Railfan Harassment at Northport Station on LIRR

[Fan Railer]

 

If you can, watch this on YouTube and read the video description; it provides more of a perspective as to what exactly happened.

[Missabassie]

Great video.

As for "him", all I gotta say is, people all over the world go railfanning and making train videos, but only in the "land of the free" it becomes a problem??    You get my support for standing your ground.

[QM1to6Ave]

LOL "this is going straight to the FBI." 

[Far Rock Depot]

What's the title on YouTube so I can watch this? It won't show on my browser here

[nostalgia]

Not smart to incite him. He could have gotten violent.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Aside from that, you guys have to understand that people like their privacy.  I suspect that he got irritated because he probably knew you were filming and had him in the video.  I personally don't like it either and try to get out of the way, but you kept shooting with those people in the video, who clearly did not want "to participate", so you should've shot in a way that could show the train WITHOUT those people being in it.  The lady before him in the video clearly did not like being in it though she didn't say anything.  So far to my knowledge, no one has taken photos or shot video on purpose trying to get me in it, but if they did, I would approach them and wouldn't be too thrilled to say the least.

[nostalgia]

Aside from that, you guys have to understand that people like their privacy.  I suspect that he got irritated because he probably knew you were filming and had him in the video.  I personally don't like it either and try to get out of the way, but you kept shooting with those people in the video, who clearly did not want "to participate", so you should've shot in a way that could show the train WITHOUT those people being in it.  The lady before him in the video clearly did not like being in it though she didn't say anything.  So far to my knowledge, no one has taken photos or shot video on purpose trying to get me in it, but if they did, I would approach them and wouldn't be too thrilled to say the least.

I'm not sure there is a right to privacy in a public location.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I'm not sure there is a right to privacy in a public location.

Yeah well you know what?  This rail fan was just getting a taste of his own medicine.  You go filming people who don't want to be filmed and you're bound to have issues.  It's funny how the rail fan felt that he was harassed but didn't realize that his actions violated people's wishes to NOT be filmed.  Just like he has a right to film, they have a right to not be filmed by some stranger. The very people that think that they have a right to film wherever and whenever are the same people who DEMAND and want their own privacy or don't want their faces shown out in public.  Talk about double standards.  That's precisely why that guy walked back and snapped a photo in his face.  It's like you're telling people they're on camera that don't want you filming them. 

 

I'm not talking about building cameras or security cameras either... Completely different situation, and you know very well that it is.

[LIRR 154]

The smart thing to do is to simple ignore him or say thank you and have a nice day. Also how close were you on that platform near the yellow line? But next time be smart and don't incite. You don't know if that guy is just a commuter or a big boss on the RR. Trust there alot of them . Next thing you know you and rail fans alike are being barred from filming and your really being single out by MTA police. You don't want that.

[nostalgia]

Yeah well you know what?  This rail fan was just getting a taste of his own medicine.  You go filming people who don't want to be filmed and you're bound to have issues.  It's funny how the rail fan felt that he was harassed but didn't realize that his actions violated people's wishes to NOT be filmed.  Just like he has a right to film, they have a right to not be filmed by some stranger. The very people that think that they have a right to film wherever and whenever are the same people who DEMAND and want their own privacy or don't want their faces shown out in public.  Talk about double standards.  That's precisely why that guy walked back and snapped a photo in his face.  It's like you're telling people they're on camera that don't want you filming them. 

 

I'm not talking about building cameras or security cameras either... Completely different situation, and you know very well that it is.

 

You need to listen very carefully to the video. The man's complaint wasn't about privacy but terrorism. He didn't complain about his privacy.

 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

 

Yeah well you know what?  This rail fan was just getting a taste of his own medicine.  You go filming people who don't want to be filmed and you're bound to have issues.  It's funny how the rail fan felt that he was harassed but didn't realize that his actions violated people's wishes to NOT be filmed.  Just like he has a right to film, they have a right to not be filmed by some stranger. The very people that think that they have a right to film wherever and whenever are the same people who DEMAND and want their own privacy or don't want their faces shown out in public.  Talk about double standards.  That's precisely why that guy walked back and snapped a photo in his face.  It's like you're telling people they're on camera that don't want you filming them. 

 

I'm not talking about building cameras or security cameras either... Completely different situation, and you know very well that it is.

 

You need to listen very carefully to the video. The man's complaint wasn't about privacy but terrorism. He didn't complain about his privacy.

 

Yes I heard it very carefully... I still stand by my statement.  You also see in the video that he makes a point to practically stick his cell phone in the guy's face and snap a photo of him.  That shows that he didn't appreciate being recorded.

[ttcsubwayfan]

Funny how no one makes a peep about all the security cameras they run into during the day, but meet some guy filming a train and the apocalypse happens. Hilarious.

