Cop Telling Me I can't Film... in my video

[error46146]

I've been yelled @ before too, so I know how it feels like. Yes its very very embarrassing.

 

For me now, i just go by one simple rule to avoid any future incidents:

 

Cops = Cameras Away

 

There. Done. No trouble.

[MTR Admiralty]

I've been yelled @ before too, so I know how it feels like. Yes its very very embarrassing.

 

For me now, i just go by one simple rule to avoid any future incidents:

 

Cops = Cameras Away

 

There. Done. No trouble.

Well yeah if you see uniform you know what to do, but don't forget you have dozens of PC cops roaming around the system.

[Maserati7200]

I've been yelled @ before too, so I know how it feels like. Yes its very very embarrassing.

 

For me now, i just go by one simple rule to avoid any future incidents:

 

Cops = Cameras Away

 

There. Done. No trouble.

 

The thing is, sometimes you don't see them. I would never film with a cop in my sights, but out of the three times I was stopped, I never saw the cops.

[MTR Admiralty]

The thing is, sometimes you don't see them. I would never film with a cop in my sights, but out of the three times I was stopped, I never saw the cops.

Yeah they don't have to make themselves conspicuous. In fact, they usually aren't because they want to catch "criminals" doing their work. The coppers could tap your shoulder and show you a badge and you're done.

[SubwayGuy]

I can't stand these dips**** who use 9/11 as an excuse to erode the civil rights of American citizens anymore. This isn't China. This isn't the old time USSR. When civil rights get taken away like the ability to take a video of a train, no matter how seemingly pointless, then the terrorists have won.

[via White Plains Road]

I can't stand these dips**** who use 9/11 as an excuse to erode the civil rights of American citizens anymore.

 

They use that excuse all the damn time....I even got that 9/11 excuse 2x from them!

[mark1447]

Kind of ironic you guys brought back this topic today. I was filming today and got stopped by cops twice. As in twice in one day. I was filming at Bedford Ave. on the and a cop approaches me and tells me its illegal. I tell him "I'm not trying to be rude, but I've gotten stopped for this before. So I checked the MTA.info website and it said filming was allowed." He then took me to his other cop friends and told them what happened. And the funniest thing happened, the other cop says "So? Its allowed". The cop who took me was shocked, and then the cop who defended me said "You know there is a lot of things they don't tell you".

 

Then th 2nd time I got caught today at Union Square . 2 cops approach me and tell me its illegal. I tell them the same story I told the other cops earlier. Then they said that it doesn't matter that MTA website says its legal. They said they make the rules. He warned me saying if I had a "**** cop" find me, that I could get arrested. pah.

 

The cop makes the rules? Thats crazy, wtf they are not even the owners of the they are just there for safety, that shows they dont even follow the damn rules. God bless that other cop that warned the other cop that its fine..

 

I think the needs work with the NYPD and spread the damn rules to the NYPD Cops and also to the work to remind them.. But the is just to lazy~

 

And I agree with MTR, carry the rules! I always do. Not just a part of it, the WHOLE thing with the URL to the source~

[Paul P]

The isn't lazy. Look from their point of view here. Mostly the people that photograph in the subway system are either tourists or railfans. Now why would they care about either one? It would just cost more money to train NYPD officers to know the rules. I'm not against this idea and I hope there will be one day no one will bother you for doing what's legal, but I don't see this happening unless it gets public attention, which it has just a little bit... Don't get me wrong.

[MTR Admiralty]

And I agree with MTR, carry the rules! I always do. Not just a part of it, the WHOLE thing with the URL to the source~

 

Sadly to say, some of the cops don't even give a load of bollocks about the rules. They think it's bogus. But stick to these though:

-Don't make yourself conspicuous (if you are at the front of a train taking 100000 pictures or in front of the RFW with your camera at the window, you're likely to get a tap on a shoulder)

-Try not to railfan at the busiest stations: (1. You will run into people 2. People will be in your pictures 3. Cops also lurk in the busiest stations, such as Times Square and Grand Central)

[bveguy]

To be very honest, nobody ever said a thing to me. Cops usually just pass by me and walk away, even if I was holding a camera to a train.

