Harassment for photography: not just for railfans

[crashcrew]

Most places if you are on public property basically what you can see is open game.

Does that include standing on a public street across from your house and videotaping you sitting on your front porch? Would you be OK with that? And if not, why not? It's the same as standing on a street taping trains, right?

 

[Don_Burke]

Sounds okay with me.

I assume you are fine with an occasional bird.

Does that include standing on a public street across from your house and videotaping you sitting on your front porch? Would you be OK with that? And if not, why not? It's the same as standing on a street taping trains, right?

 

[gwtc199]

In Canada its called the Protection of Economic Infrastructure. It was last used during WWII and it encompasses all factories (no matter what they make), financial institutions, and transportation(rail, sea, air).

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

I understand that BNSF is realy cracking down on Railfans. Is this true? There was huge topic about this over in Trains.com.

 

[burner50]

How about i come to your work every day and just keep taking more and more pictures...

then i post pictures of you doing your job on the internet without your knowledge or consent...



I dont think i've found one railfan that was on public property... We found one dumbass who was standing between the rails when we were coming around a tight blind curve snapping pictures... IDK What he thought he was gonna get thru the Ditch lights and the headlights.

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

How about i come to your work every day and just keep taking more and more pictures...

then i post pictures of you doing your job on the internet without your knowledge or consent...



I dont think i've found one railfan that was on public property... We found one dumbass who was standing between the rails when we were coming around a tight blind curve snapping pictures... IDK What he thought he was gonna get thru the Ditch lights and the headlights.

Now now settle down. Not all Railfans are that stupid.

 

[RRgumshoe]

I have to agree, most of the railfans I run into are not that stupid. But I do occasionally run into some that are, if I don't write a ticket they get scolded pretty good. Every location is different, I have some areas where railfans are good about policing themselves and will general call me if someone gets out hand.

but I do have to admit that I get pissed when I get on the internet and find my photo posted on some railfan site without my consent, but I guess that comes with the terrority of my job.

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

I have to agree, most of the railfans I run into are not that stupid. But I do occasionally run into some that are, if I don't write a ticket they get scolded pretty good. Every location is different, I have some areas where railfans are good about policing themselves and will general call me if someone gets out hand.

but I do have to admit that I get pissed when I get on the internet and find my photo posted on some railfan site without my consent, but I guess that comes with the terrority of my job.

What site is that.

 

[wrr20891]

Now now settle down. Not all Railfans are that stupid.

No, but some reporters are. Few days ago, a newspaper was doing a story on a rail line. So right after a train passed through a tunnel, they had a local man who lives near the track walk into the tunnel so the reporter could take a picture. Reporter was standing between the rails when he took the shot. Then his story then describes what the inside of the tunnel is like, so it certainly appears they walked into the tunnel.

This reporter obviously didn't ever hear of Operation Lifesaver...

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

Stupid news reporters.

No, but some reporters are. Few days ago, a newspaper was doing a story on a rail line. So right after a train passed through a tunnel, they had a local man who lives near the track walk into the tunnel so the reporter could take a picture. Reporter was standing between the rails when he took the shot. Then his story then describes what the inside of the tunnel is like, so it certainly appears they walked into the tunnel.

This reporter obviously didn't ever hear of Operation Lifesaver...

Number one ,they should have contacted the Railroad that they where gona do that in the first place. They where Tresspassing.

 

[publicsafetyvehicles]

Hope I'm not too off-topic as this is the Railroad/Raifan forum...

Anyway, I've been photographing emergency vehicles for years and have been detained off-and-on by law enforcement and security personnel. What's more startling is when a "Concerned Citizen" approaches and asks what I'm doing and why! After 11 September, the photography hobby is definitely more difficult and I can understand it up to a point, but it seems that common sense is out the window.

Regardless, I usually just stop in at a local PD/FD, toss 'em my driver's license and "Hobby" business card with contact info, and ask if I can get some photos. This works well, but on the street or near the tracks, what are you supposed to do? Search for a person in authority or wait until one gets there after you've lost your chance to get a good picture?

I'm contemplating getting a pair of those new digital camera binoculars at a popular radio and communications specialty-store, but they only have two megabytes of internal memory! I can only just imagine been seen and reported for suspiciously "Scoping" something out. Again, I understand and respect the concerns of police and others, but until Google Earth gives me the option to zoom down from my home PC to capture some good photos, there has to be an easier way.

