Funny incedent at Mineola

I was at Mineola this morning filming,when I saw this idiot crossing over the Oyster Bay Tracks.When he got to me,he told me that it is against the law to videotape trains.I told him that HE broke the law by crssing over the tracks in a restricted area (but he did not know that I had him on tape)
I went onto the main par of the station,when I see an MTA cop and this guy together.The cop starts to give me grief and states the usual.
I told the cop that his fool crossed the tracks in a restricted area.He denied it.Thats when I said in my best Warner Wolf impersonation "lets go to the videotape" I showed the cop the video of this fool crossing the tracks,with the gates down and a southbound OB closing in.The cop at first did not want to give the guy a summons.The guy then started calling me a terrorist and said that I should be arrested.The cop told him to calm down,he did not,he
did not.The cop asked for this guys ID,he refused,then the cop caled for backup which at that point a NCPO arrived,things got calm real quick,and they wrte him 2 tickets,1 for being past the gates when they are down,and 1 for being in a restricted area.As I watched all of this unfold,I broke outlaughing hysterically!! The cpsthen tod me that if this gy gives me any kind of trouble,to call them and this fool would have been arrested.They also asked me to come to court with them with the proof on my tape if the tickets were contested.

By the way,It was good to meet Head-end view and NIMBY last Friday morning.You are both great guys,NIMBY you are a smart young fellow who is going to be a big sucess in your life.Head-end,even though you were modest,I still maintain that guys like you have more guts and courage than I will ever know. I hope to see both of yu in the future more often.

Thats funny. It's just like the woman who came out from her house by MM56 to tell me I was tresspassing. (Any engineer that passes there know the only place I could be was up on that hill right behind the marker.) She didn't like it to much when I said "Who's the one standing on the tracks?"

Proof that cooler heads prevailed. Rather than stating to the cop about your constitutional rights, you did the right thing, and (surprise!) didn't get a summons. Your actions actually will help the railroad in their efforts to control trespassers.

Jay

ROFLMAO!!!! You go man! I wish I was there!

Good Job.

Tonight after work I decided to film an early evening train coming in at Northport. After I parked I walked across the parking lot with my camera. Just then a Suffolk County PD car came into view and I thought "here comes trouble". He didn't even notice me (or maybe didn't even care.), and he drove away. I got my footage and came home.

After September 11, I felt like I was trapped in a Tom Clancy novel. I understand why we have to have increased security in a lot of things (No objections when they want to check my shoes out at the airport!), but I'm tired of feeling like a criminal for doing something I did without a second thought 20 years ago.

Let's pray we get back to normal some day.

sry to say, but this is the new "normal"

the best defense is a good offense...

Just a bit of advice. Here in New York, currently there are no rules restricting the taking of photos or videos of railroads BUT tell that to the police. The police officer was ready to hassle you and probably arrest you or confiscate your film. I am retired law enforcement officer which included several years spent as a railroad police officer. Don't take any photos unless you're willing to put up with the hassling that will take place. It's not legal; the police have no authority to prevent you from taking the photos but they'll find something else to charge you with. I will never take rail photos again. I was a block away from the railroad tracks on a public street and was hassled by the police. You're not a criminal for taking the photos but the police will make you feel like one and may make you one before they're done with you.

Thanks for the advice.U untill May 2003,I had been vdeotaping for about 12 years,and have never been stopped once.Since then,I have been stopped about 1 dozen times.Most of the police were justdoing thier job,and after checking myID,they left me alone.I have had a couple of bad incedents with the police,and when that happened,I stood my ground confidently and respectfully.I was scared those couple of times,but I also refuse to act guilty if I am not doing anything wrong.Dont get me wrong,I would never get myself into a position of getting arrested,but then again I ask myself "where is the line going to be drawn" because beieve me it MAY be just photo taking that will be banned for now,but in the near future,If you are standing on a platform and let 1 or 2 trains pass by,you may get kicked off of the station.

After September 11, I felt like I was trapped in a Tom Clancy novel. I understand why we have to have increased security in a lot of things (No objections when they want to check my shoes out at the airport!), but I'm tired of feeling like a criminal for doing something I did without a second thought 20 years ago.

Yes, but you'll also have to throw in the events of "Madrid 3-1-1", the Madrid, Spain Railway Massacre, which is most likely why they have increased security even further. For example, in Boston, if you break out a camcourder there on their Subway routes, they could wind up witing you a "speeding tricket", so-called. There, MBTA Officials are WICKED strict about not filming. New York City and its subsidiaries, OTOH, I've been lucky, no troubles, and I even hide the camcorder fom view too to avoid being detected.

Does anyone know if the Madrid 3/11 perpetrators actually took any photos or filmed any footage of the railroad before doing what they did?

That's the same thing I've been wondering for some time now.