Nabbed by a cop for shooting a loaded Leica!

[Honus]

I had to take my car to the mechanic this morning, then take BART (commuter train in San Francisco Bay Area) in to the office. It was a nice sunny morning, so I had the M2 out snapping away. I shot a number of frames standing on the platform waiting for my train after a transfer. When my train arrived, I boarded, only to be tapped on the shoulder by a Transit Policeman, who asked me to exit the train.

He was a nice enough fellow only doing his job, but he seemed quite dubious of my motives. 'What was I taking pictures of' and 'who do I work for'? I told him I am only an amateur photographer taking personal photos. He said I needed a permit to do so. I told him I would call the administrative office and apply for one. He did not ask for my film or search my bag, although he did ask me to keep my hands out of my pockets where he could see them. 😱

I was calm and cooperative, because I knew there was no point in agruing with him. A few thoughts crossed my mind when he asked why I was taking pictures in the station. 'Oh, I am participating in a contest sponsored by a website - so I plan on posting the pictures to the Internet' was quickly rejected. 'Can't you see I am using a rangefinder and 50mm lens, it's the RFF HCB contest, you idiot!' was also dismissed.

Now I can't wait to develop the Tri-X and see what national secrets I exposed. 😀

Robert

 

[jpbob100]

I thought you only had to have a permit to carry a concealed Leica. 🙂

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Next time, you can get out of trouble by bringing your 'trigger lock' for the loaded Leica ;-)

 

[SolaresLarrave]

These stories of police sniffing out very dangerous photographers who are conspicuously shooting pics surely make me feel a lot safer! 🙂 I know now that we're very well protected from all those evil men out there who can photograph really important sites or women's legs with their surrepticious camera phones, capable to send those images around the world faster than you say "what are you doing here?"

Indeed... progress is a really good thing! 😀

 

[Peter Klein]

You might point out that after the London Tube bombings, the police were begging everyone with a camera or cell-phone camera to please send their pictures in, that it might help them identify the bad guys. So the British, who have a lot more experience with domestic carnage than we do, seem to have the opposite attitude. (Just don't photograph children in the U.K.)

There seems to be some ambiguity about whether there actually is a legal ban or not, but it appears that last year, the MUNI authorities were acting as if there was, but could not cite a specific law when asked.

http://www.sfist.com/archives/2005/02/14/homeland_insecurity_photo_ban_on_muni.php
http://www.sfist.com/archives/2005/02/15/muni_photography_ban_update.php
http://www.shooter.net/index.php/weblog/Item/attack-of-the-sf-muni-fare-inspectors/

etc. These incidents happened a year ago.

Just Google these words: photography ban BART San Francisco
You'll get lots of hits for your reading pleasure.

--Peter

 

[ERV]

I thought you only had to have a permit to carry a concealed Leica. 🙂

Actually you only need a $7. stamp on your permit...

 

[Frank Granovski]

Unlike San Francisco, Vancouver is a tourist city, so snapping pics is legal, except in Malls and stores unless you ask for permission---which has never stopped me. 😎

 

[ch1]

Unlike San Francisco, Vancouver is a tourist city, so snapping pics is legal, except in Malls and stores unless you ask for permission---which has never stopped me. 😎

Huh? Frank, don't you think this is a tad inflammatory?

A lot of transit police are nervous all over. Try taking pics in the London Underground right now! You may indeed need a permit in some places. Transit systems are NOT city streets - they have limited access (e.g. paying customers only) and can regulate activity in the, (e.g. no smoking, spitting or urinating!).

Taking pics on the subway is an open issue in NYC right now. The transit authority wanted to ban photography all together. That was rejected as extreme (e.g. think Walker Evans) and so the matter just sits - for now.

 

[Honus]

Peter - Thanks for the links. I am going to follow up with the BART administration and see what I can find out.

Frank - I'm not sure I follow you. San Francisco is not a tourist city? How does being a tourist city make taking pictures legal?

