Three is my favourite number of examples to trigger a blog post. So the day I got told three times not to take photos, I was glad I had something new to write about!
The story starts at Flagstaff station where I was checking out progress on the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Upgrade Project, when a voice came over the PA system – “photography is prohibited in City Loop stations”.
I’d gotten the photos I needed, so I headed back up to the surface and stepped into the middle of La Trobe Street to photograph a diverted route 12a tram, when a police car pulled up beside me, and the officer inside said “you can’t stand in the middle of the tram tracks”.
At that point I tweeted:
So far this afternoon I’ve copped a “no taking photos in the station” over the PA, and a “you can’t stand on the tram tracks taking photos” from a passing cop car – so how long until I complete the trifecta? 😅
And 40 minutes later, I won! I’d climbed on top of a crash barrier to photograph the demolition of 600 Collins Street, when the traffic controller down the street said I’d have to climb down.
And that made three.
Footnote
Of course that didn’t stop me – I headed around the corner to Collins Street and climbed onto the top of an electrical box.
So I could photograph progress on the rebuilding of the tram tracks at Spencer and Collins Street.
No rest for the wicked.
Marcus you’re a menace to society and I love you for it. Reminds me of the time I stood on the railway line at an unprotected level crossing between Seymour and Mangalore, took a couple photos looking both ways down the line, posted it online and got told off by some people for standing on the railway line, at a level crossing while I had full awareness that there wasn’t any trains coming for quite a while. Apparently I could’ve gotten run over. Run over by what? The invisible train that I somehow couldn’t hear? People infuriate me sometimes…
I’m ranting, aren’t I?
Been there dome that. My daughter was a keen filmmaker as a little girl. She wanted a shot of a train approaching so we went to a nearby pedestrian walkway across the railway line and set up the camera on a tripod a few metres from the track. The train approached, then slowed and stopped and the driver threw open the door and bellowed at us to leave the tracks or we’d be reported. It was a ridiculous over-reaction — I was there as a responsible adult!
I too have done something similar. A photo that I had been wanted to get since I was a young girl and we went on a school excursion of the new city loop before it even opened. The long escalators at Parliament. Finally got the shot a few months back. And said to my husband Let’s go before I get told off or something worse.
What’s the reason for no photography in the Loop? Are they worried that it might enable someone to case the joint for a terrorism attack?
One reason given was that drivers entering stations from dimly-lit tunnels would be dazzled by a surprise flash from a photographer on the platform.
Keep it up mate. If you ever came talk to me I’ll tell you everything I’m told by the office that I have to tell you to contact community relations but stuff that
A few years ago I stood in the middle of the track in Train Street in Hanoi to take a shot of the approaching train – didn’t let it get too close though before I stepped off! Another one of those annoying foreign tourists!
My mate went there a few months ago and it was closed, but seems like it has since reopened.
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/foreign-tourists-call-it-a-waste-not-to-leave-hanoi-s-train-street-open-4582700.html