Re: (erielack) If you thought NJT restrictions on photography are tough, watc...

[TrainGG1_@_aol.com]

One response to my offerings on railfanning in today's paranoid world, this  
response came:
 
Bill,

Good advice that you have given here.  Question:   have you encountered any
situations where you were harassed or had to duck  for cover?

Chuck
 
Interesting you should ask that question. Within the last year I have been  
twice asked about my picture taking -- both while photographing transit  
busses.  Once was in Kankakee, IL while photographing River Valley Metro.  In that 
instance, I was with a friend of mine from Milwaukee. The drivers  apparently 
got shook up with these two fellas taking pics and called a  supervisor. The 
super showed up and asked what we were doing and why and upon  explanation that 
we were transit fans (and both worked in the transit industry  -- Dave for 
Milwaukee County Transit and I for Metra) we engaged in a most  friendly 
conversation about transit operations in general and in River Valley  Metro in 
particular. End result was that we ended up finding out more about  their operations 
that we already knew.
 
The other instance was in April. Three of us were in Beloit, WI  
photographing Beloit Transit. Again the drivers were taken aback that someone  would be 
photographing their busses. As it turned out the Motor Bus Society,  which had 
recently had a convention in the Chicago-Milwaukee area had visited  Beloit and 
the super was familiar with bus fans as a result. Again, really nice  folks. 
 
On the rail side, in May of 2004, a group of us were photographing at  Joliet 
Union Station. There had been rumors of fans being hassled there, but  over a 
dozen guys/gals were there on a lovely Saturday taking pics (sound  familiar, 
Bob Clegg?). The city of Joliet owns the facility and even has a PD  office 
in the station. The ONLY time anyone was bothered was when a fellow  attempted 
to walk across the tracks. The officer informed him that crossing the  tracks 
is a safety issue (no argument there) and that he must remain on the  
platform. 
 
Mr. Steinberg's comments about "Acting suspicious is not the way to not  look 
suspicious!" is not without merit. Of course, as a train is approaching you  
would out of necessity have the camera ready to shoot BEFORE the train  
approaches. It is rather obvious to the observer that you are indeed taking a  
photo. As for the "stealth" chasing of trains (change of clothes, parking the  car 
way from the photo shoot, etc.) I "practice what I preach" and feel that  this 
would minimize someone being able to "track you down" as a  photographer.
 
As an aside, over half of my railfan activities are conducted using public  
transportation. Of course, many times this is not an option, but for someone  
living in a large urban area such as Chicago, this allows me to take a 
bus/train  to a site, take my pictures (nice thing about psgr trains is that there is 
a  schedule, so you know when they are expected) and move on.
 
Stay safe out there...
 
Bill Shapotkin


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