Was out shooting in a city I hadn't been to before and ran into trouble. I noticed a guy across the street checking me out. Sizing me up. Then he started following me. When I went to go back down the street he crossed the street and stood in my way yelling something. I stopped and he was about 15 feet in front of me. He was probably in his early 30s, strong build, and may have been homeless, on drugs, or just a mouthy thug looking for a victim. I'm a pretty big guy and just stared him down until he backed off. He still followed me and kept yelling.
I've had a few minor run-ins with people but nothing as close to a brawl as this. When I'm in my hometown I carry a knife. Can't do that when traveling on an airplane.
Ever have any problems like this? You carry any extra protection while traveling?
Was out shooting in a city I hadn't been to before and ran into trouble. I noticed a guy across the street checking me out. Sizing me up. Then he started following me. When I went to go back down the street he crossed the street and stood in my way yelling something. I stopped and he was about 15 feet in front of me. He was probably in his early 30s, strong build, and may have been homeless, on drugs, or just a mouthy thug looking for a victim. I'm a pretty big guy and just stared him down until he backed off. He still followed me and kept yelling.
I've had a few minor run-ins with people but nothing as close to a brawl as this. When I'm in my hometown I carry a knife. Can't do that when traveling on an airplane.
Ever have any problems like this? You carry any extra protection while traveling?
The only weapon I carry is comprehensive equipment insurance. Getting mugged means a camera upgrade for me...
Was out shooting in a city I hadn't been to before and ran into trouble. I noticed a guy across the street checking me out. Sizing me up. Then he started following me. When I went to go back down the street he crossed the street and stood in my way yelling something. I stopped and he was about 15 feet in front of me. He was probably in his early 30s, strong build, and may have been homeless, on drugs, or just a mouthy thug looking for a victim. I'm a pretty big guy and just stared him down until he backed off. He still followed me and kept yelling.
I've had a few minor run-ins with people but nothing as close to a brawl as this. When I'm in my hometown I carry a knife. Can't do that when traveling on an airplane.
Ever have any problems like this? You carry any extra protection while traveling?
The only weapon I carry is comprehensive equipment insurance. Getting mugged means a camera upgrade for me...
Was out shooting in a city I hadn't been to before and ran into trouble. I noticed a guy across the street checking me out. Sizing me up. Then he started following me. When I went to go back down the street he crossed the street and stood in my way yelling something. I stopped and he was about 15 feet in front of me. He was probably in his early 30s, strong build, and may have been homeless, on drugs, or just a mouthy thug looking for a victim. I'm a pretty big guy and just stared him down until he backed off. He still followed me and kept yelling.
I've had a few minor run-ins with people but nothing as close to a brawl as this. When I'm in my hometown I carry a knife. Can't do that when traveling on an airplane.
Ever have any problems like this? You carry any extra protection while traveling?
The only weapon I carry is comprehensive equipment insurance. Getting mugged means a camera upgrade for me...
Better Idea than a knife :-) In which country was Paulie? Mind sharing the city?
I've been attacked, grabbed, hit, threatened, yelled at...I think some men feel it's their duty to harass small women. I've carried pepper spray a couple of times but never used it. An iPhone is sometimes effective...when people see they're being recorded they try to calm down. I would think pepper spray would be better than a knife, because you don"t have to be so close to use it. But I'm always concerned that I'll wind up being sprayed more than they will.
I've been attacked, grabbed, hit, threatened, yelled at...I think some men feel it's their duty to harass small women. I've carried pepper spray a couple of times but never used it. An iPhone is sometimes effective...when people see they're being recorded they try to calm down. I would think pepper spray would be better than a knife, because you don"t have to be so close to use it. But I'm always concerned that I'll wind up being sprayed more than they will.
Wow, sorry to hear that. Good point with the phone.
I've been attacked, grabbed, hit, threatened, yelled at...I think some men feel it's their duty to harass small women. I've carried pepper spray a couple of times but never used it. An iPhone is sometimes effective...when people see they're being recorded they try to calm down. I would think pepper spray would be better than a knife, because you don"t have to be so close to use it. But I'm always concerned that I'll wind up being sprayed more than they will.
