My 2010 Prius set-off NYPD Radiation Detectors

Isn't the problem that he or his car were supposedly emitting radiation? Yes the levels are low, but they aren't low if he or his car were emitting the radiation (as opposed to being exposed to it.) I agree with Dr. Fusco that the cops were probably incorrectly using their meter, but there is a chance they weren't. But I disagree with his plan.

To the OP: It is not a waste of your time to have someone who is properly trained with using a calibrated Geiger counter examine you and your car. Especially with your past history of serving in the military. Better safe than sorry, and sounds like your medical care is free anyway!

 

Just a side note does carrying a military ID discharged give one permission to carry a nuclear weapon. How do they know how you got the ID. etc.

 

Again, you make assumptions. Who said the officers were beat cops? As the OP stated, not all cops have radiation detectors. It is more likely that the particular cops were performing their specific duties related to radiation monitoring.

Still, I prefer that my doctor actually learn my medical history, examine me, and gather facts before offering medical advice. But maybe that's not the norm in MO. Just because testing might take a while in a hospital in MO, does not mean it should not be done in NYC.

A Geiger counter would at least indicate the emission level from whatever the source is. You know, it might just be important to know if it's 70 uR/hr or 70 mR/hr and at what distance the measurement was taken. Hardly what I would call useless information.

BTW, I see that the name you give is not listed as being licensed in New York, but you seem to have no problem offering medical advice to someone located in NYC. Interesting.

 

They also didn't appreciate that Lee Harvey Oswald and Timothy McVeigh were both ex-military.

 

I know and that is just an example. Surely one of the more interesting posts. Hope we get a follow up.

 

If it were me, I'd be checking for an object that I might be carrying -- maybe a memento that you carried around with you when you were deployed?

 

Actually you said not to see a doctor. I suggested that he see a private specialist -- it seems worth the $25 co-pay to be examined. Which makes more sense?


BTW, here are all your posts and your actual comments:

Assuming that the OP got the measurement correct, it would therefore be the equivalent of one chest x-ray every 2 hours.

Actually, I believe radiation exposure is additive so the OP's total exposure would be triple baseline (,9rem/year). Hardly meaningless?

I would hope the OP wouldn't go to your ER. Let's see, if someone came to you, you would draw blood just "to do something" and then send them to their PCP. What the hell good would sending a patient to a PCP do -- like anyone could get in next week anyway? And wouldn't it matter what the test results were? Maybe the OP would receive better advice after being properly examined.

Again, don't see where you have recommended that the OP see a doctor or have further testing. Just the opposite.

I take issue with someone representing himself as a doctor, yet giving medical advice without even gathering basic facts. But you go further, without any facts you tell someone possibly exposed to radiation (without undergoing any medical testing) that going to a real, flesh-and-blood doctor would be a waste of time. Truly amazing.

 

Yes, I look forward to hearing that he really is okay.

 

You're getting real close to the line. Please don't cross it.

 

And which line would that be?

 

Haha that's funny. "Excuse me officer? I may be radioactive. Can you please check my radiation level?"

90% chance he calls for backup.

 

Your U.S. border entry points have very sensitive sensors that detect radiation from patients up to four days after a medical nuclear scan, and Canadian patients require a letter explaining the alarms that go off when we cross the border.
I don't know why such sensitive equipment, at a high cost, is necessary. To smuggle enough material to make even a dirty bomb would, at almost ten bucks a return crossing, cost a fortune if one were to keep the exposure below the threshold for the detectors.
Probably the equipment the NYPD used is just as sensitive, and likely to be causing false alarms all the time. Peter and the wolf comes to mind.

 

This is exactly what caught my eye. Presumably the reason why the cops have a Geiger counter in the first place is to be able to detect potential nuclear threats (e.g. dirty bomb). If they found elevated radiation emission levels (probable cause) and then REFUSED to search the vehicle, it sounds like they're doing a piss-poor job of "protecting and serving."

Could you imagine: cops find blood all over your car. after confirming that it indeed fresh blood, they refuse to search the car and question the driver about where the blood is from? yeah... right.

Sounds like the cops decided to have a little fun. I hope you got their badge numbers so you can file a complaint. If they seriously suspected something they should have thoroughly investigated.

 

Yeah don't worry efusco. I read everything and from what I gather you were offering advice based on what most people should expect from any ER. The CBC tends to be common protocol for things that aren't easily explained just to get some basic data going. I also noticed that rodjo kept taking things out of context there, and just trying to pick a fight over nothing. It's turned into some sort of last word contest or something. I notice he said something about a $25 copay, that just shows you that he's making assumptions because a copay depends totally upon your insurance or lack of. Anyways, I found everything very interesting. I cannot wait to see what the conclusion is.

Also, you can find a geiger counter in many science class rooms, especially on college campuses. You could always check that out.

 

You been to a garden center lately? Terracotta pots made in north Africa (Libya) have much higher than average rad levels. It's in the clay. Back in 02 or 03 they seized a whole cargo ship looking for a "dirty bomb" but all they found was flower pots. Smoke detector could be another source.

Radium sand used as a glass additive and Radium paint. This stuff was just piled and stacked all over the place in the local glass factory's here in Morgantown. All closed in the 70's. and yes Superfund sites.

 

I was thinking granite or granite dust since it has a measurable amount of radioactive elements in it. I always figured folks living in the NE were pretty much getting dosed all the time. But the other side of the coin is finding an instrument sensitive enough to measure such low levels. If we're talking 70 microrads, I might be curious but not enough to buy a meter sensitive enough to read it.

Bob Wilson