SEPTA photographer scare

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SEPTA photographer scare
Topic Started: Sep 24 2009, 08:08 PM (364 Views)
Reeko_8197	Sep 24 2009, 08:08 PM Post #1
DE41LF fan, CumminsISLFreak Posts: 923 Group: Members Member #800 Joined: July 21, 2007	http://cbs3.com/local/SEPTA.Broad.Street.2.1206878.html I had no idea what to name the topic. Has anyone here been to those stations recently?



TRANSIT_FREAK	Sep 24 2009, 08:31 PM Post #2
Simpsonized! Posts: 2,646 Group: Members Member #865 Joined: August 2, 2007	That's harsh. Another reason to be carefull when taking pictures.



Bus Guy 8202	Sep 24 2009, 09:09 PM Post #3
The 113-119 Spotter Posts: 1,200 Group: Members Member #2,623 Joined: June 11, 2008	Really?!?!?!?........septa is takin this photo policy to harshly! I'm suprised I haven't been reported since I sometimes wait for the bus to get a pic and if i'm really bored i'll be at the corner all day.....kinda stalker-ish.



Septa_kid	Sep 24 2009, 09:14 PM Post #4
flxie!!!! Posts: 2,040 Group: Members Member #2,467 Joined: March 31, 2008	Bus Guy 8202 Sep 24 2009, 09:09 PM Really?!?!?!?........septa is takin this photo policy to harshly! I'm suprised I haven't been reported since I sometimes wait for the bus to get a pic and if i'm really bored i'll be at the corner all day.....kinda stalker-ish. same here bud. in fact, i do that all the time, every route 23 driver knows me now, so i doubt that they (SEPTA) actually cares, but the media and police are probably throwing this out of proportion



septa105R5	Sep 24 2009, 09:34 PM Post #5
Super Transit Expert from Wayne (Main Line) to King of Prussia Posts: 384 Group: Members Member #304 Joined: February 8, 2007	Bus Guy 8202 Sep 24 2009, 09:09 PM Really?!?!?!?........septa is takin this photo policy to harshly! I'm suprised I haven't been reported since I sometimes wait for the bus to get a pic and if i'm really bored i'll be at the corner all day.....kinda stalker-ish. I got caught one time when riding the route 206



Van2006ko	Sep 24 2009, 09:42 PM Post #6
Foamer Posts: 2,528 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: February 16, 2005	damn post 9-11 world we live in today. Now stories like this is hitting on the news.



buswizard	Sep 25 2009, 07:36 AM Post #7
^^^ My sister needs a copy Posts: 1,647 Group: Members Member #2,659 Joined: September 22, 2008	oh I hope FTC isn't next to become "watched" cause then my transitfanning will be...um...



ctrabs74	Sep 25 2009, 07:42 AM Post #8
Advanced Transit Fan Posts: 710 Group: Members Member #7 Joined: February 20, 2005	My question is why SEPTA "Transit Police" isn't taking the lead in this case. Are they that incompetent that they can't do their own investigation? (I'm still bitter of the fact that they didn't press criminal charges against a man who pulled a knife on a crowded El train; that type of laziness would get those officers fired in most townships.) Still, that's the one advantage of using a Blackberry phone for my pictures. I can plug in my earphones and act like I'm either playing around with the MP3 feature on my phone or checking my messages when I'm taking my pictures.



buswizard	Sep 25 2009, 08:03 AM Post #9
^^^ My sister needs a copy Posts: 1,647 Group: Members Member #2,659 Joined: September 22, 2008	ctrabs74 Sep 25 2009, 07:42 AM My question is why SEPTA "Transit Police" isn't taking the lead in this case. Are they that incompetent that they can't do their own investigation? (I'm still bitter of the fact that they didn't press criminal charges against a man who pulled a knife on a crowded El train; that type of laziness would get those officers fired in most townships.) Still, that's the one advantage of using a Blackberry phone for my pictures. I can plug in my earphones and act like I'm either playing around with the MP3 feature on my phone or checking my messages when I'm taking my pictures. yeah...didnt work too well when we were at FTC. Man I have never seen a PTV member (outside my family) THAT furious!!!!! I thought it was a fight waiting to happen.



