Pardon the obscene thread title, but I think I talked to the Bay Area's most retarded cop. So far that is... Now, with my past experience with the cops and my car, many of you might think, "Oh, here he goes again...!" Don't get your hopes up too high, because after reading this, I am quite sure you will agree with me. Anyway, without further ado, here goes: I was doing a photoshoot with my car (using my new camera !! ) when this cop rolled into the parking area (this was off of Hwy. 9 past Skyline going towards Santa Cruz--@ the Vista Point). He gets out of the car, and then we greet each other and then he goes, "What is the purpose of your photography?" His serious tone at first surprised me, as I did not know what he inferred by his question. Nonetheless, I told him that I am just using my new camera to take pictures of my car. With a raised eyebrow he rebuked, "You have to get a permit to take pictures on public property!" Flabergasted, I replied, "Are you sure? I thought public property is just that, public; one can decide to take pictures or video to one's heart's content!" The officer then removes his Ray-bans and casually states, "Look here buddy, if I see you here taking pictures again without a permit, I will cite you!" My immediate reaction was, "Hmm...Okay officer, where can I get this permit?" He points towards the hills and states, "There is an office in Felton, you can get the permit there and then you can take any picture you want." After this, I merely agreed with him and said, "Sure thing. I shall go there right after I pack up my things and get the permit!" *BORAT voice* NAAAAWT! *end BORAT voice* Anyway, I finished up my photoshoot and just went home. I was just in disbelief. Now, can any one of you guys tell me if there is remotely any requirement like the one the cop mentioned?? Getting a permit to take photographs in public?? WTF is the paprazzi then??? They shoot people (pictures that is) and get away with it. I was trying to have peaceful afternoon just taking pictures of the CS and this numbskull came out of no where. Anyway, here a couple of pics for your enjoyment: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
edit: I forgot to crop out my head in the last pic! sorry.. I just had to show you guys my new hair-do! LOL.. j/k
hey. i wouldve told him to **** himself! thats the biggest BS i have ever heard. I wouldve asked for his badge number and kept on taking pictures. If you remember his name go complain, buddy. Screw Diamond Car Care and screw ******* cops...hahah
ROFLMAO!! Time to grow some balls eh?? I dunno tho.. if I just said, "That's not true..." and kept shooting there is no saying what he might have done. Although, I didn't leave until I was done with the photoshoot. And that was more than 30 mins after the guy left.
You should have asked him for the California code section for that ridiculous proposition! Has he been to the Golden Gate Bridge? I doubt the folks from Japan have paid for a permit. He didn't like that you car didn't have sirens on it! Maybe if it were a Porsche he would have seen the 911 and thought it was an emergency vehicle! Tell him to pack a lunch. What are your wheels, BTW?
haha.. yea.. I only realize these things after the fact... I feel too fluttered to give it back to them right then and there. My wheels are the HRE 840R's.. 19"...
These things never happen to me. I don't why. Maybe I just have that "he knows better" look. Remember, you do have Constitutional rights, and you are allowed to question authority. Just do it with diplomacy. Wheels are very nice and have the appearance of my SAC wheels.
This is my best guess; I'm looking at the donut tire marks on the pavement, I see you have an "evil fast sports car", combine that with a cop who has a personal angst with "evil fast" looking sports cars and you have the potential describing his sour attitude. That cop needs to be kicked off the force. There is no need for anyone who carries a firearm to whip up people like that. Great pics!
wow, that is just crazy...and lame. nice pics man....I know I was supposed to call you...sorry man I'll give you a call next week.
Unless he is some kind of a Nazzi, judging from the rubber marks on the pavement, he probably thought you were up to no good. john
At best, the ONLY time a permit MIGHT be required to shoot pictures of ANY kind in a public place is if were being done commercially, i.e. movie production or television production. Even a magazine shooting "stills" can do so in any public venue as long as they do not disrupt the utilization of that place by the general public.. Here you are sitting in an EMPTY lot and he comes at you with that? I understand your being flustered at the situation, being taken totally by surprise at a rediculous off-the-wall form of harrassment. I think my jaw would have hit my shoes if a cop said that to me. What an ass!!! I think I would have gotten something to write with and asked him exactly the type/name of permit I needed while at the same time asking for his name, doing so in a polite and cooperative manner. From there it's time to make some phone calls. HE is what gives cops a bad name, and yes there are some good ones, at least where I live.
I know where that lot is. Think I'll go up there on Saturday, set up the tripod, open the box of donuts and see what happens. Jim http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimz68/sets/
Sorry that happened to you Arun. That's just a total bunch of BS. But us law abiding citizens sometimes have a hard time questioning authority! He's just jealous that such a young handsome dude owns such a nice car that he will never get a chance to drive
Gee, thanks for the nice compliments John! I haven't seen you in a while. Hopefully if the weather was as nice as today we should get together for a drive of some sorts! hahah.. I knew those donut marks would make people wonder...but that's been there for a while as Alvin correctly stated. The funny thing was, there were some purple broken trays strewn across the 'lot'. I picked a few of them up and tossed them in the bin nearby. Someone went "traying" or whatever it's called! LOL... This may be a little weird.. but the other day I went 'raging' (a relative term of course..hehe) in the S2k up to the same spot @ ~1:00 A.M. The place was deserted (naturally LOL). Since there was hardly any light pollution, several arms of the Milky Way were clearly visible. Also, many of the 'common' constellations were clear. It was an ethereal experience so to speak. You guys should check it out sometime...although make sure you have someone with you (for safety) or just be over 225 lbs (which I am ). The only thing missing that night was Aishwarya Rai and the F1 sound!! arrrgh.. some day.. some day...
Hey Jim. How's it going? Nice pics you got there. Some guy name Gerry came with a highly modified Mini Cooper S and we chatted for a while. He says he's part of the Mini club. Anyway, I had remembered that you and your buddy (forgot his name..) came in your Mini's the other day to SR. Make sure you get Krispy Kreme though. I don't think they'll settle for anything less. HAHAHA>.
Hey Arun, Assume you got to get up there right after you left the shop... but I had never heard of this and decided to look around...seems there is enough of an issue that there is a forum about it. http://www.photopermit.org/forum I haven't had a chance to search the forum, but thought others may like to see it as well. Chat soon~ R
A few more pics from today's photoshoot: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Wow. Rich, thanks for the link! That is some serious stuff that I have been completely oblivious to. I cannot understand why we cannot take pictures in a parking area (given that the property belongs to the state of CA). These kind of things are a tight-rope walk as to what is legal and what isn't. However, I think enforcement of such rules is done only when it becomes an encumbrance to anyone else. Then again, I could be wrong. ARRGH! Ignorance is truly BLISS with things like these. The parking area is explicitly stated as PUBLIC PROPERTY. Therefore the rules governing photography of public property pertain to this particular situation. I am not aware of any law that prohibits non-professional photographers taking pictures for NON-commercial use. We can be harassed by the officers indiscriminately lest we have a 'permit' or some such certificate vindicating us of any legal responsibility; although this seems completely ridiculous. I can see the future; you would need to fill out a credit app and have a background check run before you can sit down in a public park bench.. analagous to that school in MA (I think) banning kids from playing 'tag'! WTF has this place come to?!??
I'm pretty sure the cop was mistaken. In state parks and many city and county parks you must get a permit for a photoshoot that is deemed professional ie making money or for commercial gains. Ifit is personal use you have every right to do so as long as you aren't breaking any laws while taking personal pics. I do professional photography and get permits all the time. I do have to carry insurance and insure the state also for liability. But even as a professional if I am doing personal pictures i don not need a permit.
