hexstatik

first and foremost, let me start off by saying that i did in fact pay for today’s trip on the sky train. thank very much.

there i was at the front of the train, on the phone with crystal, who was at the back. we were both taking a series of photos for a time lapse video project we were working on. having almost reached the end of the line, we were trying to coordinate out next move - get off now and go home, or go around again and do it reverse.

suddenly, i saw a blue jacket walking on the platform looking into the train. he spotted me and stepped onto the train while talking on his radio “hold the westbound at commercial”.

“what are you doing?”, he asked.

“just taking some photos”, i replied.

“do you have a permit for that?”, he asked

“why do i need a permit?” i hung up the phone on crystal. (read here for crystal’s story from the front of the train.)

he informed me, “you need to have a permit. you’re going to have to leave.”

“sure, ok. just let me get my stuff.” just then the doors closed on the attendant and the train started to move, so i let my camera finish the series of shots between commercial station and the last stop on the line, VCC-Clark.

during the short trip to VCC-Clark, the gentleman was getting more and more flustered with me, as was i with him. i asked him what rule i had broken, and to produce proof that i was in fact doing something against the “rules”. he then replied it was posted on the “translink website”.

“really? so you just post all of your ‘rules’ on the website where people can see them?”

“do you want to speak to the police, sir?”

by now, i had started to get my bag ready while the attendant began to speak into his radio and turned to the front of the train where he suddenly spotted crystal and her set up. he immediately turned to me and asked ,

“you have another one set up there?”

“no, that’s my partner.”

“do you have any ID on you?”

“for what? no!”

it was definitely time to go.

i tried to call crystal, but my phone was taking too long. i shoved the phone in my pocket, unplugged my gear, packed my laptop and grabbed my camera on it’s tripod and headed to the back of the train to get crystal. luckily, during my initial phone call, crystal heard the attendant ask “… you have a permit?” and was on high alert. as i was approaching the rear, i called out for her to “grab your stuff. we have to leave.” she was off the train before i arrived.

as she tried to leave the station, the attendant told her;

“you’re going to have to wait here.”

“don’t stop, keep going” i yelled out.

as we were briskly descending the stairs, i glanced back to see if he was following us. he was standing at the top of the stairs ,still talking into his radio. the look of disbelief on his face was priceless.