Almost Arrested today @ SFWOA

Well, took my first offseason driveby to the park today.

And a cop pulled me over, called in for back up, and I wouldnt have been surprised if he had had be arrested.

I was taking pictures of the park.

Took a couple shots of X-Flight, S:UE, and the Batman seats, and as we were in the Happy Harbor area of G.L. road, we were stopped and told to hand over our camera.

Then we were almost arrested.

Mind you we didnt even leave our car to take these pics, its not like we were tresspassing or anything.

He said taking pictures of the park without having permission is illegal.

Is this true? I find it hard to believe.

Goose :hat

If you are not on private property then you can take as many pictures as you want. Cop was working you over I'd say!

You should have gotten his badge number and reported him. I am willing to bet that you are young which is a magnet for police to mess with you. You did absolutely nothing wrong. (Are you telling us the whole story?)
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""An hour wait for a 2 minute thrill. Yes, we need our heads examined""

Also with all the security that has been talked about at amusement park's since the attacks on WTC, maybe they have changed there tactics around places where large crowds gather(maybe its a better safe than sorry policy).
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Army Rangers lead the way

supermandl said:
Also with all the security that has been talked about at amusement park's since the attacks on WTC

Ahh good poinr, but why be so snippy when it is the offseason? There arn't any large crowds to tamper with. Not that I have been to SFWoA but I hear the service is really bad, so why are the caring so mich all of the sudden?

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Divorced From Dependence since 1987!

Does the cop still have your camera?. If so it's probably going to be a Christmas gift for someone!!.

. you have to scout an area before you attack best time would be in the offseason less eyes looking at you. I dont think in a million years they would be attacked but there has to be better security going on since the attack's.

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Army Rangers lead the way

whats the G.L. road?? if thats SF private property then more power to em... you shouldnt have been there anyway... when you say " almost arrested" i belive you are exadurating quite a bit... but those are just my thoughts... plus i belive you are telling only about 25% of the full story ;)

I have told the whole story.

We were on the PUBLIC ACCESS ROAD, which is open to all traffic 365 days a year, taking pictures from our car.

The cop pulled us over, demanded the film, and when we told him it was a digi, he personally deleted the pics and informed us picture taking of the park is illegal.

When I say we were "almost arrested" I say it seriously. He was screaming at us, called back up, and did not let us go for some time.

"We were on the PUBLIC ACCESS ROAD"... was it on SF property?

I only know the British law on this, but I'm quite into photography and I'm afraid that, technically, the occupants of private property you are photographing are entitled to confiscate yor film/wipe your memory card.

This law is obviously in place for serious matters though, and I think it's very bad practise for a theme park to carry it out.

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http://www.amusementreview.co.uk
http://oneclick.coasterbuzz.com

If that road is a public road and you're snapping pics from you're car I don't think they can do much about that. If the road is owned by SFWOA I believe they have the right to do whatever they want because it is private property. The main question is do they own the land that the road is on?

In my own opinion if the road is patrolled by sheriff's I would think that the road is not as public as you may think. Sure if you're just passing through, but if you're stopping to snap pictures of course they're gonna question you're actions. My advise just don't do it in the offseason unless there is a reason for you to be there. If you decide to anyway just be very careful and be on the lookout for anybody that may be watching. It just isn't worth it.

The road is city property. People must use that road to get to their homes. The cop had no right to do anything... how many pics did you have on it?
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SFWoA Online
http://sfwoa.coasterbuzz.com

no... somthing isnt clicking... you cant be arrested for takin pics... there is some missing info here... there is some info that either mongoose is 1. leaving out 2. exadurating somthing 3. not somthing... not telling us... lieing about something... cause nothing is clicking... not till mong starts spilling the stuff is till we know what really happened ;)

Funkytones, have you ever been to SFWoA by any chance? I ask because they have, bar none, the *strangest* camera policy ever. I've have been asked to not take pics WHILE STANDING in the midway, unless it was taking it with people or something.

That park is seriously smoking something when it comes to picture policy. A member of the Guest Service dept posted on RRC that there is no such policy, but for some reason, the ride ops feel it necessary to harass people who have a camera.

WTF do they SELL cameras if you're not supposed to take pics in the park?

To make a long story short, I can EASILY see Goose being harassed by the cops around there. I wouldn't put it past that place.

Joe, who cannot stand that damn "policy."

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"That's BS you MF! They're WT!" -- CP's R&D team

Joe,

As you know, I have had many problems in the past with that park regarding taking pictures. I have yet to be pulled over for taking pictures but I believe Mongoose's story due to the odd photo policy of that park. I actually know someone else that had the same thing happen to them. From what I understand, that road is NOT private property.

-Sean

lendary naa... never been there... i just have worked private security for like 3 years now... i know its not that long but i plan to stay in this for a while.. i worked at a mall where their camera policy was just anal... i hated enforcing it there... it was toooo tight... now i work at Valleyfair...see yea... somthing is to tight about that policy... but thats it... policy.. what we gotta enforce and what the guests have to adhere to... i know it sucks but hey... email me if ya have anymore questions... i wanna keep the forum flameless ;P tones@mn.rr.com

As someone who's very interest in photography and the laws behind it I can tell you this:

You can take any picture you want of anything from public property. This is practically indisputable.

It's what you do with those pics after they're taken that gets into grey area.

Assuming the road in question is truly a public road, the officer had no rights to make you quit, let alone delete your pics. I'd have had some nice four letter words for him, his superiors, SFWOA and the city of Aurora to hear. He could've at least tried twisting the truth and claimed some traffic violation for slowing down and taking pics from the road or something. At least that would've made some sense...kind of.

I'd keep going back. Eventually you'll get the photos you want. I'd also ask the officer to explain the precedent that prohibits taking photographs from public places. There may be some twist in the laws there (there are a lot of "ifs" and buts" in the laws regarding what you can and can't take pictures of) - but even if you were told to quit, they had no right to talk your film or delete your digital pics.

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www.coasterimage.com

*** This post was edited by Lord Gonchar on 12/23/2001. ***

That's pretty pathetic. But if it IS a law, I guess you can't blame the cop. I think he could have conducted himself a little more calmly though, seeing as how there was no immediate threat of danger. Backup for a couple pictures? What have we come to?
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"This feels like walking into pins and needles. Nice to Know You.
Goodbye."-Incubus

"Assuming the road in question is truly a public road, the officer had no rights to make you quit, let alone delete your pics. I'd have had some nice four letter words for him, his superiors, SFWOA and the city of Aurora to hear. "

that is why i am waiting for mongoose to tell the whole story... there is SOMETHING he isnt telling us.. his story isnt clicking... untill he fills in the gaps he is surrounded in a cloud of grey