What's the scoop on bridge photography?

"Don't photograph any bridges owned by the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority

in NYC (i.e. big suspension bridges). They will arrest you, confiscate your

film and develop it."

 

Interesting - who allows them to carry out such illegal acts?

I am serious when I say that the TBTA has banned photograhy of their bridges (and probably their tunnels also) without prior permission. They will arrest you if you are on their property when doing it. I don't know how far away from their property is safe. Is it legal? I don't think it is. It certainly won't stop terrorism.

 

I would take it seriously if you plan to photograph these bridges in nyc. TBTA peace officers were never armed in the past, and in my judgement they could be dangerous with a loaded weapon in their hands. They are not nyc police officers.

I haven't taken any pictures of bridges lately but every time I take out my Pentax 1 degree spotmeter (the ones that look kinda like a small pistol from a distance) I get nervous and start looking around to see if any police are rushing toward me with drawn weapons.

>After 50 years of supporting repressive dictatorships in South >America, South East Asia and elsewhere, isn't it nice for Americans >to find out first hand what it's like to live in a police state?

>

>What goes around, as they say, comes around...

>

>-- harvey platter , May 24, 2003; 06:35 A.M. Eastern

>

>

>

>Trouble with that, Harvey, is that the average American doesn't >directly support dictators. True, we elect the people that do, but >we do so from a limited selection. I think you'll find that the >people that do directly support those dictators aren't bothered by >the police.

 

 

 

I must admit, when I read this I was totally stunned. It indicates the fear that must have arissen over there.

Actually it would be a nice photo project. Photograph those people arrested for taking pictures... That would be a weird project

 

This is bizar guys, I already believed something was seriously wrong in the US, with companies that "buy" the president and many other issues, this makes this feeling stronger. You're indeed close to a police/totalitairy state. You'll find that respect for others will do more good than this.

 

BTW: Who was it that said: 'the person that leads a country must be dragged up the stairs and forced to his job'.

Reinier, I would caution you and our other European friends to not get too excited by this thread.

 

This is the age in the U.S. where no one is willing to leave anyone else alone any more. All now have their private agendas for the politicians.

 

The Right wants a soldier on every street corner. The Left wants us to build churches without Bibles, which instead celebrate and worship red-nosed reindeer and chocolate bunnies. And the tree-huggers want us to trash our guns but save our trash.

 

Secretary Rumsfeld was correct when he said that democracy tends to be untidy.

 

I�m just trying to find out what the rules are this week...

Personally I believe the US don't have a democracy. You only select the next puppet who has to justify his behaviour to the companies that bought him into the office.

Democracy is about listening to the other man's opinion and respect it, and compromize to get the best for everybody.

 

Yes, the CIA, FBI, NSA and whatever other scum probably have my address already for some time. Probably all my mail is being scanned. I'm member of the evil Greenpeace, who dares to put respect for nature ahead of making money. And member of a dutch left-winged party, so I must score high in the list of risks for the US. I'm expecting an invasion every moment over here, and I (and the likes of me) will be shipped to cuba (I can't pronounce the name of that base there) and they will force me to eat GM food and my cage will be of tropical wood (As you know the US holds itself the right to invade every country of which they suspect hold opponents of the US and capture these).

 

Note there is a lot of sarcasm and generalisation here. I see so many troubled entries from Amerikans on the web that I think there is hope. I'm reading 'stupid white man' at the moment, also great stuff...

Here's the problem: When the US was founded there were approximately 80,000 residents in each US House of Representatives congressional district (relatively fewer voters than today if you normalize for the fact that women, blacks, and non-property holders couldn't vote). With each (constitutionally mandated) decennial census, the House increased its numbers, by majority vote, until 1911. Then, in 1921, because of WWI and temporary population displacement, the House didn't increase its size. In 1931 there was the depression, again temporarily displacing lots of people. In 1941, WWII. By 1951 members realized they'd got a good thing going and just conveniently forgot about enlarging the House. Result: Today we have about 700,000 people per congressional district. Compare that to the UK, with about 90,000.

