Stopped by police....ended positively

You're beating a dead horse...and I don't see the word 'racial' anywhere in my post. That's an assumption on your part. The term 'racial profiling' is a canard meant to disparage a perfectly legitimate anti-crime (or whatever) tool. If you misinterpreted my post, I was merely stating that without any profiling, anyone in a 'sensitive' area can be considered suspicious (even a person armed with a DSLR). Nothing racial about it.

For sensitive areas, I'd go with the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC T-100. It's got internal zoom and kick a$$ high iso. That's why Gitmo is full of guys with DSLR's.

Bring it back to Earth guys. State your opinion and respect others.

Group hug everyone....

Berlotti Photography wrote in post #5428706
Group hug everyone....

I agree. Enough bickering.

Berlotti Photography wrote in post #5428706
Group hug everyone....

Now I'm suspicious.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

PeteJaffa wrote in post #5428763
Now I'm suspicious.

Wow. I could have done without that.

PeteJaffa wrote in post #5428763
Now I'm suspicious.

LMAO, now that's hilarious. I am sure my wife would like to see that picture.

There gotta be a better group hug out there *LOL*

This isn't a positive outcome. Where I'm from (not America) any time a photographer is even approached by an officer of the law simply for taking photographs would be considered a negative outcome.

ryant35 wrote in post #5401780
I had my old Minolta 35mm SLR on my tripod a bridge shooting a ship while it's being off loaded. Just as I was getting ready to leave a Long Beach Harbor patrol officer drove by and turned around and pulled up behind me.

He asked me what I was doing, I told him I was photographing the ships. He asked why, 'no reason, just for myself'.

Another officer pulled up and then they started to search my car, which was a rental paid for with cash, which made it look even worse.

After a while there was 6 patrol cars and a couple of detectives. Each of them asked what I was doing there and what I did before I got there, and what else was on the roll of film. When my story was the same every time were ready to let me go, when my driver's license came back as suspended due to a failure to appear on a ticket I didn't even know I had. Since I still had my physical license they didn't arrest me, but they took it and towed the rental car. I was offered a ride back to the police station and they offered to call me a cab. I didn't even get searched until I was going to get in the back of a police car to get a ride.

So I called my wife to come pick me up, but the 30 minute drive took 2 hours due to a huge accident on the freeway. So I sat on a curb in downtown Long Beach holding my camera bag & tripod freezing until she got there.

What a night. I think I didn't go to jail or have my film confiscated because I cooperated and didn't try to tell them my rights, even if any charges won't stick, I still don't want to spend the rest of the weekend in jail.

While I still believe they overreacted in the beginning, based on this additional information, I don't think it was as bad as you first implied. The expired license thing, and the fact that you drove there, is legitimate cause for some kind of action.

A question just popped into my head. How did you rent a car with an expired license? I thought they checked those.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #5429901
While I still believe they overreacted in the beginning, based on this additional information, I don't think it was as bad as you first implied. The expired license thing, and the fact that you drove there, is legitimate cause for some kind of action.

A question just popped into my head. How did you rent a car with an expired license? I thought they checked those.

It wasn't expired, it was suspended and I didn't know. I never got he required letter from the DMV so I had no idea. They ran it and it came back as suspended.

ryant35 wrote in post #5430116
It wasn't expired, it was suspended and I didn't know. I never got he required letter from the DMV so I had no idea. They ran it and it came back as suspended.

Got'cha. I stand corrected.

iamaelephant wrote in post #5429157
This isn't a positive outcome. Where I'm from (not America) any time a photographer is even approached by an officer of the law simply for taking photographs would be considered a negative outcome.

It was a positive outcome. The way some of the John Wayne style cops are nowadays, it could have ended much worse. I was pleased with the professionalism of the officer. A negative outcome would have ended with me being cited or in handcuffs.

PeteJaffa wrote in post #5428763
Now I'm suspicious.

Now those guys are a threat to national security! My eyes are scared for life!

asysin2leads wrote in post #5430332
It was a positive outcome. The way some of the John Wayne style cops are nowadays, it could have ended much worse. I was pleased with the professionalism of the officer. A negative outcome would have ended with me being cited or in handcuffs.

no - So-Cal style: you coulda accidently pointed your "potential firearm ( think about it- a DSLR has a long black barrel!) in their direction and you would have died in a hale of bullets...

Now THAT would be a negative outcome! stranger things have happened - for lesser cause...

(no offense intended to the fine men and women in law enforcement who are members here - im sure you are more cautious/reasonable than most)