Anti Hat bias

[Shanghailander]

I'm in Hong Kong, now, after spending a week in Shanghai. While going through the airport, I was told by security to remove my hat! Not while going through the security checkpoint, mind you, or passport control, but after walking off the plane into the arrivals terminal. I've arrived in Hong Kong twice now in the last two weeks and it happened both times.

In the larger cities of England, more than once I came across a sign tacked to the entrance door of pubs, with words to the effect of, "What have you got to hide? If you are wearing a hat, take it off! This is apparently because ne'er do wells and other lowlifes are wearing hats to foil the almost omnipresent CCTV in the UK.

I thought this might be the case in the Hong Kong airport - my hat was perhaps foiling the overhead security cameras. But after the second incident, I asked, and was told that it would interfere with the automatic temperature stations, where they check incoming passengers for fever. Apparently this is done as you walk by - you don't even know your temperature is being taking!

 

[Lorne]

What goes around..

How strange…

Wearing a hat was once a sign of conformity. Now it’s a sign of dissent…


Lorne

 

[Mindraker]

Jones: Can we get a feature scan of the guy with him?
Fiedler: No, he's smart, he never looks up.

The cameras in the USA are everywhere, and these are just private cameras in shopping malls and businesses. It's scary to think that it's worse abroad. I don't mind wearing a hat for privacy reasons. You don't really think they are taking your "temperature"? It's to photograph people coming in and out, IMO.

 

[Interbak]

Actually, the temperature camera is a reasonable bet. Remember the SARs scare a couple of years back. Toronto was a hot spot, and they did have temperature sensing cameras checking all incoming international passengers, especially from Asia. SARs, the bird flus, and all sorts of nasty bugs seem to originate in Asia, so it's very reasonable that they trying to catch them before another epidemic starts!

brian

 

[John in Covina]

I-C-U to ID -U

WHen people, men, wear hats, rarely does anyone wear it so that you can't tell who they are from a front on face view. The question that I come up with is , if they are using cameras from way above and the hat blocks the view, is this the best angle from which to have the computer trying to match your features to a know suspect? We have those programs and they do use them, but the view needs to be more straight on, I think.

Well, what ever they are doing, it sure seems like, if you can wear a hat and defeat it, it needs to be re-thought and re-designed.

 

[Mindraker]

There are all kinds of things which cause fever in people which are not related to a flu (colds, AIDS, measles, mumps, pox, just to name a few). The backlog of false positives in the airport would be incredible.
In addition, a normal body temperature is not necessarily "fixed" exactly at 98.6 F. Walking past a 'temperature camera', different healthy people could appear as different 'colors'.

 

[WideBrimm]

Hats & Traffic Cameras

Brimmed hats, the wider brim the better, may just be the ticket to foiling some of those nasty traffic cameras which generate tickets. Without a clear view of one's face they usually have to dispose of the photo rather than send the driver a citation. At least once, wearing a ball cap & with the window visor turned down I think I foiled the darn camera.

If everybody wore a fedora while driving, wearing fedoras in cars would soon be banned!

 

[John in Covina]

Here the traffic cam takes a picture of your license plate, they don't really care who's driving, they cite the owner of the car.

 

[Prairie Shade]

My .25

I wear a hat to keep from having a temperature. Just remembered, contrary to what my mom told me, you dont catch colds from cold air, just other people. Guess there must be some other reason I wear at , anyone have any ideas?

 

[matei]

Here in the UK I too have encountered several establishments that had a "no hats" policy, including the Living Room here in Islington.

Once, when going through security at Dublin airport, the security guy said that I couldn't wear a hat on the plane - "not allowed". I waited until I was out of sight and donned my chapeau.

 

[HLSheppard]

The temperature scanners are a reality, folks...

While I won't claim to know how the technology works, I do know that it came in to "fashion" after the SARS scares...

Here in the Detroit area, I ALWAYS remove my hat when going into restaurants, etc. Then, as I'm eating, I look around and am amazed (read: repulsed) at the sea of cretins feasting with their baseball caps on (many while blathering into cell phones).

