[Closed] Photographing an accident

Poor taste IMO. Yes, the media encourages this crap. 😡

I accept it if it means our fathfull law enforcers can be filmed.

BBC carry images from the public too. The Jim Clarke rally incident for example.

JCL do you have an issue with the police/ambulance filming you when dealing with you when dealing with incidents?

If the rider is screaming, I would take comfort that he is probably OK, thats not to say the leg may be about to come off though.

If the rider is screaming, I would take comfort that he is probably OK,

😯

JCL I hope you're wearing safety shoes for when that massive chip on your shoulder falls off.

Drac, I just going on my very basic first aid training - attend to the quiet ones, the noisy ones are are probably going to survive a bit longer as they are clearly breathing and concious.

Digial age, everyone's a potential news reporter. Whether it's in good taste to film certain aspects of an accident is an individual's choice so don't get your hopes up.

I thought this was going to be another "where there's blame there's a claim" thread.

Disappointed.

My wife slipped and broke her leg in 3 places on holiday a few years ago. As it was quite a remote spot there was some effort required to get her up to the ambulance. A bloke coming the other way started circling us and taking pictures.

I very nearly grabbed his camera and lobbed it over the horizon but one of the paramedics stepped in and advised the photographer that it may be in his own interest to jog off.

It's hardly a new thing is it? It's just that cameras are more ubiquitous now.

JCL do you have an issue with the police/ambulance filming you when dealing with you when dealing with incidents?

Haven't really thought about it to be honest but I don't think I would mind. Then again I'm not a government revenue and protection "force" masquerading as public servants.

JCL I hope you're wearing safety shoes for when that massive chip on your shoulder falls off.

😆

For the record I think it's pathetic to film people in the aftermath of accidents but if if we place restrictions on public filming I think certain people will be more likely to abuse their "authority".

OP, lincoln by any chance? sounds like one here yesterday.

Met a couple of police and ambulance folk with gopro type cameras. They seem to get abuse from the public who are touting cameras at them.

OP why didn't you say something to them?

Along the lines of 'shame on you you disgusting pondlife'.

Don't even start me on this one. On a professional level there are lots of rules some official others personal which guide whet happens at a scene. Some others are made up by creative police officers who confuse what I do for a living with some kind of hobby. If I were out and came across an accident I'd help.

Cool a crash, let me upload it to Facebook, imagine how many likes I'll get.

Then again I'm not a government revenue and protection "force" masquerading as public servants.

Wow a Chip and a tin foil hat!

Personally I think it's disgusting and ghoulish, filming someone in their most vulnerable and needy moments, especially to get some Facebook likes.

I've been working at plenty of scenes where the cameras are out to capture the incident, some even break the cordon tape to get a better angle.

Disgusting

OP, lincoln by any chance?

Yep - The mountain biking haven in which I reside...

OP why didn't you say something to them?

Along the lines of 'shame on you you disgusting pondlife'.

I was slightly more Germanic in voicing my disgust. Not that it stopped the sick ****s from filming and I wasn't going to add to the stress of the scene by kicking off at them.

it's not on really IMHO.

The press and social media encourages it (likes/ free reporting etc) Free speech is fine but taking pleasure by videoing and sharing someone else's pain (especially a complete stranger) and discomfort is ghoulish. I woudnt like it done to me and i would imaginre the videoe wouldnt lkike to ahve it done to them

I am, in a way, one of these public servants masquerading as a protection force and people love to have the gore on their phones. Its to outdo their mates, one up everyone, something to talk about. It can be a brilliant insight into human (dis) logic as they double up trying to catch the services attended of wrong doing. It is a shame that people dont trust the police until they need them and this is being shared to the masses via video. Its rare anyone gets a formal thanks for the work they do and thats not just police but paramedics, fire, search and rescue, all of them.

However morally wrong it is to film this kind of thing legally I dont *think* there is anything stopping them.

I didn't see any phones (as I was pre-occupied) but the time I helped a motorcyclist who had been side-swiped off his bike and was laying flat on his face. There was a bus FULL of people gawping at us. The only people helping were me and the bus driver. Obviously the bus was going nowhere quick so why did no one get off and help?

I had to lift/shove his bike out of harms way (cars were driving at it/round it at 40 in a 40 (it was at a junction/lights leading onto the 40 dual carriageway). I also had to stand infront of the rider to prevent said-cars from driving to close. Soon as a Police van turned up I left. Up until that point it no one moved forward. Just stared.

Why are people like that? Wont intervene/get involved? 'Not their job'?

Conversely a recent occurrence was a beemer X1 series that had ploughed over armco into small trees on a sliproad bend on a motorway. Police were on scene and we were waived through- as I drove passed I noticed at least EIGHT passersby from numerous cars swarming the car/helping out.

However morally wrong it is to film this kind of thing legally I dont *think* there is anything stopping them.

