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SEPTA photographer scare
Topic Started: Sep 24 2009, 08:08 PM (366 Views)
Septa_kid Sep 29 2009, 08:11 PM Post #16
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flxie!!!!
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buswizard
Sep 29 2009, 07:44 PM
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
wow... never in my history of my life have i been questioned at FTC... minus the one driver who asked me if i thought she was hot lol
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septa105R5 Sep 29 2009, 09:33 PM Post #17
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Super Transit Expert from Wayne (Main Line) to King of Prussia
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 On regional rail stations outside of CCP, nobody cares about photography and videos, so lots of videos and pictures are done in the suburb. Me and my friends often take a lot of photos in the train (when there's less people around and conductor out of side (some of them don't care)) and takes a lot of pictures at some stations (Such as Wayne, Radnor, etc; not at major stations like suburban station because of police patrolling there). I do lot of videos (Keystone Corridor Wayne Station Action, etc.) back in summer 2009 and it came out with no problems.
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SouthernSeptaRida215 Sep 29 2009, 09:38 PM Post #18
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Southern Depot PTV Co-Leader & Correspondent.
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 Listen if you know you're not doing anything wrong or terroristic against Septa tell them your cause.
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ctrabs74 Sep 29 2009, 11:52 PM Post #19
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Advanced Transit Fan
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 In regards to our dealing with the SEPTA "Transit Police" rent-a-cop at FTC, the officer actually claimed it was a "city ordinance" - which I knew was a pile of BS.

Let's just say it was a good thing nobody got assaulted anywhere on FTC property while he was wasting his time with us.
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philabob1 Sep 30 2009, 11:47 AM Post #20
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Quote:
 
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!


The problem with access to Fern Rock has been around forever (even before the RR station was built). The streets in the area don't all cross the RR. I know there is a problem with private property, etc on the east side that would make any formalized/protected crossing difficult to build. (So people who cross are not only trespassing on SEPTA property but private property as well.) There may be no easy alternative.

'People taking matters into their own hands' is not a good answer - that's how people get hurt. The signs at the end of the RR platforms tell folks this is dangerous to pass the end and descend onto the tracks. This is for a reason - and you can ask anyone you know who works on the tracks - you can't hear the trains coming. They are very quiet. And some of them are coming at quite a clip, so they won't be able to stop by the time they see someone.

Also, at this location, looking south from the inbound platform, you can't see very much of the approaching track, so it's not easy to tell if a train is coming by looking. As I mentioned, the kid I saw do this last week would've been killed if he did it less than a minute later, as an express whizzed in and out in an instant.

I didn't mention anything about anyone taking photos in the track area. The two people I saw were merely crossing - I was taking photos the one time and was clearly not going where signs say I shouldn't (for my own safety). My point was that the person in that instance who was putting himself in danger was totally ignored by the cop who thought she had to deal with the 'menace' (me) taking photos. Maybe if the cops started telling people not to do it, instead of merely ignoring it, it wouldn't happen as much.

Too often cops make their own rules and that's why driving, walking, etc in this city is in the state it's in - cops don't want to rock the boat and nail the offenders. If they're paid to be hardasses, etc, then that's what they need to do, and they need to treat everyone the same. The incident in question was upsetting to me because the cop took the easy way out as she saw it and didn't confront the real lawbreaker - I'm sure in her mind that would've been more trouble for her.

In much the same way in another discussion lately on fare payment/why should ops be tough on passes, etc, why should any of us pay or follow the rules? I saw a similar situation last week on my train when a guy with a Transpass played dumb in the peak hour. The conductor told him he couldn't do it and then let him slide. The guy was sitting next to me. I asked the conductor why he did that and he said it was only for this time. The same conductor is extremely hardassed to many other passengers and I suspect some other issue was at play here, from what I've seen of this conductor. I asked the conductor if I could do the same and save $116 a month on a pass and he said I knew better. Yeah, I'm just another dummy who follows the rules.

Edited by philabob1, Sep 30 2009, 11:50 AM.
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