By the way, I visited Port Columbus International Airport (Columbus, OH) last summer with camera in hand and stumbled onto a few nice and shiny cruisers parked in their fleet lot. I found and approached a police officer, gave him my license and card, and asked if I could take a few photos. He walked away, got on his cell phone, came back literally two or three minutes later and said, "No. Do you have any other questions?" Not more than two weeks later, that story about the UK trans-atlantic airline plot hit the news. Go figure. No patronization intended, but I guess I'll give Port Columbus Police an "A" for the day.

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

This country lives on "Paranoia" if someone can't even take one photo of something.

 

[DPD1]

This country lives on "Paranoia" if someone can't even take one photo of something.

This country has always been photography paranoid, because it's litigation paranoid. It was like that way before the terrorist stuff started happening, and that just gave everybody a better excuse. Organizations instruct their security people to stop anyone from taking photos of their properties, because if you're taking photos of their stuff, you must be documenting something... and if you're documenting something, it must be for legal reasons that could harm their organization. The security people themselves often aren't aware that this is the real reason behind their instructions to detain people for photography. So in the case of railroads... You've got RR police and contracted security people who are instructed to stop anyone they see trying to take photos, or at least detain them for questioning as to why they're taking photos... The reason given for this is "war on terrorism". Fair enough... But are the railroad companies upset that the side effect of this, will be the fact that their multi billion dollar operations will also be documented less? I doubt it. That's a heck of a lot less chances for photos to be taken of crew members who happen to have their eyes shut, track that could use some maintenance, on and on. I don't think there's a conspiracy behind stopping people from taking photos of trains, but I have to think they don't mind the perks of stopping people.

Dave
http://www.dpdproductions.com
- Custom Scanner, Aviation, MURS, GMRS, Marine & Ham Antennas -

 

[Viper43]

As a professional photographer for the past 7 years I have not had any run-ins with law enforcement, even out of my "normal" area. I shoot a lot of stuff freelance for newspapers, and sometimes in areas where camera use is restricted. I have long hair and almost always in a t-shirt and jeans, yet it's always the guy in the suit or dress shirt and pants that gets harrassed by the law man. Then one day I was talking to another photog who has dreadlocks and we both commented on the cops hasseling another photog who was well dressed. This guy even had a newspaper credential hanging off his neck, yet they didn't hassel us and we had none. Then it hit me, both of us at least acted like we knew what we were doing and our camera gear looked proffessional wereas this guy had less than proffessional looking gear. So it's also in how you act that can get you hasseled, and having proffessional gear doesn't hurt either.
I actually get more parents questioning me about why I am taking pictures, at least some parents do question me, it actually bothers me when they don't, but when they do I know at least some parents still care.

V

 

[N467RX]

IMOA, 9-11 is the excuse for everything anymore. I understand the world has changed alot but alls I see anymore is since 9-11 they are out to get me syndrome.

Since 9-11 you can be investigated for that comment.

 

[KB9NLL]

Rich (oops I keep forgeting to read all the pages before commeting Rich was on the first page I think)

I totally agree with you on everything. Except when you say terrorists don't you mean first class citizens... Seems all the time everyone but actuall U.S. citizens have rights these days.

I never took pictures my self but did like all the Wisconsin Central pictures on the internet...thanks.

 

[Viper43]

Seems all the time everyone but actuall U.S. citizens have rights these days.

You got that right. Take the illrgal alien who goes to the Indiana BMV and gets a drivers license, while an American, who served their country, who moves into the state again and had 4 or 5 Indiana licenses since the mid 70's but now cannot get an Indiana DL because the state will no longer accept their Birth Certificate because there is too much information missing....no duh, this particular person is adopted, and even with the adoption records the BMV denies them a license, yet gives the illegal alien with no documentation or forged documentation a license! Now thats just plain wrong!

V

 

[typesix]

The MBTA has this week stated in local papers that photography will be allowed on its property without requiring a permit. Photographers may be subject to being asked for ID and being entered into a database.

 

[jcecklund]

You got that right. Take the illrgal alien who goes to the Indiana BMV and gets a drivers license, while an American, who served their country, who moves into the state again and had 4 or 5 Indiana licenses since the mid 70's but now cannot get an Indiana DL because the state will no longer accept their Birth Certificate because there is too much information missing....no duh, this particular person is adopted, and even with the adoption records the BMV denies them a license, yet gives the illegal alien with no documentation or forged documentation a license! Now thats just plain wrong!

V

Get an International drivers license, No birth certificate required. Problem solved!
Good anywhere in the world.

 

[crashcrew]

Get an International drivers license, No birth certificate required. Problem solved!
Good anywhere in the world.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/driveralrt.shtm