|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
LICENSE AND REGISTRATION, PLEASE! Today could have been better. It should have been. If you read my journal from yesterday, I was griping about how my efforts in covering the ice storm would probably go for naught because of the impeachment trial in Washington. Well, the trial made page one. But, of the three weather photos used inside the paper, two were mine. The lady scraping ice from her car windshield and the plows on the Expressway. Not bad, considering the other fine art turned in by the rest of the staff. So, what could be so bad? Well, I'll tell ya. Although the precipitation last night and this morning wasn't frozen, it was wet and it was plentiful. When I checked in with my desk this morning at 7:30 AM, I was told that I had a couple of things out east and to keep my eyes peeled for some rainy day weather shots. Especially flooding. Hey, Long Island is just barely above sea level. Before I got to my first assignment, I was told that the school I was going to was closed because of the weather. My editor told me that there was widespread flooding, although I hadn't seen any yet. I tuned in the local FM station. They staff their newsroom earlier than do we, and they are good at making traffic checks. They reported flooding on Sunrise Highway which resulted in the road being closed to traffic. And, it was not more than five miles from my apartment. I wasn't at my apartment. I was about 30 miles east of there. But, since that was the only solid lead that I had, I headed in that direction. Eventually, I had to get onto Sunrise Highway as I neared the scene, and soon I was in stand still traffic. Up ahead I could see flashing lights and traffic cones in the road, directing cars off onto the service road. Inch by inch, I crept closer. Finally, at the juncture where the cones began diverting traffic, I opted to pull around the cones and make my way up the deserted portion of the road to where two Highway Patrol Police Cars were sitting. I slowed to a crawl, put on my flashers and held my press card out of the driver's side window. I could imagine the conversation between the two cops as they saw me approach.
Well, at least he didn't use the word asshole to my face. I explained that I was coming to ask them if I could drive closer to the flooding in order to get pictures for my newspaper. I was treated to a harangue the likes of which I had never before experienced. "If this were a crime scene and there was a body laying in the road, would you think you could drive right through the police lines?" "Officer," I said. "I've been doing this for 40 years. Please give me credit for some intelligence. I've never compromised a crime scene. And this isn't a crime scene. I was on my way to ask your permission to proceed to the flood." I was told that I had no right to go around the traffic cones and did I ever read the back of my press card where it stated that I could cross police lines only at the disgression of the officer in charge of the scene. And was I aware that I was placing myself in danger by so doing and.......on and on. "Oh God," I thought. "Did Newsday write another editorial blasting the cops, again, or did this guy have a fight with his wife or his sergeant this morning. He told me to pull over. He would have to issue me a summons. Oh, great. "Do what you have to do, officer. I'm just trying to do my job."
That was good for another 5 minutes of abuse. I radioed my desk and told them what was happening. They got in touch with the police public information office and I was told that they would try to help me. While I was waiting, I grabbed a camera and started to take pictures of the traffic being diverted. At least I'd have something, as well as evidence of the physical layout of the situation. But, noooo. The other cop leaped from his car and told me to put the camera away and wait in the car. I was creating a hazard, I was told, by standing in the empty highway. I have to tell you, here and now, that it has always been my policy not to argue with police. It doesn't pay. They have guns. They have handcuffs. They have the authority to lock you up no matter how righteous you think you are. So, I don't argue. I will plead my case and use whatever logic I can. But, I maintain a respectful attitude. Usually it pays off. I have managed to talk my way around police lines and for 40 years, I have had good relations with police in both L.I. counties as well as with the State Police. But, today, nothing was going to help. I found out that the cop writing me up had radioed to the public relations unit checking up on me. The C.O. there told the cop that I was ok. He said that I had been around forever and had never given their department any cause for concern. I got the ticket anyway. It took almost an hour to get to that point. When it was done, the officer handed me the summons and in a very pleasant manner, asked me if I wanted to go down to the flood scene now. He said that he just got orders to open up the road because the flooding had abated.
When I got back to the office, needless to say, I was subjected to a lot of ribbing. The word "felon" was used a lot. But, I heard that a number of highly placed officials had interceded on my behalf, and I was instructed as to what I should do and I am told that the case will be dismissed. I am grateful. I've had a clean license for quite a few years and I don't need any of those dreaded insurance points. It's been a long day, folks. T.G.I.F. I'm going to bed now. Thanks for listening. Dick Kraus |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Dick
Kraus
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Contributor
since 1998
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Behind
the Viewfinder - A Year in the Life of Photojournalism |
