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View Full Version : May 13th 2005/LGA



Mr Smith
2005-05-20, 09:19 PM
Date-Friday 13th May
Location-Overpass of the Grand Central Pkway
Time-between 1745 and 1830

well here goes, i just asked Phil about writing this up so i am going to give it a shot, Josh, Brian and myself had met up earlier in the afternoon and headed over to the overpass to get some 13 departure shots, for the better part of the time we had no hassle at all! Seems like a nice spot until a "They Steal Anything" agent walked past and asked us what we were doing.

We replied with the obvious, his reply was to walk off with his cell phone opened and probably calling the PAPD, though we don't know it was him the logical conclusion would be to assume that he had a hand in the matter. 5 minutes later and the PAPD rockup and ask whats going on, we point out the obvious and then in steps officer Yum, if you get to meet this guy you'll understand what we where on about! all he needs is the clown uniform and he'd be complete!

The first guy gives us the official "it's illegal" crap, Josh replied "no it's not" i replied " i've been in Anchorage shooting all week and they had no problem and said it is perfectly legal" this was told to me by the ANC airport police and Kulis airbase MP, the obnoxious officer Yum then says i should go back to Anchorage then.

he obviously missed the point altogether! Anchorage is still part of the USA and if the law is non-existent in Anchorage then it goes without saying that it's not in the patriot act for the lower 48 either! Officer Yum was carrying on about how illegal it was and getting in everyone's face, then another officer walked up and took our ID's, when someone is walking off with my passport i get a little worried! obviously it all checked out as he returned soon after and handed back our papers!

We had a chat with the other officers who ended up being quite reasonable about the situation, NYPD ended up attending for all of 30 seconds then left! now for the best contradiction i have heard all year!

officer Yum after telling us how illegal it was to be taking photos comes out with this pearler!

"if it was illegal you'd be in handcuffs by now" derrr, you don't say mate! which is precisely what we'd been telling him for the last 30minutes!

so i was stuck listening to this fruit cake and Josh and Brian were having a good old talk with the other 2 guys, by this time i was well and truly over taking photos! so i hung my camera out and said to the boys lets go as soon as they pissed off! it's amazing how quickly something like this can turn you off holding the camera and pointing it skywards! if we were taking photos of the street we'd probably never have been annoyed!

luckily i didn't fly half way round the world to spot in NYC, it's a place that i love to do tourist things in and just walk around! yeah the traffic is great but if thats the kind of ill informed nonsense that you have to put up with then i have to say that i'll pass on it!

i was happy to walk away with a few photos, thats fine with me! i know Josh and Brian were having a conversation with the other guys, i didn't really catch it, i know disorderly conduct was raised but with Yummy in my face it was hard to hear what was going on! perhaps they can fill in the blanks?!

all up, i had a great time in NYC, the only thing this incident did for me was to make me aware of why i really go to New York! planes are the 2nd thing on my mind there! first thing is having fun and soaking up the atmosphere. :D