 

The point is, with the smallest Federal level election district as large as 700,000, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY for any individual to make a difference or have any meaningful contact with the Federal government. Americans now have government by and for big money, and everything else about American 'democracy' is a sick theatrical production. It's corporate socialism, something that Mussolini would have immediately recognized as Fascism.

 

Don't kid yourselves, we ain't the land of the free. And in North America traditions can be bought really cheap.

Someone wrote in this thread that "Personally I believe the US don't have a democracy. "

 

People keep using the word democracy to describe the US. Of course we don't have a democracy. We were never intended to. The United States is a Republic, as in..."and to the Republic for which it stands..."

 

A democracy votes on who its leaders are to be and the votes directly determine who that leader is. In a Republic, the people select representatives and the representatives determine who the leaders are and what decisions, laws, etc. are made.

 

Still, I can think of alot of countries in the world where I would'nt be allowed to drag a 4x5 and all its accompanying accessories around the countryside like I do in the US.

A bit like the former eastblock and USSR then, landscape is no problem, at the moment you started photographing buildings etc, you were a probable spy and had a good chance to be arrested...

 

So actually we didn't "beat" the communist, they slowely and secretly implemented their system into ours

Hey Kevin Bourque,

I work for the engineering firm that designed the new Cooper River Bridge that is currently under construction. I am curious to see your photos. Are they viewable on the web anywhere?

I recently tried to take photos at the Marine Parkway Bridge - which

has a public walkway. Only after 9-11 did they add signs on all their

bridges and tunnels, the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, that

prohibit photography.

I have discussed this with management and they have agreed to allow

media to take photos with authorization.

The other day, I had the Concorde being taken by barge from the

airport and going under the Marine Parkway Bridge.

I had three minutes. I was manhandled by TBTA cops and I called TBTA

Frank Pasqual at 646-252-7417 and he was well known to the cops. He

told them I could take photos. But I almost lost the moment.

I still dont know what law they are using to stop me from

photograping. How can they stop me from photographing from a public

place? If I am off the bridge, how can they stop me? If I am on the

public walkway, what law can they stop me with? WHo do they think they

are? They even prevented me from going off property to photograph the

bridge? What is this??? Anyone have answers or where to look for them?

Todd Maisel

N<div></div>

Todd, I don't have a good answer for you.

 

I suppose that if you are smart, you can find the above post which allows you to read the entire law for yourself.

 

If you are rich, you can hire a lawyer.

 

If you are politically active, call Ted Kennedy, Tom Daschle and the ACLU.

 

If you are sneaky you can buy a hardhat, orange vest and paint your tripod yellow.

 

If you have nothing to lose, go back there with a TV news crew taping you and make a big stink.

 

Otherwise, realize that every law is not necessarly sensible nor fair.

"Based upon 9/11 and the irrational acts of certain groups, I can forego some of my freedoms for the benefit of my neighbors.

Regards, John Bailey"

 

What did Ben Franklin say about freedom and security?

 

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security"

From the same people who brought you prohibitions against bridge and tunnel photography, we now have prohibitions being proposed on mass transit photography. Why not cut off more public space?

Okay, they are conceding that credential media can take photos, but the rest of the public, especially tourists will be subject to fine and confiscation of film or digital media. Insane!

A terrorist does not need a photo to know that the most crowded time of the day is rush hour and Grand Central or Penn Station are the most crowded stations. Once again, government is over reacting. I am in favor of police asking people why they are taking pictures, but prohibitions are yet another attack on civil liberties and allows the terrorist to win one more round.

Thanks to the efforts of the National Press Photographers Association, NY Press Photographers Association and an amalgym of other strap hanger groups, the proposed MTA ban on photography in the subway has been withdrawn. Let's all keep a look out for similar restrictions that may be imposed by a government intent on hurting First Amendment freedoms.