Originally Posted by
Phil D.
First, regardless of your views, I wish some people were better at communicating with one another instead of namecalling. When we see incidents like this, even if it is frustrating to us, we still need to work together, or at least treat each other with respect. Offending posts will be moderated.
Though Bayswater has had its share of incidents (I myself have been detained there), there have been hundreds and hundreds of visits that people have had with NO issue whatsoever, so I consider the risk to be less. Also, when I was detained, the police were not as rude or aggressive as at EWR.
At EWR, it seems that the police are ALWAYS like that, that your chances of receiving that type of attention is EXPECTED almost EVERY time you go. Not the case at Bayswater.
If people have suggestions on the wording of the EWR guide on this site to emphasize its frequency of police encounters, I'd have no problem with that.
As for this thread, should the spotter have been shocked to receive that attention? Not at all. Also, I don't think the spotter was COMPLAINING, but just sharing his story. And we should encourage that instead of acting like he necessarily did something wrong or as though HE is the problem here.
He has a right to go and TRY to spot, as it is not illegal. And on top of that, the incidents should be reported here, because it helps all of us to always know what the environment is at an airport, even if it is what we have come to typically expect. Ripping on him only deters people like him from posting their experiences, and then we are all less in-the-know.
The big problem is EWR, not the spotters that "should know better."