Wow, sorry to hear that. Good point with the phone.
Thanks. The funny thing is that I've been threatened, attacked and screamed at in Manhattan...which I guess is to be expected, perhaps...but also in quiet suburbs, where I apparently threaten and infuriate men by cycling and walking my Chihuahuas. You know when I never, ever got harassed? When I walked my German Shepherd. A big dog is really the best deterrent, and a camera phone makes people think twice.
Having a local guide can be quite useful, but the best idea is to avoid ** places like Detroit, Malmo, Cairo, Salvador altogether. If you must go, bring your worst equipment, a crappy give-away phone and just cash for the day.MALMO? I screamed. In SWEDEN? So I Googled, and right enough, there it was, in a list of the top ten most dangerous cities in Europe and sounding very scary. Then I noticed it was #9 and they had Glasgow at #3!!! That latter opinion is at least 30 years old for a city whose tagline (taken from an extensive visitor survey) is 'People Make Glasgow'.
Monopd with a heavy ballhead can serve more than one useful purpose
Monopd with a heavy ballhead can serve more than one useful purpose
We have a winner! I can finally use my monopod for something. Just have to figure out how to add a trailer hitch ball to the end. And practice my martial arts yells.
i travelled all over the world, only carrying as little as i can, with as little money i can in a neck strap envelope containing very little money. i dress very simply, probably less than a mugger.
wherever i go, i hear doors slamming as i approach in the early mornings past midnight.
nothing ever happened to me.
one day last year, back home, i was out taking shots for a client. in what i consider my home turf.
very safe. i ended up being confronted by a guy and i was civil to him. i turned around to walk away and he turned me around and smashed me in the head against the concrete before someone
up in a building called the cops.
the cops came and instead of arresting the guy, laughed because he was a friend of the crooked cops. i ended up with 7 stitches and concussion and bruises all over that kept me in hospital for a week. the ambulance people told me they had known of this guy and never was he ever arrested.
really, there isn't anything to keep you safe. unless you carry a gun. if they want to hurt you,
they will. it has nothing to do with robbing you.
and yes, i know capoeira and it still didn't help. if i had won , it would only be in time before that brute come finding me again.
needless to say, i moved out of that city. also, i no longer consider any place safe.
in another incident, a friend of mine was attacked by a bunch of guys. he grabbed the knife off one of his attacker. because he was black, he was threatened by the cops for carrying a knife; never mind being the single person being attacked by a group welding knives.
in other words, don't play hero. usually, the innocent guy ends up being charged with A&B, especially if you're the pigeon.
Yikes! Where do you live? Chicago? Seriously though, that sounds like some terribly broken police.
I worked as a photojournalist for many years and although I was threatened too many times to count, the only people that actually assaulted me were the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, one of the Maple Leafs players and the corrupt Mayor of a small city. (None were actually much of an assault)I was always lucky I guess, but also had a good sense of what I could get away with and when to back down, etc.
I've always found that being discreet is about 90% of the battle as far as keeping your gear and yourself safe.
I've always found that being discreet is about 90% of the battle as far as keeping your gear and yourself safe.
even from a distance, when i point it in the direction ...
i can still see from the pictures i got.. lots of nasty faces...
ie. they knew someone was taking shots at them, and they did not like it.
I second this, I have $2 insurance for no questions asked insurance in my $3,500 worth of camera gear. Not worth the risk to your life unless you are home with your concealed carry.Was out shooting in a city I hadn't been to before and ran into trouble. I noticed a guy across the street checking me out. Sizing me up. Then he started following me. When I went to go back down the street he crossed the street and stood in my way yelling something. I stopped and he was about 15 feet in front of me. He was probably in his early 30s, strong build, and may have been homeless, on drugs, or just a mouthy thug looking for a victim. I'm a pretty big guy and just stared him down until he backed off. He still followed me and kept yelling.
I've had a few minor run-ins with people but nothing as close to a brawl as this. When I'm in my hometown I carry a knife. Can't do that when traveling on an airplane.
Ever have any problems like this? You carry any extra protection while traveling?
The only weapon I carry is comprehensive equipment insurance. Getting mugged means a camera upgrade for me...