Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Simon, Nobody suggested photographers should be excempt from searches (not sure why you picked on the "professional" ones). If you'll read the posts, many are critical of the lax security for safety reasons, not because it made it hard to get film through (lax security usually accomplishes the opposite). In fact, we who are concerned for the safety of our property (film) ASK to be inspected, not to be waved on through. Sometimes professional photographers get special access privileges, but very often not (writing from the U.S). Very often we are expelled from or restrained in areas that are otherwise open to the public, even though that's often against the law. I was arrested on the 4th of July (freedom day!) for photographing cops throwing kids to the ground in Huntington Beach just 'cause they didn't like what I was doing (press credentials were clearly displayed). Routinely I'm denied access by the cops to areas that are expressly accessible by the media according to California code, and when politely informed of the particular codes, the cops invariably say it's a gray area or file a complaint or something like that and ignore the laws. My point is, I've never known a respectable professional photographer who thought the rules don't apply to him. In reality, the rules don't seem to apply to those enforcing them. Dave Yoder Simon Stevens wrote: > Personally as an occasional flier who prefers some assurance of arriving in ONE piece, rather than several scattered pieces, or alive but via an unscheduled trip to Tripoli of other sunny locale, I'm quite happy to let them search as necessary. > > Despite the horror stories presented here, I have experienced some amazing lack of vigilance. In 1985 (one year after the Brighton Bomb) I was allowed past the barriers and into Downing street without being searched where I then stood about 15 feet from the Prime Minister and took pictures, often digging around inside a rather large camera bag that really could have held anything (even a Leica). All it took was a letter and a phone call to the Press Office. Then as now, incidentally, I did not have a press pass. > > Even worse, security at Duesseldorf airport in 1994 allowed me to walk all over their airport, including through the checkpoints with a loaded, concealed, 9mm pistol. I was carrying the gun as part of my official duties in the US Army which is why I was there, but the alarming thing is that they never asked to see my permit or my identification, or even to look at the weapon - they just took me at my word that it was OK and official. This is why I'm happy to hear of security guards who actually do their jobs and who aren't swayed by sob stories of "I'm a professional photographer so the rules don't apply to me." > > My 2 cents! > > Simon Stevens > Camera Craftsman > (703) 548-7548 > http://www.camera-craftsman.com > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Part 1.2 Type: application/ms-tnef > Encoding: base64