We all know what we go through as aviation photographers. The way we get looked at, have police called on us, and some of us even detained. Well, I've got TWO incidents from the past week that put me on the OTHER side of the situation.
SITUATION #1: I visited my parents house and left one evening last week. As I started to drive away, I noticed a car parked across the street with a lens sticking out....aimed at my parents' house.
I pulled a u-turn and pulled up alongside the car diagonally in front of him so to block him from leaving. I got out and asked him what he was doing taking pictures of the houses. I didn't know if he was casing the joint for a robbery or maybe to make an offer to buy the property and build a mall.
He has an elderly woman in the backseat, and he said it was his mother and that she grew up in "that" house. I informed him that it was my house and he got excited and there was a brief exchange of conversation.
He apologized for any alarm he caused, and I explained that it's weird because I'm usually the one being questioned about "suspicious" photography.
Now, the more serious incident
SITUATION #2:
I was coming home from work a little after 5 today. As I was coming over the Whitestone Bridge, I looked to my left and saw a minivan. I noticed that BOTH the driver (male) and the passenger (female) had video cameras in their hands, filming their bridge crossing.
Now, aside form the fact that signs specifically state no video or photography, and a driver holding a video camera is a danger to other drivers....this freaked me out. Pardon for the stereotype, but they were Middle Eastern as well.
I pulled back, wrote the plate on my hand and came back up to observe them more.
I got off at the first exit and pulled over and called 911. Yes, I called 911. I gave them a description and all the details and they said that they would go and get 'em.
Now, maybe my behavior was drastic with calling 911. But, I have no problem when police approach me. It makes me feel safer, in fact. They check us out, are kind and leave us be (usually). So, in being safe int he same way, I made that call to cover bases.
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