N.J., let passengers with luggage stream through the checkpoint without asking whether they had brought any illegal things from that island. Any evil doers at the port may melt into the crowd exiting the terminal.The subway train is perhaps most vulnerable to terrorist attacks. It's the worst mass transit as far as anti-terror measures are concerned. Few cops are seen around the subway stations or on the platforms. Evidently, security checks are zero, and yet scores of passengers carry tote bags that could contain explosives. You never know some religious radicals may take advantage of the rush-hour chaos to achieve their destructive goal. Think about it. It's scary. Every time the national security alertness level was raised a notch, and the color of the warning sign changed from orange to pink, I saw Mayor Michael Bloomberg with Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly by his side, declare the city was safe. Then cops were seen everywhere. But those lawmen disappeared as soon as the warning sign dropped to the normal level.The radicals are not so foolish as to launch their attacks while the city is placed on full alert. We need visible action to protect the thousands of riders using the mass transit system every day, not just a few hours or one day. That's an important caveat for the city.Security aside, I wish to debunk a myth about a vacation on a cruise ship.If you love ocean and are afraid of flying or tired of driving, then cruising is perhaps one of the better alternatives. You can enjoy a few days or more of a laid-back lifestyle of incredible luxury aboard the ship.Years ago, I was told a vacation on a cruise ship was costly, and people with seasick problem should not go. Also, I was told that most of the passengers were old and wealthy people or retirees. The average American just couldn't afford to splurge on that kind of luxury.Folks, these are frequently held misconceptions.