[MTR Admiralty]

To be very honest, nobody ever said a thing to me. Cops usually just pass by me and walk away, even if I was holding a camera to a train.

You're a lucky guy

[metsfan]

There have been railfans long before (the former) WTC was even built. There will be railfans as long as there are trains to see and cameras to capture them on.

 

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=117389#post117389

 

 

- A

[NYtransit]

Kind of ironic you guys brought back this topic today. I was filming today and got stopped by cops twice. As in twice in one day. I was filming at Bedford Ave. on the and a cop approaches me and tells me its illegal. I tell him "I'm not trying to be rude, but I've gotten stopped for this before. So I checked the MTA.info website and it said filming was allowed." He then took me to his other cop friends and told them what happened. And the funniest thing happened, the other cop says "So? Its allowed". The cop who took me was shocked, and then the cop who defended me said "You know there is a lot of things they don't tell you".

 

Then th 2nd time I got caught today at Union Square . 2 cops approach me and tell me its illegal. I tell them the same story I told the other cops earlier. Then they said that it doesn't matter that MTA website says its legal. They said they make the rules. He warned me saying if I had a "**** cop" find me, that I could get arrested. pah.

muuch respect to the cop that knew it was legal

[MTR Admiralty]

There have been railfans long before (the former) WTC was even built. There will be railfans as long as there are trains to see and cameras to capture them on.

 

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=117389#post117389

 

 

- A

Amen. There has been railfans since the age of locomotives.

[Mobilemoll]

I never knew about the MTA rules and after reading this thread I went on the MTA site and printed them up. I haven't taken any pics yet, but just in case I want to I'll know to have this print out with me (highlighting 1050.9) while knowing when to put my cam away if/when a cop gets irate.

[MTR Admiralty]

I never knew about the MTA rules and after reading this thread I went on the MTA site and printed them up. I haven't taken any pics yet, but just in case I want to I'll know to have this print out with me (highlighting 1050.9) while knowing when to put my cam away if/when a cop gets irate.

It's highly recommended that you arm yourself with the rules. But again, as from what I heard from some members here, some cops tend to disregard the rules. They think they have their own set of rules.

[Maserati7200]

But again, as from what I heard from some members here, some cops tend to disregard the rules. They think they have their own set of rules.

 

Some cops are simply arrogant :mad: :tdown:

[MTR Admiralty]

Some cops are simply arrogant :mad: :tdown:

In certain cases, it can be a legitimate excuse for them to say: "It's not part of our rulebook". They are supposed to protect us from (sic) terrorists.

However, in the favour of the common railfan, I am very sure that all of us on this board, and as well as many others, that we are all not terrorists. We have NO intention of inflicting harm on the systems we photograph. The reason why we photograph is because of our pleasure. We take it as a hobby. If tourists can take pictures of landmarks, why can't we with subways? I've seen NUMEROUS pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge, as well as other bridges/landmarks. Yet, from all of my experience, I have not heard a single tale of being stopped by cops. If cops don't take them for possible terrorists, why should we be stopped by one of them, just because we are just exercising our hobby?

[FamousNYLover]

Slightly off-topic,

Not only , even (NJT) HBLR T/O stopped me taking picture of interior of lightrail without flash.

(NJT) allows photographs to be taken of facilities and equipment as long as all safety and security procedures are followed. However, effective January 1, 2006, the requirement for a Photo Pass, temporary or Photo ID, has been eliminated. As such, photo permits are no longer a requirement to take photographs in publicly accessible areas on (NJT) property. Please note that this pertains to non-commercial photography only. Commercial photographers must still have a contract with NJ TRANSIT if they wish to film or conduct photo shoots. Scout photos taken by location scouts do not require a pass if the photos will not be sold.

