Photography from Bear Mountain Bridge

[dwil89]

I was up on the Bear Mountain Bridge shooting pics of the Riverline...was on bridge from 9am until about 1 or 130pm.

At about 1pm a NY DOT pickup pulls over and a female employee asked me if I was ok...I said I was fine..and that I was photographing trains. She then asked me if I let the bridge authority know ahead of time that I would be doing this....I replied no and that I never heard of checking in with the bridge authority to take train pics and I pointed out all the pedestrians on bridge taking pictures of Fall colors today.

She replied that I was being watched on camera and was on the bridge for a long time. I replied that it is often a wait between trains and that trainbuffs often stay in one spot to get multiple shots.

She then said it was ok to stay but that she needed to see my ID and would let the person monitoring cameras know that I was a train photographer....Trainbuffs have been taking pics from that bridge for years....it should be obvious on security camera that everytime a train gets near and someone raises a camera that they are likely a trainbuff.

[Passaic River Rat]

Well, she was female and you aroused her interests. Good for you!

[RussNelson]

In their minds, the only thing more boring than watching trains is watching train photographers ... but that's their job. Can you blame them if they want to DO something? You didn't comply with the ID, did you? Because there is no law prohibiting people from taking picture in a public place.

[Gone2long]

Welcome to the new normal

[dwil89]

Actually I did comply with the ID fuguring that if I did not, a police cruiser would show up...although I knew I was doing nothing wrong....I had not shot from the bridge in years....at least 10....

[YamaOfParadise]

Besides from heighten security concerns in the last decade, I also imagine the security cameras are also trying to prevent suicides; hence asking if you were okay.

[Otto Vondrak]

I was up on the Bear Mountain Bridge shooting pics of the Riverline...was on bridge from 9am until about 1 or 130pm.

At about 1pm a NY DOT pickup pulls over and a female employee asked me if I was ok...I said I was fine..and that I was photographing trains. She then asked me if I let the bridge authority know ahead of time that I would be doing this....I replied no and that I never heard of checking in with the bridge authority to take train pics and I pointed out all the pedestrians on bridge taking pictures of Fall colors today.

She replied that I was being watched on camera and was on the bridge for a long time. I replied that it is often a wait between trains and that trainbuffs often stay in one spot to get multiple shots.

She then said it was ok to stay but that she needed to see my ID and would let the person monitoring cameras know that I was a train photographer....Trainbuffs have been taking pics from that bridge for years....it should be obvious on security camera that everytime a train gets near and someone raises a camera that they are likely a trainbuff.

You can offer your ID as a courtesy, but it's not required of you to produce it. If she felt there was a crime being committed, she can call the police. I challenged some bridge workers over this a few years ago and the Park Police did indeed pay me a visit. They could not answer what law I was violating (some vague language about a "policy" was offered), so I politely continued on my merry way photographing trains from the walkway as I pleased and we all went on to live our lives in peace.

It's a mild annoyance, but nothing to get ruffled over.

-otto-

[Otto Vondrak]

Besides from heighten security concerns in the last decade, I also imagine the security cameras are also trying to prevent suicides; hence asking if you were okay.

Agreed this was probably the more likely cause of the bridge worker's inquiry.

-otto-

[Jeff Smith]

This is one of those danged if you do danged if you don't. On both parts. If you'd actually jumped, they'd be asking why no one checked on you. In some places it's more obvious: down river on the TZB for instance, which does not have a walkway, someone standing at the rail would justifiably draw immediate interest.

Bridges with pedestrian walkways would of course be less so, depending:

-The Brooklyn Bridge walkway is center of the bridge, but if you climb onto the "cage" wires, or get out of your car, um...
-Not sure but I think the new TZB will be accessible to foot and bike traffic.
-GW I think has an outside walkway; not sure what fencing they have.
-Walkway on Hudson I believe has clear Plexiglas barrier?
-59th St. Bridge - not sure.

Anyway, I'm kind of surprised they sent out a non-peace officer type, but a DOT truck, whose employee is presumably not trained in suicide prevention.

Our policy here on the site is to recommend being polite when questioned, and complying with orders given by authorized individuals (i.e. police or fire, badged personnel, etc.). You can ask for their information as well if you feel you were hassled or otherwise unduly denied access, and complain later. And never trespass. Of course that's not the case here, and it sounds like this was handled amicably.

The only time I was ever bothered with a camera was filming the LI Ferry at Bridgeport (and getting shots of trains on the viaduct there as well). And it was a vehicle loading crewman who told me the Coast Guard prohibited pictures of the docking procedure. I told him he was full of "it" and had no authority, and that there were no signs. Okay, so I wasn't polite, but it was BLATANT! Please, no photos of a docking procedure of a ferry?

[TomNelligan]

The only time I was ever bothered with a camera was filming the LI Ferry at Bridgeport (and getting shots of trains on the viaduct there as well). And it was a vehicle loading crewman who told me the Coast Guard prohibited pictures of the docking procedure. I told him he was full of "it" and had no authority, and that there were no signs.

Actually, although it sounds like that crewman was a bit overzealous, the Bridgeport ferry dock IS specifically posted as no photography allowed.There's a sign stating that along the walkway from the railroad station. I don't know if there's also one on the street approach as well since I've always come in on foot, but I assume there would be. The only reason I can think for it being considered a security zone is that the Bridgeport police dock their harbor patrol boats right next to the ferry pier.

[Jeff Smith]

Interesting, did not know that.

[RussNelson]

Actually, although it sounds like that crewman was a bit overzealous, the Bridgeport ferry dock IS specifically posted as no photography allowed.There's a sign stating that along the walkway from the railroad station.

Private property owners can put whatever restrictions they like on their property. That's one of the rights they get when they "own" property. Most property owners choose not to restrict photography.

[DogBert]

I always take photos of those no photography signs for comedy sake.

There are cameras so small now that there's no way to stop anyone from photographing everything whenever, automatically and without anyone knowing. I've used one of these while doing client research, and no one even noticed it: http://getnarrative.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm more inclined to go with the assumption they were checking to make sure you weren't going to jump. The ID check might have just been a matter of showing work. Cops have to write such things in their little pads so the boss knows they're not goofing off - maybe this employee has a similar work situation.