Secrets of the City

Damn. Mighty brave guy, eh? I doubt I’d have the presence of mind or the strength of character, when confronted by that Mad Max type whaling away on the poor woman, to stop, keep a measured twenty feet away, focus my shot, frame it nicely for proper effect, yell that he’d better start thinking about considering slowing his attack while I check my exposure, and click that shutter.

But I suppose that no matter how craven we might suspect ourselves to be, we all have those hidden reserves of courage that don’t appear until needed. Hats off to him, I say.

Tho’ I’ve belted you an’ flayed you,
By the livin’ Gawd that made you,
You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

What a loser that guy must be. Kitty Genovese comes to mind with stories like this.

Ha, yeah snapping a few shots while some woman gets beat on the street is pretty low.

If you look at the dude’s other shots, you’ll notice he attended something called Harvest Fest a “Trans-Cosmic Tribadelic Space Carnival“.

He also went to a Counting Crows concert.

That is one mighty high resolution camera phone.

A phone camera made this guy a star in Hong Kong

He was known as Bus Uncle. He was arguing with someone on a cell phone and the guy behind him called him Uncle (a term of respect) and asked him to pipe down.

The guy went ballistic.

Doesn’t say he used a camera phone.
It is ironic that the next picture over of Giraffes is so out of focus.

haha. he sure did! That was pretty great.

I’m the photographer who took this picture. No one’s suggesting this was a brave act. My camera (not a cellphone – a Sony F-717 digital) was slung over my shoulder, exposure already dialed in, finger already resting on the button, when it happened. Auto-focus is instantaneous. All I had to do was squeeze from the hip as I approached them threatening to call the cops. I didn’t need to do more because he fled at that point. He was not “whaling” on her, but pulling on her purse.

The victim appreciated the pictures because she had something to show the cops. The cops appreciated the pictures because they had something to go on. They only people who don’t seem appreciate them are the armchair second-guessers posting clueless comments here.

And yes, the Trans-Cosmic Tribadelic Space Carnival was a great time, thanks. Counting Crows… not so much.

My point was the title of this post is:

Purse snatcher caught on cameraphone

We have large-bin surpluses of sarcasm and self-righteousness here, Joe.

Don’t worry about it.

Yeah it was mistakenly reported as a cameraphone picture by BoingBoing at first.

I have corrected the title. Stupid BoingBoing. Mark Frauenfelder, why are you out to get me?

Actually, Mark is very nice. He’s responsible for the feature story that Courtney and I did this month for MAKE.

Ok I take back my pretty low comment. I guess if the guy fled the second you approached and you were shooting as you rushed up, then you can’t really be expected to do anything more.

I probably would have just pretended I forgot something and walked back down the street the way I came.

But srsly, drug-fueled hippy fest and Counting Crows concert? You need to pick one or the other.

max: Baldan’s Big Date = barrel of laughs.

I think it’s great the photog (joe) took a photo of this guy…do you
know how many get away without being identified? Giving a photo
to the cops or having one to post to the neighborhood telephone
post or listserv is great…get the purse snatcher off the street…

Besides the photo, I have no doubt that joe would have gone
right over to help… the guy fled to get away from the camera
and an anticipated capture by joe…kudos to joe too
too for helping the woman and staying with her.

Joe is the Hero we all need to be these days.

Can’t let the bad guys take over or intimidate…just a l
ittle resistance scares most of em off….that and going
all Charles Bronson, Jodie Foster on them!

I just walk around taking pictures. I’m no hero. I do not wear a cape, and have no intention of getting one (even though it is starting to get chilly). But thanks for the pat on the back. That was nice of you to say.

do not wear a cape, and have no intention of getting one

That’s too bad. My wife has been waiting for capes to come back in style for years.

Nice work standing up to the thug.

“That’s too bad. My wife has been waiting for capes to come back in style for years.”

I think she can thank Seinfeld for the fact that they haven’t yet. (capes AND puffy sleeved pirate shirts)

“No Capes!” – Edna “E” Mode (From The Incredibles)

Jeez mnblrmkr, that even explains why my pirate outfit doesn’t get worn enough. I’m living a Seinfeld episode . . . .that’s just great.

