Folded-up Tripod Mistaken for a Rifle! (Page 2): A few years ago, I was in a car with some others (not driving) coming back from Arkansas on Interstate 30. There was a lot of traffic...

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

A few years ago, I was in a car with some others (not driving) coming back from Arkansas on Interstate 30. There was a lot of traffic, as there always is on that highway. Suddenly there were flashing lights clearly indicating that someone in law enforcement wanted us to pull to the side of the road. We ended up having a nice visit with the DPS officer, who notified the driver that license plate light was burned out before sending us on our way. A number of years before that, I was driving to a railfan/model railroad convention in Kansas City. It was a windy day, and just as I got into the big curve at Wichita where the Kansas Turnpike swings to the northeast, a big gust of wind blew me partially into the left lane. A minute later, I received the same sort of invitation from a Kansas State Trooper. We also had a nice visit before he sent me on my way after telling me that he wanted to make sure I was OK, since I was in the car alone.

Sometimes, like in the first example, it may be near the end of a shift and the officer needs another documented public contact. (She could just as easily have written the driver a ticket.) Sometimes, they really do want to make sure that you are OK. (The officer could have checked my sobriety, and probably did, in an informal way.) Sometimes they may be looking for someone specific. Sometimes they may just want a little closer look at what you are up to. In any case, if you are doing what you are supposed to be doing, it should be no big thing.

df61743 Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

A similar thing happened to me. I was stopped beside a rural highway taking photos of exotics that were on a Texas ranch using a Canon DSLR on a tripod with a Wimberley head and a 600mm lens. Two Game Wardens and a State Trooper descended upon me because some dingaling reported someone with a rifle, shooting deer through the fence.

Dick

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

df61743 wrote:

A similar thing happened to me. I was stopped beside a rural highway taking photos of exotics that were on a Texas ranch using a Canon DSLR on a tripod with a Wimberley head and a 600mm lens. Two Game Wardens and a State Trooper descended upon me because some dingaling reported someone with a rifle, shooting deer through the fence.

Dick

Since there were exotics on the other side of the fence, there's a good chance you were messing with the John Dutton of that county. They were all just looking out for him.

srt101fan

Longshadow wrote:

Manche Leute sind einfach Dip-Scheiße.

Not the first time.....

I suppose it looks like a portable Gatling Gun?

Scheisse im Trompetenrohr kommt Gott sei Dank nur selten vor.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

larryepage wrote:

Since there were exotics on the other side of the fence, there's a good chance you were messing with the John Dutton of that county. They were all just looking out for him.

With Dutton, actually in Montana, the law is not called. You just get a free ride to the train station.

srt101fan

Architect1776 wrote:

With Dutton, actually in Montana, the law is not called. You just get a free ride to the train station.

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

On the 4th of June 2021 I found myself surrounded by 3 police cars and 6 policeman.
A woman living in a small country town in Tasmania, Australia had reported me to the police as a hitman carrying a rifle (tripod) looking for the best location to shoot her. Apparently the woman had an argument on social media and that person was sending a man around to kill her. The funny thing was that I ended up having a good laugh about it with the police in a quiet secluded riverbank location.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Dennis833 wrote:

On the 4th of June 2021 I found myself surrounded by 3 police cars and 6 policeman.
A woman living in a small country town in Tasmania, Australia had reported me to the police as a hitman carrying a rifle (tripod) looking for the best location to shoot her. Apparently the woman had an argument on social media and that person was sending a man around to kill her. The funny thing was that I ended up having a good laugh about it with the police in a quiet secluded riverbank location.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

srt101fan wrote:

Scheisse im Trompetenrohr kommt Gott sei Dank nur selten vor.

BrianFlaherty Loc: Wilseyville, CA

Longshadow wrote:

And those people v o t e.....

==========
What's worse is. . .THEY often run for office; AND, THEY ARE ELECTED!! Now, THAT is REALLY scary! <smile>

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BrianFlaherty wrote:

==========
What's worse is. . .THEY often run for office; AND, THEY ARE ELECTED!! Now, THAT is REALLY scary! <smile>

Agreed!

chapshots Loc: San Antonio, TX

Can't see how a folded tripod could be seen as a rifle, but certain mono-types certainly could be.

aphelps Loc: Central Ohio

Longshadow wrote:

And those people v o t e.....

And they breed.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

aphelps wrote:

And they breed.

SalvageDiver Loc: Huntington Beach CA

bdk wrote:

Its sad but I agree with the people that called. If they think you have a rifle they should call.
its always better to be safe than sorry.
On the other hand, someone that thinks a camera on a tri pod is a weapon, those might be the people we should watch out for.

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