(no subject)

My email to the CTA via their website contact form. It's a start. If I don't hear back, I'll try calling. I'm very curious about whether and how photography is addressed in employee training.

Speaking of which, if you know anyone who works for the CTA who'd be willing to talk to me about training and the company culture in relation to photography, I'd be very interested in talking to them. I'll promise anonymity if that would help.

Hello!

Yesterday (September the 15th around 7 o' clock), I was approached by a CTA employee on the platform of the Howard El station.

He warned me that he saw me taking photographs and that I could "go to jail for terrorism" for taking photographs of the station and tracks. He said that if I wanted to take any photographs, I needed to talk to someone with the CTA to get a permit and an escort. Being familiar with the CTA photography policy (http://www.transitchicago.com/business/photopolicy.aspx) I let him know that, to my understanding, a permit is required only for commercial photography or for bulky equipment. The employee told me that I was wrong, expressed annoyance at my implication that he "didn't know his job" and said "Don't say I didn't warn you."

I'm writing for two purposes.

First, I want to let you know that you have employees who are advising members of the general public incorrectly that the CTA prohibits use of cameras in public areas of CTA property. (As noted on the policy page, "The general public is permitted to use hand-held cameras to take photographs, capture digital images, and videotape within public areas of CTA stations and transit vehicles for personal, non-commercial use".)

Secondly, I'm very curious about what kind of instruction is given to public-facing CTA employees in regard to members of the public using cameras. Is this addressed in training? I'd be very interested in knowing whether the official policy is covered in employee training.

Thanks very much for your time!

Chris Allen

(no subject)

I shot this picture of myself in the window of a building facing out on Cityfront Plaza near the NBC Tower in Chicago.


Reflecting on the City - Pic-a-day 14 September 2013

Copyright Stormdog 2013


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Today is board game day at Danae's place! Sadly, I had school stuff to finish up in the morning. I wrote up reading notes for my Environmental Anthropology class. I did a lesson plan for Intro to Anthropology.

When I got done, I wrestled with the a horrible online ordering system, then went to get pizza. I came back to folks in the middle of a game of Power Grid, which is sad 'cause it's one of my favorites. But we might be doing Outpost next!

Tonight, I'm heading back to Kenosha. I need to get ready for school and get to bed early so my brother and I can bike to school in the morning. It'll be his first time making the trip, so I want to make sure we have extra time as I see how long it takes him to get there. I also need to find the keyring that the keys for my bike lock are on....

(no subject)

On another note, the contact form for the CTA required my to note my gender. Why does that even matter? It's funny how pervasive and annoying that question is now that I'm more conscious of it these days.