Apprently i'm a terrorist :/

evilswans

evilswans

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matthew toms
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Well today was out with the camera, and normally i dont pop down to my local railways station, i normally go lineside, anyways thought i would pay a visit to Woking station to get some photos as its been a while since i have been down there. Anyways walk up to the women on the ticket barrier;

Heya, do you mind if i come on to take a few photographs? i'll be down on the end of platform 5.

Have you got permission?

Permisson? i just wanna take a few photographs

I'm sorry but unless you have permission to be on the station to take photographs i can't let you on, due to the risk of terrorism

excuse me? terrorism?

yes anyone with a camera is considered a potential hazard

You are joking, i'm a trainspotter and just want to get a few photographs.

And with that i thought it best to leave and not cause a fuss, but i couldn't believe it, another jobsworth its just going to far now, okay i agree they have to be on 'alert' but anyone on that station with a mobile phone can take photos, so why can't i come on with a slr?

ah just a lil rant, but where do i stand if i do wish to take photographs, its not the first time i have had this, a year or two back i paid a visit to London Victoria to take some photos of Clan Line which had been out on a pullman run, anyways put my ticket in the machine (travelcard) comes up seek assistance, b****r, Go and see the ticket bloke, hiya, just want to go on and get a few pictures of the steam loco is that okay? No sorry son you have to have permission, righto and where can i get that? over there.

He then pointed to the Network Rail offices, have to sign in there son, that then took about 20 minutes (good job i arrived early!) all filled in now a visitor on Network Rails behalf, great i thought, as i was walking out, sorry dear i'm going to have to take your tripod................why? It could be used as a wepon, ermmmmm you are joking, its gone 9 at night in winter how am i meant to get a steady photo? sorry dear rules are rules. couldn't believe it, anyways some bloke that was on the tour leant me his tripod so i could at least get a few shots, but it just seemed crazy

Anyone else had silmlier experiances like this and how did you get round it??

many thanks Matt :)
 
All stations are like that now the best thing to do, is to announce yourself to the station staff and sign on as a visitor that way you get a visitors pass and will not get badgered by the old bill or plastic plod.

It is H&S you are on the station and must be made aware of the evacuation and emergency processes.

Use of tripods are not allowed unless you are being escorted by a member of staff, this is because the item is a trip hazard and when you are using the tripod you are not aware of all the other people wandering round. Someone could stumble into you and go off the platform.

If you really need the tripod you can use it but expect to have to pay for the privilege as a member of the staff will have to be with you.

Failing that get a visitors pass and up the ISO or keep a monopod hidden away about your person...

Nigel
 
sounds like they didn't know the reasons and made them up o the spot.

To be fair, if them's the rules, I blame those who made them not the 'jobsworths' who could get in trouble for saying yes. Most would probably turn a blind eye - don't ask just do it and if asked to stop then you are no worse off really.

I can see why they might not want tripods on station platforms though....
 
akr said:
... I can see why they might not want tripods on station platforms though....
Click to expand...

Yes, seriously so can I. But I also despair sometimes about how things are changing. You're going to need a license to fart soon...
 
i can see where your coming from, but where i was taking the photo with the tripod was well out of the way, and no one would have tripped over it, but yes i can see where your coming from.

and i know its a jobsworth because i have been let on before, its just going too far now
 
i think i'd just go do what i wanted and apologise if caught , its easier :D
 
titch124 said:
i think i'd just go do what i wanted and apologise if caught , its easier :D
Click to expand...

and then they ban all photographers, because they have to spend so much time chasing them around and get peed off :(
 
Network Rail do actually publicly welcome photographers (non-commerical) to their stations... is Woking run by an operator such as Virgin? They can get a bit fussy.. as was recently reported at Macclesfield!
 
evilswans said:
i can see where your coming from, but where i was taking the photo with the tripod was well out of the way, and no one would have tripped over it, but yes i can see where your coming from.

and i know its a jobsworth because i have been let on before, its just going too far now
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, and I can imagine it's frustrating for sure. I went to India recently, no problems there, and plenty of time to set-up waiting for the trains to arrive! Get over there! :thumbs:
 
Buy a return to Guildford.
They can't [sensibly] not let you take a tripod on the train.
A bicycle pump could be used as a weapon.
 
THANK GOD! I don't live among you anymore.....I was "over" a couple of weeks ago, and it was way worse than last March... How do you stand it.
 
Having just come back from another trip to the States, I'm starting to feel really sad for the first time about the way photographers are treated by 'authority' in this country.

Part of my trip was to the Hoover Dam - definitely a terrorist target which would cause massive devastation should it be blown up. Security was pretty tight getting in (airport scanners) but once in the guide said 'has everyone read the rules on photography?' A resounding no from everyone. She then said 'Good, there aren't any rules. Take as many photos as you want of anything you want'. It was quite refreshing.

It's a small example but is typical of the way photographers are treated there. Over here you seem to be guilty of terrorism until you can prove your innocence.
 
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