silverliner_2	Sep 25 2009, 11:20 AM Post #10
Cab signal supporter. Railroad engineer. Girl chaser. Transit fan. Totally unpredictable! Posts: 321 Group: Members Member #36 Joined: June 2, 2005	buswizard Sep 25 2009, 07:36 AM oh I hope FTC isn't next to become "watched" cause then my transitfanning will be...um... FTC is always watched. Along with 69th Street. Always remember that you can be questioned at any time when taking pictures on SEPTA property. You're more likely to be scrutinized in subway and el stations these days. Sign of the times, and given the recent events involving the arrest of that guy in Colorado exposing possible plots against NYC subways, the eyes and ears are on hyper-sensitive alert once again. Be careful out there.



philabob1	Sep 25 2009, 12:15 PM Post #11
Advanced Transit Fan Posts: 463 Group: Members Member #640 Joined: June 15, 2007	I understand the 'be careful', etc warnings and the current terror situation, but the cops get a little carried away sometimes. About a month ago I was going through Fern Rock as I occasionally do and figured I'd take some photos if I had a few minutes (which as it turns out, I did). I left the subway and went to the upper level over the RR tracks where I could get some train and subway shots. This was about 5:40 on a weekday and a Phils game was that night, as many folks were on the subway platform obviously headed there. After about 5 minutes I heard the alarm bell go off and I figured what it was - the cashier on the level spotted me. I was thinking about telling him/her what I was doing beforehand, but I didn't. Sure enough, a cop appeared within a minute and called me over. I gave her my card and told her what I was doing. I asked if she had a card but she said no (and I then wrote her name down, which she didn't appear to like). She said I needed a photo permit but when I asked her how to get one she couldn't tell me. She wanted me to leave but I explained that I was waiting for the 6:01 train and just killing time with a hobby. She started to get a little gruffer with me because I wasn't leaving (and I have a Trailpass and was thinking about showing it to her, but decided not to) even after I agreed that I would take no more photos. As luck would have it, we were standing at the north side of the overpass, when I looked down and saw someone coming out of the overgrowth on the east side of the RR and walking across the tracks, climbing up to the outbound platform. I pointed this out to her and asked if that was allowed. She paid no mind to that clear trespassing and safety violation but remained focused on me. (I'm sure in her mind, the older guy she was chastising was the 'easy target' as opposed to the younger guy clearly violating the rules, and I have to think race played a small part in this.) She asked me in no uncertain terms to leave the overpass area and I said I would go to the platform level but I was indeed waiting for a train so I wasn't leaving the station. I think I called her bluff a little because that caused her to decide to end her time with me. And, no, she didn't go near the guy who crossed the tracks when he came up the stairs to go to the subway booth. I took a few shots at platform level regardless of what she told me (so I'm a lawbreaker too!). I did call a few folks I know at SEPTA about this, so we'll see if anything happens (I suspect not). It would have been much easier for the officer to find out what I was doing and then move on, but, again, there are too many 'head cases' who get a uniform and some authority and then misuse it. It wouldn't have bugged me as much if she had accosted the trespasser, but that was clearly something that she should have and could have done. Interestingly enough, I was going through FR last evening and followed a kid off the subway who went to the RR platform and jumped down to the tracks to cross. It was a little scary as an outbound express was due by and whizzed through within a minute of the kid doing that. I've been told by some regulars I know that this happens all the time. So you think the cops would be there to stop it?