Robert

 

[aad]

Hmm..I guess the train station is different from a sidewalk, though not quite private property.

Hey Frank, SF sure looked like a tourist town to me.

 

[Frank Granovski]

I was being ironic. If tourists aren't allowed to take pictures in a tourist city then something is wrong in Denmark. 😎

 

[FrankS]

What, isn't Denmark a tourist destination? 🙂

 

[Kevin]

These stories of police sniffing out very dangerous photographers who are conspicuously shooting pics surely make me feel a lot safer! 🙂 I know now that we're very well protected from all those evil men out there who can photograph really important sites or women's legs with their surrepticious camera phones, capable to send those images around the world faster than you say "what are you doing here?"

Indeed... progress is a really good thing! 😀

Indeed !!!
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/motor-show-p1.php?emf=1

 

[suckerpunch]

a few months post 9-11, I was out shooting bridges at night with my huge ominous hasselblad on a tripod and got harassed by 2 officers who had no idea what a hasselblad was, or that a camera could be that big. I was asked to step away from the camera as one officer watched me and the other inspected my camera, and camera bag.. He then asked where the film goes, and never saw 120 film before. My fault for thinking it wasnt a big deal. For those not familiar with seattle summers, the evenings do not get dark until 10pm, so theres lots of beautiful light in the evening...you can't blame me for wanting to take advantage of that!!

 

[nwcanonman]

Is there actually a permit to take subway photos? JEEZ ! Thank goodness you didn't have a auto-winder mounted, you'd have been arrested for having an "Assault Camera" ~ ; -(

 

[Uncle Bill]

This is loopy, I am sorry to say I am glad I am north of the border. I never get hassled by the man for taking photos in public places. What happened to the easy going USA I knew and grew up with? The fallout from Sept 11th has cancelled out common sense. Sorry for sounding almost political but I would follow up with BART on what you can or cannot do.

Bill

 

[sfb_dot_com]

I got chucked out of the Bullring here in Birmingham by some very self-important types in Security uniforms who informed me it was policy that photography was not allowed. The leader of this group was in particular unpleasantly intimidating. We in the UK have a long tradition of tolerance and liberal laws, however that also goes alongside a certain petty-mindedness and a tendency for those in positions of small power to be overly vigilant in their duties. We are also becoming increasingly paranoid, which is of course exactly what Mr Oxo Bin Liner & his cronies want.
Interestingly there were no notices up about photography, nor any mention of permits on the website. I have sent an email asking for one, but have not yet received a reply.

Andy

 

[ch1]

Over here there is a mixed bag about shooting in sports stadia. I've seen lots of folks do so in Yankee Stadium at baseball games - although I'm told you shouldn't use a lens over 200mm (has to do with copyright laws - not security issues).

There was a thread here a while back that said the NCAA was peed off with a web-based photo service that was posting "unauthorized" pics at college basketball games - not sure where that's going.

As to the original issue, whether one likes it or not, whether one agrees with it or not, the US is in a war (or several of them). Transit systems in particular are considered vulnerable targets and security personnel are under high alert.

In these circumstances, I think the BART cops acted quite reasonably. They didn't seize honus's camera or equipment. They "satisfied" themselves that he was not a threat and let him go on his way.

What would you have done in their position?

 

[Mike Kovacs]

Not all roses in Canada - I got hassled at work for taking photos from the hospital parking garage. Apparently there might have been hospital property in the shots I was taking of the neighbourhood, from the high vantage point.

I followed-up - no hospital policy prohibiting photography in this situation by staff. Figured as much. I'm sure they see people taking photos with 6x6 Super Ikonta's every day with the intent to spy and sue!

SHE didn't ask for film (good thing too because they could call the cops and try to charge a pass-holder to the garage for trespass...)

 

[yossarian]

It's astonishing how little it takes to provoke a cop in this country, and I speak from
experience. I can describe in graphic detail what a six second blast of pepper spray,
inches from my face, can do.

I don't care what sort of reaction I get from this--all cops are sociopaths.