(sigh)

 

[Fedora]

If everybody wore a fedora while driving, wearing fedoras in cars would soon be banned

At first glance this statement seemed tongue in cheek, but after giving it some thought, I agree fully. Outlawing hat wearing is not only possible, it is probable considering other "for your own good" laws that are increasing. Fedora

 

[John in Covina]

At first glance this statement seemed tongue in cheek, but after giving it some thought, I agree fully. Outlawing hat wearing is not only possible, it is probable considering other "for your own good" laws that are increasing. Fedora

***
For the sake of the Children!

 

[Alan Eardley]

Hong Kong temperature check

I travel to and from Hong Kong regularly and I can confirm that this is a temperature check as a part of the anti-SARS and avian flu measures. They take your photograph openly at the passport control, so why do it surreptitiously elsewhere in the airport? Wearing a hat raises your forehead temperature, which is likely to get you checked over more thoroughly. If the staff are in a good mood, they sick a thermometer in your mouth. If they are not ... well, I'll think I'll keep my hat off...

By the way, UK police have just put forward a proposal to augment the UK's 'omnipresent CCTV' coverage (as someone so succinctly put it) by using remotely controlled high-powered microphones to monitor conversations in the street. These are run through a computer that identifies 'incriminating phrases' and even 'voice profiles' so that speakers can be identified. Such systems are already in use in Holland, apparently.

Alan

 

[moustache]

Indeed!

The temperature scanners are a reality, folks...

While I won't claim to know how the technology works, I do know that it came in to "fashion" after the SARS scares...

Here in the Detroit area, I ALWAYS remove my hat when going into restaurants, etc. Then, as I'm eating, I look around and am amazed (read: repulsed) at the sea of cretins feasting with their baseball caps on (many while blathering into cell phones).

(sigh)

I see much the same thing here in the Pacific NW as well.The baseball cap has developed into a 21st century "bowler/derby" while class act style hats such as fedoras are considered too "gangsterish" or "gaudy".
Amazing how times change,much to the detriment of society.
Look how far things have digressed as regards clothing:suits and sportcoats in the 1920's to 1970's to pajamas,sweats and sweatshirts in the late 20th and early 21st century.Add baseball caps and cellphones(as noted above by my esteemed colleague)and what does the future hold???

We,as Fedora Loungers,need to change these evil :rage: ways !!!
Fight back!
Don that fedora or homburg!!Tip that cap or trilby to the ladies and gents!!!
It is up to us!!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap


JD

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I gave two fedoras away to young men that I liked. Both adored their fedoras but did not wear them for very long: they were stopped by cops while driving cars and wearing their fedoras.

We are suspect as shady characters.

Some years ago I stopped wearing backpacks because store security people started asking me to check them in. I explained that the pack was actually my purse or bag and, if I checked it in, I would also be submitting to them my wallet and checkbook. Too bad, check it in, they said and take out your wallet and carry it with you. Looking around the store, I noticed there were a lot of women with purses and tote bags a lot bigger than my backpack. It didn't matter. Miffed, I left those store, realizing that when homeless people and drug dealers started wearing backpacks, they became declasse.

I get lots of stares here in Iowa when I wear a fedora. Meanwhile, lots of guys and gals wear ballcaps, some guys wear them backwards (that went out of style in San Diego years ago). They're all right, evidently, but I am looked at with suspicion.

karol

 

[Fletch]

The association is generally to one of two ethnic minorities, one associated with crime, the other with a sort of sad dandyism.

I'm from Iowa originally myself, and when going back there, I wouldn't wear anything too dressy in hats or clothing. It's a modest and practical place, and if you have a look, it's a lot stronger message. My Alessandria (tan, medium-wide brim, thin ribbon) would be about the extent of my hat needs.

I now live near NYC, and consequently stay away from anything wide-brimmed in black or grey, as it has religious connotations here that don't apply to me.

 

[Boroparkpyro]

I now live near NYC, and consequently stay away from anything wide-brimmed in black or grey, as it has religious connotations here that don't apply to me.

I wouldn't worry so much about the gray, unless you've actually experienced cases of mistaken identity because of it?

 

[Twitch]

I'd drop my pants and bend over saying " here if you want to really take my temperature, have at it properly!" In that, what, like 14 people worldwide succumbed to SARS it is a ridiculously draconian measure given that the number of reasons humans can run a temperature are myriad. Next it'll be a blood tap as you exit the plane I guess.

 

[Fletch]

I wouldn't worry so much about the gray, unless you've actually experienced cases of mistaken identity because of it?

Not quite mistaken identity. More like "serious kidding" from my family.