Safety whilst railfanning.

[ocalicreek]

Every city has it's part of town you'd rather not be in after dark, so let us know where you're thinking.

We have our share of gun, knife, etc. crime and gang related violence and many areas near the tracks are such places where that occurs. But there are many beautiful locations that are clean, well lit, even regularly patroled by police where a railfan can get great pictures. Of course sometimes it's the police who cause more 'trouble' for railfans in our post-9/11 litigious era of heightened 'security'. Big Brother is watching you watching trains.

And I could see where you folks on that side of the pond would think we're a bunch of gun totin' shoot-em-up cowboys. This sentiment was obvious in the most recent season opener of Doctor Who (I'm a big fan). "I wear a Stetson now...Stetsons are cool..." says Matt Smith, moments before his hat is shot off. Throughout the entire episode and into the second part, us 'mericans are portrayed as trigger happy...something the Doctor has always been against.

All that to say, don't let perception ruin a perfectly good reality.

Galen