I hope you wore it back on the 19th. International Talk Like a Pirate Day! If not, there’s always next year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day

do not wear a cape, and have no intention of getting one

I’m guessing Joe will not be applying for a job at Galactic Pizza although it seems he would fit in perfectly! Right down to the coming to the aid of a lady in distress.

I used to wear a cape and tights, but I find a bathrobe is so much more comfortable — and liberating.

whoa.. I wish I could have a guy like YOU for my father, Joe, I’m sure your kids are really proud of you!

Z-

That would be my smarmy son Zac…

What a brave, brave man.
His gangsta buddies must be so proud of him.

“They only people who don’t seem appreciate them are the armchair second-guessers posting clueless comments here.“

Clueless? Naw. Looking at that pic, looking at which way the guy was leaning, making a fairly educamated guess at the zoom setting based on foreshortening, I’m comfortable sticking with my initial impression, which is that a solid running thwap into his back would’ve maybe hurt him on the primary impact, and maybe would’ve gotten him into the side of a car for a secondary hit, but, given that he rabbited when you just yelled, it certainly wouldn’t have adversely affected Ms. Yellow Hammer’s outcome.

I used to work a few blocks from there. But, I don’t even live in the city anymore, so maybe I’ve lost the knowledge to speak on this. Maybe the dangers inherent in getting yourself noticed by the violent whackos really have reached the point where posters like “The Brave One” can write up paeans to the bravery of sticking around and helping her up after standing off and yelling until the guy leaves. Guess I’d just prefer the world where we’d feel sheepish if we missed the guy’s head with the bat and hit his shoulder instead.

My life is not a Chuck Norris movie. Sorry to disappoint you.

You don’t come off as a chuck norris type…

No, instead you try to become some big-name photographer by snapping pictures of a crime occuring right in front of your eyes while some poor woman is being victimized.

I’m not saying to (as people will soon accuse me of, or put words in my mouth to the effect) use deadly force; I’m saying put the camera down, and lend a hand to the lady for chrissake.

But then I guess I’m just a backwoods hick in some peoples perception; one who’s too “affraid” to venture into the “big scary city”. BTW, since when did looking out for ones neighbor become the “country hick” thing to do?

Who the hell cares? The only thing that makes your cesspools you call cities “scary” is the fact that you all seem to think crime is a problem either worthy of tourism or one to be swept under the rug.

I’ve been getting this a lot. And I suppose to get that shot, most people would need to stop, get out their camera, position themself, check exposure, focus et. while the event unfolds. But I’m a street photographer. My camera was not in a bag. It was slung over my shoulder already aimed up the sidewalk, exposure already dialed in, finger already resting on the button when it happened right in front of me as I was scanning for interesting pictures.   All I had to do to make the pictures was squeeze from the hip as I approached them loudly threatening to call the cops. I do not own a cellphone, so this was all I could do in the moment. I didn’t need to do more because he fled at that point.  

Some criticize me for photographing instead of intervening.  That is incorrect. I did very much intervene, and I chose to intervene by intruding as a photographer.  The camera spooked the guy and he fled. It was a big risk that worked out well since neither of us were seriously hurt and he did not get her purse.

What more do you want, Binky?

.

Joe — did you yell, “Stop, or I’ll shoot!” Because a pun like that only comes along once every so often, and it would be a shame if you didn’t.

But then I guess I’m just a backwoods hick in some peoples perception; one who’s too “affraid” to venture into the “big scary city”. BTW, since when did looking out for ones neighbor become the “country hick” thing to do?

Binky, if you take the time to read what happened after the mugging attempt, you’ll learn that I sat with her and waited for the police so I could show them the pictures of the guy they’d be looking for, and spent that time cheering up the victim. I’m not trying to sound like a hero. I agree it’s what any normal compassionate person would do. Just credit me that instead of painting me as a predatory phtographer. If using that photo as more than evidence by also posting it in my collection somehow invalidates that kindness, I sure don’t see how. I never expected or sought any publicity and was very surprised when BoingBoing and Fox9 noticed it.

I’m not from the city. I just live and work here. I’m from the country. I grew up in rural Isanti County. What I’ve learned from my time in the city is that it is a place filled with the same sort of kind people that you’ll find out in the country, but mixed in with with others who are only in it for themselves. Some of them wear suits and mug people from high above in skyscrapers, others do it right on the street.

I did the best I could.

.

