And this is why we get harrassed:
http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=119588&catid=158
http://dcist.com/2010/11/suspicious_metro_passenger_email_is.php
This sounds like railfans at play to me. Hell, they could be describing my friend and me when we do our WMATA railfan outings (except we haven't done a field trip since May).
I'm really tempted to go down to L'Enfant Plaza and photograph down on the lower level - just all over it - just to provoke a reaction from WMATA. This memo really hit a nerve with me...
Well I knew this would happen one day. Just the other day Operators were following us, and thought we diddnt know they were.
The article on the WUSA states that these people were shooting from the hip, which is generally a strategy that is used by people trying to not attract attention or be seen. I used it in Istanbul where I'm pretty sure photography was illegal on the Metro. I hate to say it, but Metro SHOULD look into incidents such as this one, railfans rarely have anything to hide in my experience and are far more "out there" with their photography.
I agree. If the info in the article is correct, then I think WMATA was correct in circulating the memo. One problem I see with transitfanning photographers is that many of them seem to think an employee or police shouldn't be able to question them. I've been approached by transit employees once or twice, and I'm ready to explain my actions if they question why I'm photographing trains and buses. I also understand the frustration of some who are truly harrased by police and/or transit employees, but we also should understand that in this day-and-age you probably should expect to be challenged if you're doing transit photography.
It's definitely a sore spot, especially for many on the New York-based boards. Some years ago, myself and a couple of the guys here witnessed a situation on-board a NYCTA train and I called then police. It wasn't the fact the person was taking photos, but for me, the "setting" was right or ideal for someone with bad intentions to grab a few quick shots. Transit police did respond, but the train was already leaving the station and I don't know if they decided to have officers down the line meet the train. When I mentioned this on one of the New York boards... I got many angry responses to the point where I actually invited a couple of those tough-talkers to meet me in person. None of them took me up on my invite:-).
Yeah, that "shooting from the hip" is the kicker. I highly agree with Oren and Wayne, this seems like an understandable concern. For these two men to attract that type of attention for photography, especially in DC with its Metro system that most tourists would want to get at least one photo of, does worry me.
I just hope that other employees don't take this as a "he has a camera, stop him!" type of thing. I'd rather not be approached, but if there's a simple question and I'm just honest ("don't mind me, I'm just a tourist!") then oh well. I just get annoyed with someone who is misinformed tries to stop me and get me to delete my pictures.
Of course, I'm not the type of person to raise ruckus all of the time (I choose my battles). Otherwise, the last time I was riding around DC, I would've told that WMATA bus driver to F off, get out of my shot, and photograph a Metro E on the T2 at Rockville Station, instead of respecting his wishes to not photograph his bus. Sigh...
Some of the guys on the NYC boards are viciously obsessed with their supposed rights, and I honestly wouldn't take a lot of their advice. Asking you what you are taking photos of is not a problem, so long as the cops move on once they have ascertained you aren't a threat. I also find it better to just comply with employees/police who tell me to move on, especially when I have already photographed what I want. They can think they've won, and chances are I won't encounter them again. I also think that at the rate certain people seem to get in trouble, they are causing provocations. One person on SubChat once said he has a "15 minute rule", and that if you never linger anymore for longer than that, you are difficult to find, since it will take about that long for someone to see you and for the police to respond.