The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Tactics and Training

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old December 15, 2002, 08:35 PM   #1
woodland
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 26, 2001
Location: western wa.
Posts: 564
Kind of wierd! What would you do?

I was at Walmart today, and something very strange happened.
Traffic in the parking lot was crazy. I was looking for a place to park, and was stopped, letting traffic coming in from my right make a right turn in front of me. There were about 5 cars turning, and I was about a car length and a half from them. One car went, then the next car pulls half way out rolling down his window, and then stops, and takes a picture of the front of my suburban with a throw away type camera! WTH? I know he took a picture because the flash went off. Then he immediatly drove off. I tried to get a lic. # but the car behind him ( which nearly hit him when he stopped half way through the turn) pulled out right behind him and I couldn't see it.
I also looked beside and behind me to see if maybe he was looking at someone else, but there were no people there, and behind me was nothing but a grey concrete wall. And as close as he was I am just possitive he was pointing the camera right at us.
I thought about trying to follow him, but I was stuck in the traffic and couldn't get out by the time I lost sight of him.
What do you think? This just seems really wierd to me. I mean, sure my suburban is pretty sharp looking, but not so much so that traffic stops to take pictures of it!
__________________
"There is no spoon..."
woodland is offline  
Old December 16, 2002, 01:06 AM   #2
Voltaire
Member
 
Join Date: February 25, 2000
Posts: 30
Justifiability, and the Big Picture

In such a case, you are probably justified by law to pull out your concealed-carry camera (assuming of course that you have a proper permit if you live in California, New York, or DC) and return fire.

You should, however, be sure of your target and what is behind it. You could get yourself into legal trouble if you accidentally take a picture of an innocent bystander, who may also pull out a camera and respond in kind.

Deploying your camera in such an emergency situation may be difficult depending on where you live, since some states require that you keep your camera and film in separate, locked containers while transporting them in your vehicle, unless you are an active-duty member of the press.

Keep in mind that the Camera Control Act of 1968 also bans cameras equipped with autodrives (a.k.a. class-III cameras), in addition to establishing a tightly-regulated network of FEderal CAmera Licensees (FECALs) with exclusive rights to sell cameras across state lines.

The Assault-Camera Ban of 1994 extended this ban to "assault" cameras similar to those used by the press, cameras equipped with very long zoom-lenses and high-capacity film canisters that allow photographers to take more than 10 pictures without reloading, as well as regulating the sale of "Any Other Cameras" that can be disguised as something other than a camera (such as a pen, lipstick, walking stick, or belt buckle).

Since you were assaulted by an individual wielding a cheap, disposable camera, don't forget to write to your senator to request legislation banning these easily-concealed "Saturday-Night Specials". I think we'd all be a lot safer if those were off the streets, even if they are all that some poor people can afford.

You could probably hire some bloodsucking attorneys who will be happy to sue "Big Camera" and "Big Film" on behalf of you and others like you in urban areas across the country, in order to "recoup the losses" due to camera proliferation. After all, people buy cameras only because camera manufacturers market their products, right?

Finally, you should consider starting a bleeding-heart organization for victims of camera crimes. You could call it Camera Control Inc. You could enlist the help of famous overweight lesbians who are afraid of being photographed and too dumb to figure out how to use a camera themselves. People will rally to your cause! You can get inner-city people to trade in their old decrepid cameras for cash, then hold press conferences displaying all of these trade-ins so that people will feel safer on the streets.

In the end, camera ownership and legitimate camera use by citizens who are not members the press will be next to impossible.

Doesn't that just give you warm fuzzies?
Voltaire is offline  
Old December 16, 2002, 11:21 AM   #3
krept
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 20, 2000
Location: AZ
Posts: 1,363
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH


#1) You haven't made any Scientologists upset recently, did you? (JUST KIDDING! Don't sue me!)

#2) Something similar happened to me a year or so ago. We were taking a side street to the freeway and a car came out of nowhere, passed us on the left (oncoming traffic lane) and as he was passing us, took a picture of us and sped off. Funny thing is that we not only got his license plate, but the fool that did this pulled into a trailer park with only one exit/entrance. Fortunately for everyone we had to catch a movie and didn't try to find him. Ended up losing the lic. place # after a couple months.

Some people just like screwing around with a camera? Doubtless that will get someone hurt one of these days.

Not much you can do now. Of course if you got his license plate number.. what then? Go to cops? no crime. Get a PI to find out where the guy lives, take some pics of his place and send em in the mail? Get S&M magazines sent there? hahaha

Bottom line is that people like to screw around with other people or have that freaky voyuer fetish thing. These are the fun ones to mess with because they screw around with so many people they have no idea who is gonna bite back.

The reason why you shouldn't be worried is that the guy was obviously not a pro. If he had a beef with you it was probably one of the spur of the moment things. If it was a pro, you would have never seen your pic being taken.
__________________
the tallest blade of grass is the first to greet the lawnmower blade
krept is offline  
Old December 17, 2002, 11:11 AM   #4
LiveWire
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 30, 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 281
Weird indeed. It begs for an explanation, but is sadly left wanting.

I've had a couple of such experiences in my lifetime; and yet, what can one do about it? As long as it isn't a crime, there is no legal course of action for the taking.

Maybe a paparazzo mistook you for a celebrity. I'll check next week's tabloids for your picture. You know: the one where you're seen peddling hash with E.T.
LiveWire is offline  
Old December 17, 2002, 11:40 AM   #5
Betty
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 22, 2000
Location: southern U.S.
Posts: 1,807
Well, I always keep a camera in my purse wherever I go - it's great in the event of car accidents or other occurances. Sometimes I snap pics of other people's vehicles to get snapshots of their bumper stickers, or because I'm going to post up pics of a "Mall Ninja" sighting. I either do it discreetly, or use hand signals to the other person as to my intentions, like pointing to the person's bumper stickers, giving a thumbs up, and pointing to the camera.
Betty is offline  
Old December 17, 2002, 12:32 PM   #6
kungfool
Member
 
Join Date: June 8, 2002
Location: heartland
Posts: 76
As a registered member of the NCA (National Camera Association), I feel like I'm in the dark a lot. I know I see the negative side of things a lot, but I think this one needs to be developed. Before you know it they are gonna ban Polaroids.............when cameras are outlawed, only outlaws will have cameras.
kungfool is offline  
Old December 17, 2002, 07:34 PM   #7
para.2
Member
 
Join Date: November 9, 2002
Location: Southwest USA
Posts: 91
Well...

here's one possible explanation:
"Cheap disposable camera" was used for kid's birthday party, whatever. While taking it to Wally World to be developed, genius realizes there's still one exposure. Spotting your sharp SUV, he/she uses up the last shot on you. I've done the same thing. ( Not on unsuspecting TFLers, but on knick-knacks,kids,whatever).
para.2 is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06907 seconds with 8 queries