I hear of horror stories all the time, and read about them in the press. Friday morning 28 May 2010 I was photographing a Tacoma Rail train out by the Boeing Fredrickson plant. I was just getting out of the rain and into my car when a Boeing Security car pulls up with his flashers going, and he asked me what I was doing. I explained that I am a rail fan and I was lensing the Tacoma Rail units on the lead of a short freight. He very politely told me that I was not allowed to take pictures on Boeing property, and I was on their property, however outside the gate to the plant. He did point out a better place to take pictures from, that was public property. He did not ask me to delete any pictures, he did not detain me, he did not call the local Sherrif or anything like that.
I would just like to give Kudos to a nice guy that works for Boeing, and would also comment that most of my interactions with the local security and police are that way. I have never been harassed, and frequently the officer is interested in what I am doing.
It is not unusual for private owners of property that is not open to the public to prohibit photography on their property.
While I am a very vocal critic of the swamp of paranoia into which this country is sinking, this particular situation does not fall into that category. The guard seems to have been polite and within his duties to calmly usher you off the private property and onto public property.
With so many security guards convinced of their own self importance, I also commend this one.
In my defense I did say that I was not past any gate of any sort. Also there were no signs indicating that I was on Boeing property, and I was legally parked on the side of Canyon Road, which is a public right-of-way. One would probably have to get out a property map to see where Boeing property begins, what easements and covenants there are and what is indeed public property.
The purpose of my post was to indicate that congeniality and politness pays divideds on both sides of the coin, and rail photography is fun.
I’ve been in aviation for over thirty years. If the cops accosted airplane photographers like they do railfans the jails would get even more crowded. Just don’t ask to take pictures of Air Force one while it’s landing.
I think that is key. I have always taken the side that I need to be nice first and respectful either to LEO’s (Law Enforcement Officer) or train crews. After all, they are working, I am not. I have lots of interaction with both, and every single time, had great responses. Granted, it helps if you try and follow posted signs, laws etc. Occasional, a simple mistake can happen and smiles go much farther than attitudes. Nice to hear.
I always treat LEOs (and everyone else for that matter) with respect and with a calm cool collective head and that usually avoids most unwanted drama. Then again I’m about the last person to cave in to undereducated overzellous officers trying to overstep there duty (usually in the name of “911” however that is supose to justify their actions).[V][sigh]
Fortunately my experience post 911 has ben better then most.[8D]