[peterjames124]

I've been perusing this post hoping to find the information in lieu of posting a reply, but I was without luck. I'm a student filmmaker and I'm interested in filming several short scenes (I've deliberately written them to be short to minimise the filming time) in subway stations. I know that so long as ancillary equipment isn't used, filming is permitted, however I suspect that this permission is more for the allowance of brief fan videos wherein the subway station is part of the foreground. Does anyone know what sort of reaction I might receive when filming scenes (most of which consist of two people walking down the platform or waiting for and boarding a train) where the subway station and train might be in the background and actors in the foreground? A former professor of mine recommended that I attempt my filming at odd hours, such as late nights and weekends and using only an essential crew (which might consist of six people including actors)?

 

I apologise in advance for my verbosity, just trying to communicate my question as clearly and effectively as possible.

 

Thanks!

[Fan Railer]

head over to the general subway section, i have posted a new document that may be of interest.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/3544963391_7f1d30700c_b.jpg

hopefully it will be stickied there so it will be easier to find.

[Paul P]

head over to the general subway section, i have posted a new document that may be of interest.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/3544963391_7f1d30700c_b.jpg

hopefully it will be stickied there so it will be easier to find.

This is the kind of document I've been looking for, not just the rules from the website... This seems a lot more powerful with the logo on it [at least for a cop] I would think.

 

I've been perusing this post hoping to find the information in lieu of posting a reply, but I was without luck. I'm a student filmmaker and I'm interested in filming several short scenes (I've deliberately written them to be short to minimise the filming time) in subway stations. I know that so long as ancillary equipment isn't used, filming is permitted, however I suspect that this permission is more for the allowance of brief fan videos wherein the subway station is part of the foreground. Does anyone know what sort of reaction I might receive when filming scenes (most of which consist of two people walking down the platform or waiting for and boarding a train) where the subway station and train might be in the background and actors in the foreground? A former professor of mine recommended that I attempt my filming at odd hours, such as late nights and weekends and using only an essential crew (which might consist of six people including actors)?

 

I apologize in advance for my verbosity, just trying to communicate my question as clearly and effectively as possible.

 

Thanks!

 

Well... There will always be cops in the busiest stations in the system. So choose carefully, if you have a specific neighborhood you might be going to. Like you said without using ancillary equipment there shouldn't be trouble, but be prepared if a copper stops you... I wouldn't be worried so much about Transit employees.

[Far Rock Depot]

Amtrak police seem to be more understanding. I was stopped 2 times in Penn station taking pics of the Acela Express with my Blackberry and after telling him i was taking pics of it ( and during the second time also mentioned i have the same train in HO scale), they both replied "are you a railbuff?"

when i told them yeah they said ok and carried on.

Amtrak is national. They understand. Why cant the NYPD?

[peterjames124]

Well... There will always be cops in the busiest stations in the system. So choose carefully, if you have a specific neighborhood you might be going to. Like you said without using ancillary equipment there shouldn't be trouble, but be prepared if a copper stops you... I wouldn't be worried so much about Transit employees.

 

Well one station that I know for sure is (although not part of the IRT as this thread is) 190th Street on the by Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters. Additional locations might be Bleecker Street on the and (again not the IRT) West 4th street. I'm trying to write references to the station into the script, so I'd prefer to film in the actual station out of dedication to detail as well as my desire to flaunt my adopted home city.

 

I'm sure that an "official looking" form might help to persuade most police officers.

 

As a side note per your comment about transit officers not interfering with photos and videos, recently I boarded a red line train in Boston at Harvard Station and the transit worker claimed it was a violation of Homeland Security regulations specific for the city of Boston. As a law student, I questioned the veracity of his claim because a branch of the Federal Government has limited jurisdiction in such specialised and local affairs. I also referred him to New York City's laws, which as we've all said, under the prescribed conditions (i.e. no ancillary equipment, etc.) photography and filming is permitted. Besides, why would the Federal Government consider a city a fraction of the size (much love to all the Bostonians) of New York a higher threat? Makes no sense.

[Maserati7200]

This is the cop I was taking about earlier...