November 30, 2004
Threat Of Subway Photo Ban Riseth Again
NYC Transit Authority is putting the subway photo ban back up for vote with the MTA board!
Back in September, it seemed like the MTA was moving away from a full-blown ban. However, an amended proposal that would have put a ban on photographing sensitive areas, like dispatcher's room and towers (as the Daily News reports), was rejected. The full-up photo ban was officially proposed in the State Register (PDF) last Wednesday. Subchat speculates that this was a sneaky move, because most people's minds were on turkeys. A 45-day period of public comment began on November 24 and will close on January 10. Here are the amendments:
1050.9.c. No photograph, film or video recording shall be made or taken on or in any conveyance or facility by any person, except members of the press holding valid press identification cards issued by the New York City Police Department or by others duly authorized in writing to engage in such activity by the authority. All photographic activity must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Part.1040.4.f. No photograph, film or video recording shall be made or taken on or in any conveyance or facility by any person, except members of the press holding valid press identification cards issued by the New York City Police Department or by others duly authorized in writing to engage in such activity by SIRTOA or the authority. All photographic activity must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Part.
Gothamist thinks it's time for another protest. You can email your comments here and/or mail them to:
David Goldenberg
New York City Transit Authority
130 Livingston Street, Room 1207
Brooklyn NY 11201
718-694-5454
Gothamist on the subway photo ban.
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Agreed. Time for a protest.
multiple location flash mobs might make sense.
Perhaps a protest is in order, but I'm not convinced that 'multiple location flash mobs' might be effective. If anything, it might be even more justification to put a ban in place. I think objection should come from more 'influential' voices - such as pro photographers and the press.
Since the last protest over the ban, I've noticed exactly zero persons excercising their right to take photos in the subway.
Basically, a subway photo ban isn't going to impact anybody because nobody has bothered to excercise this right in the first place.
I have a feeling that people want to protest for the sake of protesting, not because they give a shit about snapping photos. But go ahead and fight the man if you must, but if you do I hope I see you and your cameras way more often. It'll make your protests much more meaningful.
Protests are all well and good, but it is essential to send in your public comments and to lobby the MTA board members to vote against the proposed ban.
Perhaps collectively, photobloggers could find connections to these board members and try to determine how they intend to vote on this measure and keep a public scorecard on the web. Authorities like the MTA don't get enough scrutiny. It's time to shine a public light on them and their activities.
(sorry about all of the trackbacks - blogging software gone crazy!)
Glenn - can you be at all places at all times? Who are you to say that because you haven't seen anyone taking photographs that no one will be affected by the ban? I know (from personal experience) that subway photography continues. Afterall this photo would be banned as well as this one and as well as this photo, besides countless others. Some of us like to take photos in the subway, and in fact try to make some sort of personal expression through photography (which last I heard was protected).
FYI, Glenn, I take photos on the subway all the damn time, as do at least half of my friends.
by glenn's 'logic', i should forfeit my right to trial by jury since i'm not using that right anyway. or at least because glenn hasn't personally witnessed me exercising that right in court.
FYI, Glenn, people who may not take pictures on the subway themselves are protesting because they're concerned about creeping authoritarianism. You couldn't take pictures of the subways in the USSR for "security" reasons either.
I saw a man taking pictures the other day in the subway - definitely a tourist. He was yelled at halfway down the platform by a cop and was told that it is illegal to take pictures in the subway. I personally felt like it had more to do with his race then the pictures, but that's just me. I felt like bad mouthing the cop and stating the MTA ban as my back-up, but decided against letting my anger get the best of me, for the man..him and his FAMILY got on the next train heading into midtown.
Not to dump on Glenn, but part of it may depend on whether you're looking for something, and part of it may also have to do with whether or not its memorable. I could ask whether or not you saw anyone in the subway wearing blue in the last three months, and you could fake a yes, being confident you probably had, but if I were to ask for specifics it would break down.
I suggest, however, that we find out Glenn's transit habits and start taking lots of pictures, since this may help prove the righteousness of the cause. :-)
I have been twice told by police that photos on the subway are illegal. I argued with one and showed her the rules but she just repeated her "You need to go to the ticket agent to get a permit" gibberish. Does anyone realistically think that such a ban would keep an unscrupulous person from getting the pictures desired anyway? Why not ban pictures from the top of the Empire State Building? A policman uptown saw me taking pictures of an apartment building and told me that it was illegal to take pictures in the city! This has gotten totally out of hand and the MTA is just contributing to the hysteria but pulling this back-end maneuver. Don't they have something more constructive to do with their time?
I remain convinced it's more about the MTA trying to protect their moneymaking ability than it is about "homeland security." The MTA wants its cut from images of the subways and properties. They don't make a dime from nycsubway.org, nycrail.com or Forgotten NY. No money, no pictures.
The police are only too happy to cooperate; my thinking is the NYPD is unhappy with picture taking of any kind, other than the usual tourist highlights. When one of my friends got stopped, he was told "go take pictures of squirrels."
Railfans and urban explorers are exhibiting 'aberrant' behavior. You're not supposed to notice things, you're not supposed to linger, you're not supposed to be curious. Put your head down, hustle to work and make money. That's what the new New Yorker post 9-11 is supposed to be about.
www.forgotten-ny.com
Instead of a flash mob in the subway system, I suggest that we accept the will of the MTA Board and redirect our photography elsewhere. Like maybe at the Board itself. Follow them wherever they go and photograph them, their friends, and their families in all sorts of situations, compromising and otherwise. Become their paparazzi. They may eventually see the light after seeing too many flashes.
Can the MTA Board be recognized? It's cold in December and they will be wearing top coats over their signed John Ashcroft sweat shirts.
But seriously, the only thing these guys care about is money. If the MTA bans my camera, I'm taking the subway less and walking more, and not renewing my Transit Museum membership. Yeah, like that's going to scare 'em. But at least I'll be doing what I can.
www.forgotten-ny.com
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