[trainfan22]

The smart thing to do is to simple ignore him or say thank you and have a nice day. Also how close were you on that platform near the yellow line? But next time be smart and don't incite. You don't know if that guy is just a commuter or a big boss on the RR. Trust there alot of them . Next thing you know you and rail fans alike are being barred from filming and your really being single out by MTA police. You don't want that.

I doubt it was a big wig from the RR just from the Asian comment alone. It would be really dumb of him to make that comment while being filmed, cause if this video went viral there would be a high chance of his real name and other personal info getting posted in the media.

[Truckie]

This is exactly what gives rail fans a bad name. The few that go around thinking that are high and mighty because they know they are doing nothing wrong. Unfortunately when confronted they turn into a douche. If they became the better man and not run their mouths when ever confronted, things would be better for them.

[trainfan22]

Yes I heard it very carefully... I still stand by my statement. You also see in the video that he makes a point to practically stick his cell phone in the guy's face and snap a photo of him. That shows that he didn't appreciate being recorded.

Odds are that guy took OP photo because he thought he was a terrorist and OP picture would make it easier for the FBI to find him lol.

Funny how no one makes a peep about all the security cameras they run into during the day, but meet some guy filming a train and the apocalypse happens. Hilarious.

In this situation, that guy thought OP was a terrorist so it wouldn't make sense for him to have a issue with security camaras as there intention is to make places safer.

[ttcsubwayfan]

 Odds are that guy took OP photo because he thought he was a terrorist and OP picture would make it easier to find him lol. In this situation, that guy thought OP was a terrorist so it wouldn't make sense for him to have a issue with security camaras as there intention as is make places safer.

 

I missed that part. I was watching it early while everyone was asleep and I couldn't find my headphones so I had to listen to it with the volume low so I missed a lot of stuff. Thanks for the correction.

 

However, I stand by what I said in regards to the "privacy" topic brought up earlier.

[Union Tpke]

Talking about the video before the incident great video! Some people can't tell the difference! 

I probably would have ignored the guy, but I was not in this situation, so maybe I would have done things differently in the heat of the conflict.

It is obvious Fan Railer wouldn't of said anything insulting about Long Islanders otherwise. He was just defending himself.

Lets not overreact to this conflict.

+1 to Fan Railer!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

This is exactly what gives rail fans a bad name. The few that go around thinking that are high and mighty because they know they are doing nothing wrong. Unfortunately when confronted they turn into a douche. If they became the better man and not run their mouths when ever confronted, things would be better for them.

That and not recording people that don't want to be a part of the rail fan experience... 

[ttcsubwayfan]

When you're out and about photographing something, sooner or later you are going to have people end up in the background of your shot, whether intentionally or not, unless you only photograph abandoned settlements and the like. It comes with the territory.

 

And this isn't exclusive to rail fanning, if I'm a tourist and doing touristy things, I'm probably going to end up getting someone in the background of my shot purely because there's no such thing as a camera that can automatically filter out people. If you're a local you probably don't want to be part of the "tourist" experience either, but until a camera comes out that can filter out people from shots you're going to have to learn to deal with it. People aren't going to stop taking photos because Joe A**hole thinks that the only motivation someone has for taking photos is to violate his privacy.

 

I can't hear a word of what the guy in white with the camera says in the video but if he was rude and belligerent while confronting the OP, then the OP has every right to be just as rude and belligerent back - and be damned risks of giving railfans a bad name. If everyone who was ever confronted backed down because they didn't want to give their group a bad name then we would never get anywhere.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

When you're out and about photographing something, sooner or later you are going to have people end up in the background of your shot, whether intentionally or not, unless you only photograph abandoned settlements and the like. It comes with the territory.

 

And this isn't exclusive to rail fanning, if I'm a tourist and doing touristy things, I'm probably going to end up getting someone in the background of my shot purely because there's no such thing as a camera that can automatically filter out people. If you're a local you probably don't want to be part of the "tourist" experience either, but until a camera comes out that can filter out people from shots you're going to have to learn to deal with it. People aren't going to stop taking photos because Joe A**hole thinks that the only motivation someone has for taking photos is to violate his privacy.

 

I can't hear a word of what the guy in white with the camera says in the video but if he was rude and belligerent while confronting the OP, then the OP has every right to be just as rude and belligerent back - and be damned risks of giving railfans a bad name. If everyone who was ever confronted backed down because they didn't want to give their group a bad name then we would never get anywhere.