Frankford5905	Sep 28 2009, 05:00 PM Post #12
Advanced Transit Fan Posts: 233 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: February 16, 2005	philabob1 Sep 25 2009, 12:15 PM I understand the 'be careful', etc warnings and the current terror situation, but the cops get a little carried away sometimes. About a month ago I was going through Fern Rock as I occasionally do and figured I'd take some photos if I had a few minutes (which as it turns out, I did). I left the subway and went to the upper level over the RR tracks where I could get some train and subway shots. This was about 5:40 on a weekday and a Phils game was that night, as many folks were on the subway platform obviously headed there. After about 5 minutes I heard the alarm bell go off and I figured what it was - the cashier on the level spotted me. I was thinking about telling him/her what I was doing beforehand, but I didn't. Sure enough, a cop appeared within a minute and called me over. I gave her my card and told her what I was doing. I asked if she had a card but she said no (and I then wrote her name down, which she didn't appear to like). She said I needed a photo permit but when I asked her how to get one she couldn't tell me. She wanted me to leave but I explained that I was waiting for the 6:01 train and just killing time with a hobby. She started to get a little gruffer with me because I wasn't leaving (and I have a Trailpass and was thinking about showing it to her, but decided not to) even after I agreed that I would take no more photos. As luck would have it, we were standing at the north side of the overpass, when I looked down and saw someone coming out of the overgrowth on the east side of the RR and walking across the tracks, climbing up to the outbound platform. I pointed this out to her and asked if that was allowed. She paid no mind to that clear trespassing and safety violation but remained focused on me. (I'm sure in her mind, the older guy she was chastising was the 'easy target' as opposed to the younger guy clearly violating the rules, and I have to think race played a small part in this.) She asked me in no uncertain terms to leave the overpass area and I said I would go to the platform level but I was indeed waiting for a train so I wasn't leaving the station. I think I called her bluff a little because that caused her to decide to end her time with me. And, no, she didn't go near the guy who crossed the tracks when he came up the stairs to go to the subway booth. I took a few shots at platform level regardless of what she told me (so I'm a lawbreaker too!). I did call a few folks I know at SEPTA about this, so we'll see if anything happens (I suspect not). It would have been much easier for the officer to find out what I was doing and then move on, but, again, there are too many 'head cases' who get a uniform and some authority and then misuse it. It wouldn't have bugged me as much if she had accosted the trespasser, but that was clearly something that she should have and could have done. Interestingly enough, I was going through FR last evening and followed a kid off the subway who went to the RR platform and jumped down to the tracks to cross. It was a little scary as an outbound express was due by and whizzed through within a minute of the kid doing that. I've been told by some regulars I know that this happens all the time. So you think the cops would be there to stop it? Since SEPTA doesn't have a photo ban that would me the officer was a liar or just an idiot! btw Did you report the incident?



philabob1	Sep 29 2009, 06:48 AM Post #13
Advanced Transit Fan Posts: 463 Group: Members Member #640 Joined: June 15, 2007	Since SEPTA doesn't have a photo ban that would me the officer was a liar or just an idiot! btw Did you report the incident? Yes, to more than one person/group at SEPTA. I am just as concerned about people on the tracks as I am about the photo incident. I have heard nothing since I reported it. Edited by philabob1, Sep 29 2009, 06:49 AM.



Tritransit Area	Sep 29 2009, 07:23 AM Post #14
Transit Enthusiast Posts: 2,242 Group: Admin Member #4 Joined: February 17, 2005	philabob1 Sep 29 2009, 06:48 AM Since SEPTA doesn't have a photo ban that would me the officer was a liar or just an idiot! btw Did you report the incident? Yes, to more than one person/group at SEPTA. I am just as concerned about people on the tracks as I am about the photo incident. I have heard nothing since I reported it. Philabob, people crossing the RR tracks at Fern Rock is somewhat common. Heck, one time I did it with my friend, accompanied by two other strangers that came off of our Regional Rail train. The problem with that station is that there is no reasonably convenient access to the side of the RR station on the side opposite to the Broad Street Line. Since there is no safe over/underpass, people take matters into their own hands. Honestly, I'd stand up and object to strict enforcement until a safe alternative is built. Of course, until someone is seriously injured by a train, if not killed, nobody will notice. If they do notice, it'll be about how the person was trespassing and the trespassing problem, not how to fix it. In regards to the photography, outside of the person who was taking pictures in the track area (was he actually in the track area?), SEPTA has posted a clear photography policy on its website. It would be good for them to make all of their employees aware of this policy, as apparently they are not. Remember, you can be approached and questioned, but photography is permitted!



buswizard	Sep 29 2009, 07:44 PM Post #15
^^^ My sister needs a copy Posts: 1,647 Group: Members Member #2,659 Joined: September 22, 2008	Tritransit Area Sep 29 2009, 07:23 AM Remember, you can be approached and questioned, but photography is permitted! AND LIED TO!! When Ctrabs74 and I were transitfanning at FTC (I should've recorded this but I didn't have an audio recorder) the cop said some blah blah about how transit photography is against some blah blah state regulations blah blah blah and rules of blah blah blah SEPTA equipment blah blah you're a terrorist blah blah it's illegal blah blah ILLEGAL???? Why are they making up bullcrap??? And when was this passed?? SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...Don't let Rendell see or hear of this!!!!!



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