Scotland’s Largest City Set To Ban All Photography in Its Subways

Damaso

Damaso

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"Amateur Photographer reported that the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) in Glasgow, Scotland is set to impose a series of bylaws for the cities transport, including a ban in section 12.1 which would prohibit riders from “take[ing] photographs, or make[ing] video, audio or visual recordings on any part of the subway.” In fact, the only way around the ban would be to get express written permission from the SPT and show it to any officer that may request to see it."

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/05/18...ty-set-to-ban-all-photography-in-its-subways/

Booooo to that!
 
I wonder how they are going to impose that? Every phone has a camera. What are they going to do, arrest everyone who holds a phone out in front of them??
 
Stompyg don't give them any ideas.

There is only two things that are infinite one of them is stupidity which this example of city government quite clearly shows.

Dominik
 
Krötenblender
If I were a religious persons I have to say God's Wisdom is nr.1. So maybe there is a reason for stupidity, As a photographer I have to say the inf. markings on my lens 🙂

Dominik
 
I took one of my favourite photo's in a Glasgow Subway station...

dsf1015-edit.jpg


I wanted to take some photos at Central Station in Glasgow - as I wanted to use a tripod I thought I'd better go through the correct channels. It's all handled centrally from London now. I phoned up and said that I was an amateur photographer and wanted to take some pictures of the architecture inside Central Station. I was told that there is a fee - £750 for half a day!

Let's hope SPT won't be so greedy.

Cheers
Simon
 
Any madness is possible in a country that, after 350 years of survival by hanging onto England's coat-tails, wants to cut itself adrift from that security. I write as a Glaswegian, born and bred.
 
Taking photograph in all public transportation vehicles and stations are banned in Istanbul, in theory 🙂. We took special permission from authorities when we did a project about historical suburban train line in 2003. But rules for broken 🙂. I am taking photograph where ever I want.
Here there is a photo taken in tram:


16-1 by perre_tt, on Flickr
 
The byelaws help SPT to make sure that travelling on the subway is easy, safe, secure and comfortable. The byelaws deal with:
tickets and fares; unacceptable conduct; safety and security issues; and the control of access to and movement in the subway.
Click to expand...
The only two reasons mentioned above that might apply to photography are unacceptable conduct and safety and security.
Has anyone asked where is the evidence that photography is a threat to either?
If photography is a threat to unacceptable conduct then so is inebriation. Perhaps all subway passengers should be breath-tested and refused a ticket if over 0.05. No matter that most inebriated people conduct themselves peacefully - as do most photographers. If the reason is security then the more people taking pictures the better. Oh, wait, people might take pictures of security staff displaying unacceptable conduct.
Seems to be just another example of governments and authorities creating by-laws to prove they are "doing something" about a perceived problem, without thinking through the likelihood that these will have no effect other than add to the weight of regulatory burden and to increase the amount of community distrust, suspicion and fear.
 
We don't have a subway in Daytona Beach, but we do have buses w/ signs that say "NO shoes, NO shirt, NO problem". It's a beach thing. So photos, especially beachside, are fine.
 
There are already two Flickr groups on the Glasgow subway, both small and quite long established, but both have discussions on the topic. I'm scratching around for shots to post, as I seldom use the subway when I'm there, but I'll certainly be shooting off some stuff to post in these groups next time I'm in Glasgow 😉

I think a massive flickr-post by RSP's is in order here!
 
PKR said:
Well, the only sensible thing to do is for every photographer in Scottland to request a permit to photograph. Also, anyone outside Scottland thinking of visiting Glasglow, should write to them requesting a permit - mentioning that a denial will result in a change in travel plans. The only thing City Govts. understand is MONEY.
Click to expand...

... or go to Edinburgh perhaps ... they'd hate that 😀
 
In the day of phones with visual recording capability of all sorts "the truly paranoid are clever enough to not act paranoid. "
 
I spent some months in Glasgow, used the underground a lot - it's a small circular line- & don't remember seeing many SPT officers, if at all, at least not on platforms. I like to think that Glaswegians- SPT officers or not- have more sense than to go around stopping people taking pictures
 
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