Whenever I take shots, I am always respectful of others and their personal space.  I only take shots of people if they want to be in them. In other words, I ask for their permission when taking a shot.  You have a bunch of weirdos out there that go around filming people because they're perverts, so you don't know what peoples' motives are.  I know you're too busy worrying about your needs to understand what I'm saying but I don't feel sorry for the guy.  He was not in a crowded space and once he saw that people didn't want to be in the video, he could've stopped and set up his camera at another angle, but he didn't, and thus that guy confronted him.  It comes with the territory.

[realizm]

Its really silly when people comes up with this argument for terrorism as a defense against railfanning photographers, when in reality, statistics will show that incidents of international terrorism is at the lowest its ever been in over a decade.

Argument for the right to a persons privacy? Certainty I can relate to that. Even though a person's right to privacy does not extend into a public place, I am careful as to not invade another's commuters private space. But railfanners being all grouped together as terrorists? Seriously?  

 

Kind of a bit far fetched and well, stupid really to assume just because a kid is out there with a camera filming a train or bus that he must be taking snapshots of infrastructure, rolling stock or whatever the case may be, to send to an international terrorist organization oversees to plant bombs for a terrorist attack. That same old rap we hear is seriously getting old!!

 

Time to get over the Islamaphobia, we are leaving Afghanistan, the war's over now. Come up with a new excuse at least...
 

[ttcsubwayfan]

Whenever I take shots, I am always respectful of others and their personal space.  I only take shots of people if they want to be in them. In other words, I ask for their permission when taking a shot.

 

 

And you take photos of what, exactly? If you're taking photos of something in a train station or a town square than there's a good chance there will be a lot of people around - if you manage to ask every single one of them for permission to take a photo that they may or may not appear in then you are unlike most people in the world.

 

 

 

You have a bunch of weirdos out there that go around filming people because they're perverts, so you don't know what peoples' motives are.  I know you're too busy worrying about your needs to understand what I'm saying but I don't feel sorry for the guy.

 

 

Oh look, VG8 is insinuating that no one but him is able to look at the other person's perspective. Must be a day that ends with "Y".

 

 

He was not in a crowded space and once he saw that people didn't want to be in the video, he could've stopped and set up his camera at another angle, but he didn't, and thus that guy confronted him.  It comes with the territory.

 

 

If the guy didn't want to be in the video then he could have asked nicely. It's still a ridiculous request if you're out in public but more people will be inclined to acknowledge it if you're not rude and confrontational. Being a jerk about it will ensure nothing except that people will be just as impolite in return. Not to mention that dirty looks don't universally mean "don't have me in your video", and when you're shooting transit you don't have much time to register the looks on people's faces anyway.

 

But given how the guy in the video overreacted for a completely different reason it's neither here nor there.

 

And no, it does not come with the territory. Funny how people taking tourist snaps are almost never confronted!

[TheNewYorkElevated]

I saw the whole video this morning, and I'ma definitely say FanRailer won that argument. I also agreed on the description on how people (especially those in New York and Long Island) have become in this post-9/11 paranoia world. 

[Cait Sith]

Yes I heard it very carefully... I still stand by my statement.  You also see in the video that he makes a point to practically stick his cell phone in the guy's face and snap a photo of him.  That shows that he didn't appreciate being recorded.

 

Complete bull. As I have been in that same situation numerous times especially as a person of color(except I don't overreact). It's NOTHING about privacy, it's citizens who think they're doing something right against something they think is completely illegal. Step into our shoes before you make such a statement like that. You can clearly hear him say something about sending the picture to the FBI or Police. For what? Because he feels his privacy(which there is none in public) is invaded? Complete bull...

 

In the age we live in now, anybody who has a camera in places outside of Manhattan or the five boroughs is considered a terrorist by people who are paranoid.

 

Stop trying to make an argument for the sake of arguing.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Complete bull. As I have been in that same situation numerous times especially as a person of color(except I don't overreact). It's NOTHING about privacy, it's citizens who think they're doing something right against something they think is completely illegal. Step into our shoes before you make such a statement like that. You can clearly hear him say something about sending the picture to the FBI or Police. For what? Because he feels his privacy(which there is none in public) is invaded? Complete bull...

 

In the age we live in now, anybody who has a camera in places outside of Manhattan or the five boroughs is considered a terrorist by people who are paranoid.

 

Stop trying to make an argument for the sake of arguing.

For what it's worth, it's a well known fact that terrorists do stake out spots before bombing them, taking photos of them.  I don't know what was in the guy's mind.  He appeared to have been pissed for his paranoia of thinking the rail fan was a terrorist and also for him being in the video that he didn't want to partake in.  I wonder what you do when you're in videos that you don't want to be in.  It's a complete double standard to say that people have the right to shoot whatever they want whenever they want and that on the other hand those who don't want to partake in being in videos or photos don't have any rights. So that means if I'm shooting you in public and you don't want to be shot and ask to me to stop that you don't have any right to do so, right?