Sir, I recommend that you remove your shoes....

How many of you out there have passed through the security checkpoints at the airport and have heard that request? All of you, I'm sure, that have travelled via airplane since Sept. 11, 2001.

I've heard it, then didn't hear it for a while, and now it's back. Heading to Tucson last Thursday, this conversation occurred in PDX:

"Sir, I recommend that you remove your shoes" (for those who don't know, I wear sneakers when I travel)

"OK, but why? They've never set the detectors off before."

"SIR...I recommend you remove your shoes, we're looking for more than metal"

(with a disgusted tone) "Fine"

Now, this may seem like I'm being my usual pain in the ass. This conversation, taken alone, certainly substatiates that assertion. I hate being inconvenienced when I travel and untying my sneakers, taking them off and lacing them back up on the other side is, to me, a bit of an inconvenience.

Fast forward to Monday afternoon in Tucson:

"Sir, it's voluntary (keyword), but I recommend you take your shoes off"

"I'd rather not"

"Sir, you understand that you will be taken aside for additional screening for not taking your shoes off?"

"Sure"

I pass on through and get taken aside. I'm asked to stand on a mat with a couple of footprints on it, spread my legs, extend my arms to the side, get swipped all over with the wand detector, get frisked and then the inspector asks this....

"Sir, please remove your shoes."

"You have to be kidding me?"

"No sir, please remove your shoes."

"What happened to removing my shoes being voluntary?"

"It was voluntary then, not now"

Am I missing something here. Exercising my right to not remove my shoes effectively stripped me of that right. Did that not happen here? Why didn't the first person just say that?

My advice: travel naked. If someone wants to sneak something on board while naked, more power to them.