Re: Warning Herb: Don't use the subway to transport rad. sources.

[Bob LaMontagne <rlamont@POSTOFFICE.PROVIDENCE.EDU>]

"Edmiston, Mike" wrote:

> Also, watch what you take photographs of.  The recent issue of Popula=
> r
> Photography shows a picture of a sign on a NYC bridge.  The sign bans
> cameras on the bridge and the taking of any photographs of the bridge=
> .
> The sign says the camera ban is strictly enforced.  They're afraid
> terrorists will take photographs of the bridge as part of "casing the
> bridge" for future terrorist activities.  So the "solution" is to
> prohibit anyone from taking any photographs of the bridge.
>
> Carried to its logical conclusion, as we take our family vacations, e=
> tc.
> we will not be able to photograph the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol
> Building, the White House, the Liberty Bell, Main Street USA....

This is wandering off list, but the reason the ban on photography is
posted is because there is a surprisingly large community of "railfans"
that photograph trains from bridges and trackside. (I happen to be one)
That is who the ban really applies to, not the casual tourist. I can
assure you from personal experience, that the authorities are quite good
at telling the difference between a person photographing a friend when a
train just happens to be in the background and someone deliberately
photographing the train.

It's just human nature to overreact to new dangers. Many more people are
killed each month in auto accidents than were killed on 9/11, but we've
acclimated to that. I can put up with the restrictions in the short term
because they are a natural reaction. What I fear is a permanent set of
restrictions set into law. No amount of safety is worth living in a police
state. Related to physics - will we have to give up teaching modern
physics labs because we can't get simple Cesium sources?

Bob at PC