marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

True.

I had a sassy bitch woman come into a CVS store one time to find me. I had pulled into a parking space next to a handicapped spot and when I got off my big motorcycle, the bike leaned left onto the side stand and the handle bar came to rest above the white line separating the two spots.

Now, this CVS had a row of 8 handicapped spots across the front of it because it was a strip center and management decided to pool ALL the handicap spots in front of that retail location even before CVS moved in. If you were handicapped and wanted to go to the Subway down at the other end, you stupidly had to park at CVS and wheelchair or cripple your way to the far end of the building which was almost a city block away. So I didn't think anything of my handlebar on the white line of the 8th spot although I knew it was there.

So this woman makes a special effort to pull into the CVS (she wasn't already in the store shopping) and came inside. I'm at the magazine rack with my helmet sitting up at chest level on a magazine shelf. I'm wearing all black and a leather vest and had a full beard at the time. She comes stomping up in her flat shoes that made a smacking sound on the tile floor and starts giving me hell over my interfering with the ability of a handicap to get into the store and all about their rights guaranteed by the ADA, etc.

I stared at her and said, "I have no clue what you're talking about." So she goes on and on and eventually informs me I'm parked partially in a handicap spot. I said I was not. She said my bike was leaning into it. I said it was not - the handlebar was on the line and it didn't matter anyway because there were 7 other unused spots there. She went on and on like she was crazy - and she was not even handicapped herself.

I finally said, "Ok, I've had enough of this, you little witch. You shut up and leave or this could get ugly. Who the hell do you think you are coming in here and attacking me when you aren't even handicapped? And who in their right mind at just 5 feet tall goes off on a 6 foot 2 inch 300 pound biker without even speaking in a civilized manner first? If I wasn't a calm person who can endure your mouth I could have split your f*ck*n head open with my helmet and knocked you out cold a long time ago. Get to hell out of my face."

Only then did she realize the potentially hazardous blunder of her actions, and started to head toward the front door but still rotated around at the waist so she was facing me and kept snapping that her now deceased husband was handicapped and they experienced handicap parking spot hogs like me many times and blah, blah, blah... still yacking as she went out the glass doors and left.

This person somehow lost all common sense for some reason, and felt empowered to do and say whatever she wanted, to anybody she wanted, because the subject matter was defending the rights of handicaps. She had stepped outside of reality while on a mission to throw herself in front of a bus over nothing of importance.

I wasn't done in the store yet but I was afraid she might go out and drive her car into my bike intentionally to knock it over so I went to the door and watched her drive off. The paradox was that she had parked crossways at the end of 3 handicapped spots and blocked all 3 while she was inside spewing her wrath, and that was far more of an offense than my handle bar tip hanging on the white line.

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

I hope BZ is a good thing spinkick.:):)
Erv

Bill gomberg

Thanks .So well put

terrild53 Loc: Now in The Villages, FL

What's interesting is that I have taken a ton of pictures at my grandson's sports events and other events around the area where I live; from local carnivals, parades, at the lake or at the beach, at certain school functions too.....I haven't been hassled (yet), however, I am a grandmother, so maybe being female keeps people from thinking such bad thoughts about photos being taken with a big camera & lens. It IS, though, a very sad state of affairs when people who are simply trying to practice and enjoy their hobby/art/ profession are asked to leave what they are doing because some young 30-something "I drive an SUV and I know everything about how everyone thinks" kind of mom puts up a big stink, when all she might've had to do was inquire of the photographer what he was doing. I like the idea of having a business card to hand out in those cases so that people see you ARE legit......The world sure isn't like it was 30-50 years ago...you know before school shootings became commonplace, before Adam Walsh happened......now everyone who has children is suspicious and basically paranoid......It is the way things have evolved.....So ask permission to take pictures of children and hand out a business card to keep things calm......Just some thoughts on the subject......

khm105 Loc: Louisiana

I will admit that I haven't read all of the posts yet. My husband drives a school bus and in fact we own the bus, but every bus has a camera in them. Most of the drivers like to have the cameras in the buses because it protects them from any of the kids making up stories. In addition it keeps the kids straight. Last year one of the kids on my husbands bus cut one of the seats. When he called the parents the mother said oh my son wouldn't do that. That is when he invited her to come to the transportation office and look at what the camera caught her son doing. She immediately agreed to pay to have the seat fixed. We didn't have to have the camera put in the school board paid for and arranged for it to be put in.

Kathy

khm105 Loc: Louisiana

Imho if you are without clothing in a public place they sure aren't worried about privacy. Cover up anything you want to keep private.

Kathy

4ellen4 Loc: GTA--Ontario

The general rule of thumb is that we all have the right to expectation to privacy. If you are standing in your window sans clothing it is against the law for someone to take a photo - invasion of privacy. If you step outside your door then you have lost your right to privacy.
NOW
There are a lot of weirdos in this world and probably some parent for one reason or another was worried why you took their child's photo. And so yes, they had a right to be concerned. the police where only doing their job.
People going to these events should expect to see others there with cameras! Only common sense
Sad state of affairs but that is the way of the world today.

khm105 Loc: Louisiana

A few years ago my husband and I went to a chili cook off . As we were going in I noticed a bunch of motorcycles all parked together. Hubby and I went walking around and we got behind this skuzzy looking guy. He had long stringy hair and was dressed like he belonged on one of those motorcycles. Then he turned around and said "Hi Mom."

Kathy

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

What was your point?

khm105 Loc: Louisiana

My point was that you can't judge a person by what he looks like.

Kathy

jfn007 Loc: Close to the middle of nowhere.

Some cops I have known are either too ignorant to read your DOJ letter or wouldn't give a damn. Your civil rights here in some Mexifornia jurisdictions are exactly what the cop tells you they are. If I am ever stopped by a cop my responses would be yes sir/ma'am, no sir/ma'am.
Not all cops are pricks, but there are enough pricks that I am always courteous to them. My interactions with the police have been limited.

Peter1972m Loc: Essex, England, UK

I hope your Santa making sure my new D810 is working perfectly.

tradergeorge Loc: Newport, Kentucky

Hire (or take your own) kid, and photograph him with the subjects you want in the background at a high pixel count. You can then crop the shot you want....They will all have infinite DOF, but what the hey....LOL

You will not get any complaints as long as you have a kid with you and appear to be taking pics of him/her...

katbandit Loc: new york city

even though i am an older female i am very careful of taking photos of other peoples kids at any affair...especially with a camera that stands out..when at my grandkids dance lessons or sports events i never have a problem ..i even give them my card ..offer them the photos of their kids too which they love getting..but in a public park or fairgrounds its a definite no no..i certainly would watch out for anyone taking photos of my grandkids that i didn't feel comfortable with..even I'm guilty of being concerned with men taking photos ..sorry guys..it is definitely a sign of the times..however i do notice many of the fellows that do go out look shabby and unkempt..it all depends on how you present yourselves also...like i said ..even as a woman i have been approached and asked why I'm taking photos..so i try to dress neatly when i go out..always have my card available ..and i apologize and move on..you can never be too careful now days..is it worth the aggravation over a photo op..there are plenty others...

Haydon

Unfortunately that url doesn't resolve and after performing a search through Google, it wasn't found. Would love to print it and keep it with me at all times.