MRCTA Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 I was up in Rockford last Summer. I parked my car along the street and took pictures of the RMTD buses as they entered and left the terminal. After 25 minutes I was harassed by a police officer that came out from the nearby police station. The whole time I was there he was watching me from the window. I showed him my photo album full of bus pictures from around the world and explained him I am a transit enthusiast. He then told me taking pictures of RMTD buses is NOT allowed, but I told him otherwise. After I was done taking pictures he then followed me back to my Toyota. Then he told me I shouldn't be driving a foreign car around in Rockford. I was like you have a problem with me taking pics of buses and now you have a problem with me because I drive a Toyota Prius? Wow? On top of that he decided to write me a ticket as I was leaving the one hour parking zone, yet I was only there for 35-40 minutes. What a pr*** that cop. I will avoid Rockford in the future. You were just doing what you loved to do! And he stopped you for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cta5658 Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Like i said in another post, use the photographer's rights by bert krages, then they'll leave you alone. and if the photographer's right was made into law, that would be a big win for photographers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 The Photographer's Right is the law. Krages is an attorney; the pamphlet is a general summary of laws regarding photography. His Legal Handbook for Photographers is a more detailed resource. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 The Photographer's Right is the law. Krages is an attorney; the pamphlet is a general summary of laws regarding photography. His Legal Handbook for Photographers is a more detailed resource. Even if that's the case, that doesn't necessarily mean it is the law everywhere, with respect to trespassing and loitering. No one has posted here what the ordinances in Baltimore are, although plenty have posted what the CTA policy is, and, it, of course, does not bar taking pictures in public places. Of course: Copyright issues, such as rights in images, are federal law, applicable throughout the U.S. That's why I commented here about how you just can't copy something and post it on the Internet.To the extent that any local ordinance is unconstitutional, that is a nationwide issue. What got my attention was RIPTA's statement was that the book "is the law." Probably disclosing personal stuff you already knew, my job is law books. However, one of the first things I was told in law school is that any summary, including the books on which I subsequently worked, is not the law, only the statutes and cases are. Fortunately, today, you can get most of them free on the Internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 The pamphlet has all of the appropriate caveats about local ordinances and possible exceptions. It still doesn't make sense to wish "it was the law," since the purpose of the pamphlet is to summarize what are already your legal rights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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