I would hope not, banning photography in public places for being distasteful seems a very slippery slope to me.

I dont *think* there is anything stopping them

There isn't.

I would hope not, banning photography in public places for being distasteful seems a very slippery slope to me.

I think you'd disagree if you was the one injuried or your loved one(s).

I think you'd disagree if you was the one injuried or your loved one(s).

Quite possibly, but where do you draw the line?

I've got no objection to my actions being filmed, but I have been in situations where I would have liked to be able to stop people filming for the sake of the injured person or relative. It felt pretty shit to tell a bloke that there was nothing I could do to stop a press cameraman filming his dead wife (fell down a mountain) being stretchered into the undertakers van 🙁

I’ve just read that the lad who got a beating at ParkLife has died. I’ve seen the picture that somebody took of it. Lots of people standing watching whilst 2 girls tried to stop it.

Filming the aftermath is bad however filming an assault can have silver linings (we hope in the case of the man slaughter at Heaton Park) if it identifies the assailant..

I don't think there should be a ban on photographing/videoing due to the issues that presents but it appears relying on some members of the public's moral compass is not enough.

Don't see the issue - you were looking at the scene, what is the difference to viewing it in real life to recording it and showing someone later.

It can be distressing to those involved to see people filming it all.

poah - Member
Don't see the issue - you were looking at the scene, what is the difference to viewing it in real life to recording it and showing someone later.

CountZero - Member

If you don't understand the difference, I'm not entirely sure I can explain it to you in simple terms that will clarify it for you.

I'd not film the situation described above nor would I actually pay attention to it either unless I was paid to do so. But wither you stop and stare, rubber neck the incident or film it I don't see the difference - you are being voyeuristic

Perhaps the difference is that watching is instinctive, but to then start filming is a calculated decision?

thegreatape - Member
Perhaps the difference is that watching is instinctive, but to then start filming is a calculated decision?

I did my first aid at work training tbe other month and we were advised to deal with bystanders as either witnesses to tbe incident who might be needed later and anyone who could help with first aid, even if just by phoning the ambulance for you.

Everyone else fell within a third category, which was the people you should tell to just **** off and keep out the way

Don't see the issue - you were looking at the scene

I didn't stop and stare - I cycled past about 5 meters away on a cycle path - I challenge anyone not to turn their head when there is a bright yellow helicopter hovering close enough overhead they are in the downdraft and a screaming patient is lying in the middle of the road next to you!

That's not voyeurism its human nature.

Filming the aftermath is bad however filming an assault can have silver linings (we hope in the case of the man slaughter at Heaton Park) if it identifies the assailant..

Aah, ok, so if it's your loved one and they die you're then pleased it was filmed, but if they don't then they're (to quote you) "disgusting pondlife". You can have one of these: 🙄

Cyclist got killed at Elephant and Castle a few weeks back, I rode past, road was closed, so we had to walk around. I reckon there were at least 200 people standing around the cordon looking, taking photos etc. There was nothing to see - a lorry, a squished bike, a tent and a lot of emergency vehicles. Crazy.

Can any of us say that we haven't clicked to look at a picture of a professional cyclist who has fallen and injured himself? In doing so we are all feeding the parasites.

*cough*.

I was just thinking about that. Of course I’d never take photos of an accident... except...

I went to Northern Ireland to watch the Giro d’Italia. We watched the TTT. I took my camera and longish lens and was happily snapping away getting lots of photos of teams going past. And then Garmin Sharp crashed right in front of us. Indeed I have a photo where if you look closely at the very edge of the shot you can see a bike wheel at completely the wrong angle – Dan Martin himself has fallen sideways out of the shot but the three riders behind him are heading straight towards the wheel.

They crash and I stand around a bit shocked for a moment. Then I notice everyone taking photos, and people jumping off press bikes and poking their cameras into the action. And I look at the camera round my neck and think “hang on, this is newsworthy stuff”. And really, why would anyone want my photos when there are press photographers on the scene anyway. But on the other hand the press photographers and the live tv kind of indicate that there is no real expectation of any privacy.

In the end I did take some photos. I wanted to capture the sense of panic and activity rather than the grimaces on faces or close ups of torn lycra but I'm still not entirely sure whether I should have or not.

I just googled "car accident death photos" ... 😯

I blame this thread for putting me off driving ... or cycling ... or crossing the road ...

You have to question what people take images of accidents for. If your reporting on an incident then thats what you've been asked to do. However several things sprang to mind just this morning. Professional photographers (should) have . I have sadly seen many people at accident scenes who've not survived - but the idea of photographic them is dreadful. If i took an image of a dead person IT WOULD NEVER BE USED! therefore it would be a useless intrusion. I can't understand why people with camera phones choose to photograph an accident scene. Who are they sending it to or sharing it with. At least we have guidelines and a picture editor who'd lick my ass up the newsroom!