Photo by Plug1 of WhatImSeeing.com
As you guys all know, Plug 1 of Whatimseeing.com was recently involved in an altercation with a fare inspector. After the altercation, the fare inspector snapped a photo of Plug1 using an iPhone. After that, Plug1 went home and googled for photography rules on Muni and called 311 (Muni, expect your bill in the morning). Anyway, here’s some closure for this fiasco.
This exact same bullshit happened to me once. I took a picture of some fare inspectors and one of them told me to delete the picture I took of her. I did. Why? Because I didn’t know any of the photography rights back then. Shortly after I deleted the picture I took of her, she lectured me on how taking pictures on Muni is prohibited. I was so terrified I didn’t even bother to question her.
Later that night, I wrote a complaint to Muni (I used a standard Muni operator complaint form, just use their badge number in place of the 4-digit number). It will take awhile for them to respond, or if they don’t respond, just keep spamming them every now and then. Finally, Michelle Brewster, the head of security, sent an email back to me saying:
“This reply is in regard to a PSR you initiated relating to your ability to take pictures in the subway and the interference of such by Fare Inspector #13 and her partner. Videotaping/photography are not specifically addressed in any policy; the activity of such in ‘paid’ areas is permitted as long as it does not interfere with the safe ingress and egress of Muni passengers. This platform access policy will be reiterated to the staff.
Looks like Number 32 either didn’t listen or Michelle Brewster didn’t do her job.
It’s not necessarily illegal for authority figures to mislead you. Depending on the situation, I’d be inclined to ignore what they say. That’s upping the ante, but that’s what you’d need to do if you want to change behavior
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He’s obviously not holding an iPhone…it has an antennae..
And kudos to the writer for knowing the law and sharing, it sucks that even the people who are supposed to serve as authority don’t know the laws. The same kinds of mistakes happen to bikers all the time too.
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Good to know. Thanks for researching and sharing with the rest of us.
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Well, it isn’t illegal to lie, probably, but I don’t believe they have the right to demand to see “credentials” and the pictures in his camera. The fare inspectors are standing in a public place, right? What “credentials” do you need to take pictures in a public space?! WWT thanks for following up and posting this. False authority really buzzes the bee in my bonnet.
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I actually filed this complaint in April of 2008. Time for some reform!
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I forgot to mention that after making the complaint, not a single fare inspector ever bothered me again. They didn’t care when I took pictures on the Muni subway afterward. Weird.
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just got a response from Muni. you can read it here: http://bit.ly/lSIDg
thanks, all, for your comments and support. happy shooting!!
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Hmm. I’ve seen that Fare Inspector before and I think he has a real authority complex. He’s very demanding and pushy when he wants to see fare. NOT the type pf person who should be in any enforcement position AT ALL.
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