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My walk in the park
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I feel so special. My first run in with the Man while taking photos. I went down to Rock Creek Park, near Woodley Park, to snap a few photos.
I thought it would be cool to take a couple of pics in this auto tunnel near where the road passes under the Ellington Bridge. It is a bit risky because the pedestrian pathway (if you can call it that) is very narrow (really you're supposed to take the path that goes around the hill).
As soon as I crouch down to snap my pics, I hear "Can I help you?"
I look up and a uniformed Secret Service officer has stopped his SUV in the middle of the tunnel, which was already jammed with slow moving traffic. Now it's all stopped.
Officer: "What are you doing?"
Me: "Taking a couple photos."
Officer: "For what?"
Me: "Just practice. It's a hobby."
Officer: "A hobby?"
Me: "Yeah"
Officer "Can I see your ID? Where are you from?"
Me: "Washington DC. Why do you need my ID, is it illegal to take photos in here?"
Officer "Where in DC?"
Me: "Adams Morgan"
Officer "Adams Morgan? Where in Adams Morgan"
Me: "20th Street."
Officer "20th Street? Can I see your ID?"
Me: "Why? Is it illegal to take photos in here? If it is, I'll leave."
Officer: "No, it's not illegal. I just need to see that you're from where you say you are."
great logic. It's not illegal, but he still needs to see my ID. I finally give him my ID and again ask if it's illegal to take photos in the tunnel. He says no, but this is a narrow path. blah blah. Then he asks me again, "What is this for? A class?"
"No, it's just a hobby."
To his credit, he was very nice about it. As soon as I said I was planning on getting back to the main pathway as soon as I get my pics, he said okay and hopped back in his SUV and drove off.
I feel baptized now. I've had my run in with the man :)
Originally posted at 11:38AM, 1 April 2006 PDT
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mirrorball edited this topic 75 months ago.
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lol. Not really secret service?
Posted 75 months ago.
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Congratulations, mirrorball! It comes to all of us, eventually, who photograph in DC. For me, it was taking a picture of a blimp in flight.
Bodhi47, it surely could have been the Secret Service - they have a uniformed branch. Given the location, it could have been a patrol from the Naval Observatory grounds, where the vice president's house is.
Posted 75 months ago.
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Yeah, if they had white uniforms & white vehicles, then it's the Secret Service's Uniformed Branch. They also guard many of the foreign embassies.
Posted 75 months ago.
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Glad you stuck up for yourself a bit by asking questions -- always tough to assert yourself in that situation. I know exactly where you mean, too. A couple had climbed on the tunnel exterior and were kissing, so I tried to take a photo and I nearly got ran over by bike riders going way too fast.
Posted 75 months ago.
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Yup, white uniform and white SUV. And I looked at his uniform badge. :)
Originally posted 75 months ago.
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mirrorball edited this topic 75 months ago.
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couple had climbed on the tunnel exterior and were kissing, so I tried to take a photo
If I were a cop, I'd have questioned you for that! No need to turn into a paparazzi just because you're carrying a camera....
Posted 75 months ago.
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Good thing you're not a cop.
Posted 75 months ago.
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Seriously. If taking a pictures of those foolish enoug to climb above active traffic for a kiss is against the law, I don't want to be right.
Posted 75 months ago.
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