What is the difference between a vibrator and an electrical screwdriver?

What is the difference between a vibrator and an electrical screwdriver?

I was in Madrid airport for a connecting flight. I passed through the security system with my hand luggage and like always, they asked me to check what was inside. I’m not a digital nomad, I’m more a “phygital” nomad. I usually have tools, electronic components, cables and batteries distributed in my pieces of luggage (hand and checked).

Usually, I put my batteries or anything with a battery in my hand luggage. I was thinking it’s a universal rule in the airports. Also, any device that I can’t remove the battery is inside my hand luggage. For example, my VIBRATOR. As a product design, vibrators are made of one single piece with a silicon layer (this is a nightmare when you need to fix something, but this is a subject for another moment).

The security guy in the airport was annoyed with something in my luggage. He said something like “There is a pistol inside”. I was confused, no pistol, but also no chance for communication. The guy didn’t speak English and before I tried my Spanish he already condemned my luggage. He asked another security guy and both were digging through my hand luggage. So I said, “Maybe you are seeing my vibrator in the x-ray”…

Finally, they found the piece of disagreement, an electrical screwdriver for small screws that I use for building prototypes. This tool has a handle to help with the torque, thus resembling a pistol, it’s true. But also a vibrator has this shape… they got my tool saying this was dangerous to the flight. I could keep it if I put in the checked baggage. But the tool had an embedded battery which is not allowed in the checked bag, the same logic as with my vibrator.

I checked the website of the Madrid airport and they didn’t say anything about tools (with attached batteries) not being allowed. But the security can decide if some equipment or material is dangerous for passengers or to the airplane. Apparently I looked like I could damage / disassemble the airplane with my tool, so it will be destroyed. This broke my heart - Why?!

I lost my small electrical screwdriver… Screw them, I still have my vibrator! Even if the product is almost the same: a handle with a motor and a battery. I need to travel again this week with my tools for prototyping and I’m thinking in building a small electrical screwdriver that looks like a vibrator to see what happens… But the fun fact is they think it’s not possible to damage or disassemble an airplane with a vibrator. Who would like to help me to show that’s possible?