Screaming trolley driver didn't get the memo about photos on the T

Sometimes I wonder whether the MBTA is an agency of disconnects and misdirects.

How can any T employee at this point not know the policy concerning photography? This issue has been kicked around like a dead dog for at least a few years now. Is the rank and file of the T so disconnected from A) management, B) media, C) talking to each other that drivers are oblivious to what should be a no-brainer at this point?

Or is there misdirection in the T? Management says to the public photography (with all the caveats) is okay; but to drivers the message is taking photographs is not okay?

Same goes for when drivers' choosing stops. On the 39 there is a driver who chooses which stops to release a passenger. He admitted that he chooses when to pull over. T policy says nothing about driver's discretion of when to pull over; but when asked the driver admitted he chooses when to skip a stop to release passengers.

The same has happened with their security theater. After the conflicts about whether a rider can refuse to allow an inspection would it not make sense that each T cop is told, unequivocally, any person entering a station may refuse a bag inspection and simply has to leave? From my experience the new cops are not given this information.

The most bizarre thing though is that for an organization that is supposed to provide a pubic service (and which performs fairly well, but certainly not great, all these considered), that the T is seen as a necessary adversary is sad.

Name, rank and serial# please. It's not enough to highlight the incident. Identify the offender when possible.

I pay more for this? I pay more for this? I pay more for this? I pay more for this? Really, I do pay more for this.

I would personally like to thank Universal Hub for picking up on my tweets last night regarding this event.

After reading the comments, I want to clarify a few things (since I'm at home and not limited to 140 characters).

I was traveling one stop on the Green Line from Boylston to Park Street on 7/14 at approximately 8:58pm, (where I was transferring to the Red Line). I took the two pictures I was able to capture within that short trip.

Since I was out in Boston for a meeting (and not just for railfanning/photo opportunities), I didn't have my formal point-and-shoot camera with me. I only had my HTC smartphone with me, so I decided to snap a few interior pictures during my short 1-stop ride on the Green Line before transferring.

Please understand, whether using a formal camera or camera-phone, I have NOT & will never take a flash photo, use a tripod/monopod or will try to photograph a particular person. I've always done my best to uphold these reasonable photo-courtesy/safety expectations. This obviously applies to my situation last night...no flash was used.

I boarded Type 8 car # 3838, which was part of a 2-car train (and this was NOT the lead car). I sat in the rear of the car (where there was only other other person near me after the articulated section (and probably 4 people sitting ahead of the articulation).

Right before heading into Park St. station, after taking my 1st pic, I saw the lights turn on & off in the back portion of 3838, and I figured it was an electrical problem. Once I took the 2nd pic (which I posted to Twitter), again the lights flickered and the motorwoman appeared, standing next to the motorperson cab (out of her seat). She started yelling "Sir, you can't take pictures on the train. There are no pictures allowed here", to which I responded "uh, sure...that's not what your website says, but I'll play your game". At this point, the doors opened at Park St. and I got off the train.

After being aggrevated & tweeting about this, I transferred to the Red Line (Park St. under) & waited for my Braintree train. What was so annoying to me was that after having gone through the unnecessary harassment, a man standing on the center Red Line platform had a formal point-and-shoot camera, and took a FLASH picture with NO MBTA official coming forward & telling him he couldn't. It was like a slap in the face.

As far as carrying the photo policy, I typically do only when I'm riding with the intention of taking multiple pictures w/ my point-and-shoot camera for my personal collection. Even now, I'm skeptical it's of any use to me, as I tweeted to someone earlier about shooting pictures at Lechmere station last year, when suddenly I had a T bus driver & 2 station officials approach me firmly saying I can't take pictures anywhere near T property, which the bus driver chimed-in "...for terrorist reasons". (I couldn't believe anyone was still playing that card, especially to a white-as-white local guy like myself.) After showing the photo policy, and telling them this came from the T Police department, they said unless I had a formal permit, I still couldn't take pictures anywhere on T property.

I hope this clears up any doubt involving my experience, and I hope us passengers remain firm in exposing this incredibly drawn-out multi-year problem of harassment over the T photo policy. Thanks to those who have shown their support. It is greatly appreciated.

- Rob Grover
(djimpact1 on Twitter)