"GALVESTON — Are law-enforcement officials who patrol refineries and ports going too far in the name of homeland security?
"Some photographers, who complain they’ve been harassed and had their equipment confiscated, say so. But law-enforcement officials say they’re only following federal guidelines in a post-9/11 world.
“The ever-widening debate about from where and at what photographers can aim their cameras illustrates a tug-of-war between constitutional rights and the protection of what officials say are potential terrorist targets.”
Once again, the lesson here is: When stopped by law enforcement, security, or the like… don’t confront, just comply. Most cops out there know when they are dealing with “Joe Railfan” and when they are not. If an officer asks you to move along, or find another place to shoot from, the simple thing to do is comply with what the officer is saying. He is undoubtedly trying to save you, and him from further headaches. We all know we have the right to shoot pictures from public roads, and etc, but if approached by law enforcement, just cooperate with them, they have a job to do too, and trust me, the last thing they want to do is confront you… unless of course, they get attitude, then, they will become less than cordial.
Also, some common sense. If you are in a place that you think may be “sensitive”, use some common sense, and relocate yourself. For example, I would never go down along the refineries near where I live, simply because it wouldn’t be worth the hassle, maybe I could get some good pictures there… but frankly, I would rather shoot from a place where I won’t get bothered, just makes my day easier…
Actually industrial security people have no authority when it comes to public property. They can ask you to move from public property all day long, but their authority is restricted to their property. If it was me I would just get me pictures quickly and leave but…To each their own. There are some people whom seem to get a rise out of confrontations.
The Port of Galveston Police are full-fledged law enforcement officers, not security guards. Even security guards can summon law enforcement to the scene if they deem it necessary. Since security guards and law enforcement generally have a decent working relationship, I agree with you, that discretion is the better part of valor. Another factor that can work against the railfan is being from out of the area.
There’s always someone pontificating about photographers’ rights and what they would or would not do when confronted by law enforcement. I’ve yet to see them describe any such confrontation they’ve personally had (and won), rather they seem to be playing “Philadelphia lawyer” and advising others what to do.
I don’t think the following is exactly a confrontation, but I think I might have won:
I was on public property with my daughter taking pictures across the street of an industrial operation. A guard came out of the guard shack carrying a club. He crossed the street and proceeded to intimidate me, demand identification, and tell me I couldn’t be there. I did not confront him–who had the club, after all? BUT, the next day, I called the company with two questions. One was whether the company endorsed their guards going off the property to take such actions. The other was whether they wanted the general public to derive a negative attitude toward the company based on the guard’s actions. I ended up talking to a V.P. who said a distinct “no” to both questions, and who told me to call him direct if I ever had a problem like this again. The next time I drove past the guardhouse, that particular guard was not in evidence, and I never saw him there again. I have a soft spot for that company/official to this day–I think many a company would have just blown me off–this one didn’t.
Definitely not a confrontation but definitely a “win”. You handled it in exactly the right way. The “Philly lawyer” types I referred to are the ones who seem to encourage OTHERS to “stand their ground” with law enforcement or security. Anyway, it makes one wonder about those who spend so much time focused on this issue. I’ve been taking railroad pictures since the late '50s with no real problems, and I suspect the vast majority of railfans do the same.
Considering that our government declared a “global war on terrorism” in 2001 and that our last “global war” was World War II when there were restrictions on photography, I’m a bit surprised that there are relatively few hassles reported.
The Cold War was the “shorthand” name for the geopolitical, economic, and ideological struggle between the West and the USSR which involved no open hostilities. Not a war in the sense of WWII and the so-called “war on terrorism”, which does involve a shooting war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
That’s why Iraq wants us out so bad. The world could care less if “WE” the USA would drop off the face of the earth. And that’s sad. If the world hates us that bad. Why don’y they nuke us now and get it over with.