It’s not the “after the attempt” that bugs me, it’s not even the fact that things worked out in the end and everyone went away happy when it was over.

What bugs me is that “best” you could do was stand there and not idlely watch this crime take place which is deplorable, but actively photgraphed it as it happened.

Complacency is bad enough; there are too many people that will never lift a hand for their fellow man in need… but to be aware of a situation, to actually see a crime taking place against a woman on the street and the action you take is to start snapping pictures instead of insuring the womans safety? That’s the lowest kind of inaction.

…and when I say “lift a hand” I don’t mean the hand with the camera in it, unless perhaps you’re gonna use that camera to beat Mr. Criminal senseless.

Some criticize me for photographing instead of intervening. That is incorrect. I did very much intervene, and I chose to intervene by intruding as a photographer. The camera spooked the guy and he fled. It was a big risk that worked out well since neither of us were seriously hurt and he did not get her purse.

Are you serious? Wow. How heroic you must feel, standing there and watching as a crime is committed… but by god by documenting that crime you’re “doing your part” to make the streets safer.

A risk? Really? A risk that he might steal your camera next? Wouldn’t that be ironic.

You sound like you need a nap, Bink.

Yeah, and you sound like you need a lesson in civic duty.

Tell us, Binky, about the crimes you have interrupted and the criminals you have apprehended.

Complacency is bad enough; there are too many people that will never lift a hand for their fellow man in need

Isn’t this the Republican Party Platform?

Binky takes in some target practice.

I have known Joe for 2 years now, and him getting this on camera is the best mistake ever, if you look into his site further than this ONE shot you will find the TRUE ART in what this man does. He has taken over a 1000 shots of my son playing {Sam}. He can see the beauty of every day life. So he walks the streets with his camera at his side, it is really like a extra arm, LAY OFF THE MAN. PEACE

Bink, not to come off as a jerk, but you really do show NO real knowledge of what you’re talking about.

He clearly explained he wasn’t trying to be a “hero”. Infact, he never “dubbed” himself the title. Thats something the people AROUND him did.

He was doing what he always does, and this time, it actually helped someone.

What exactly would you have done? Wouldn’t YOU have initially yelled you were calling the cops? or wait; Maybe you would run up, dashing and proud, like the Hero we’re all learning YOU to be, and take a swing at the mugger? Supposing you got into it, and he had a knife, and until then was too afraid to use it, until you gave him that necessary edge.

Most criminals panic at the idea of getting caught, but just like most frightened animals, are most courageous when backed into a corner, like I’m only assuming you would have done?

You would have been no hero, you would have been the next victim laying right next to the poor lady bleeding for all you know.

Atleast Joe didn’t hesitate to get the guy’s picture, and start yelling out against him. Maybe you don’t consider him a hero, but he’s been my hero LONG before this incident, and I can assure you, they’re aren’t too many like him out there anymore.

Z-

I would have taken a more proactive role. It’s called “pepper spray” and pretty much everyone can buy it.

It’s easy to buy, to carry, and to use, and it’s a lot more effective a means of stopping a crime than your trusy Pentax or Minolta.

Keep being passive, all of you… just don’t look for sympathy when the mugger decides that your camera might be a little more valuable than anything in his initial victims purse.

Sheep.

It’s worth pointing out that in the situation as photographed, spritzing the dude with OC spray is almost certainly going to affect his victim too which is hardly desirable.

Although I understand where Binky is coming from, I’m not sure I can fault the guy for doing what he did. After all, as he points out, the outcome was fairly favorable (aside from the guy not getting caught). The victim kept her bag, the police got some useful evidence, and the situation didn’t escalate any further.

I don’t know what I would have done. I hope I would have got stuck in and damn the consequences, but some of the other commenters on here do have a point. There are worse outcomes than the one that transpired, and some of them involve physical force.

Besides, even if you plan to physically intervene, there’s an argument to be made for first calling 9-11 and yelling “the police are on their way” before you go steaming in. The reason being is that the guy’s priority will most likely become to get the heck out of there and also so that if you get overpowered and he decides to stay a while to give you a good kicking, there should technically be someone on the way to assist you.

Otherwise, you could end up with two victims, and someone on a forum saying unsympathetically “well he should have been carrying concealed.”

Although I think his actions could be considered more prudent than balls-out courageous (as some have suggested), the outcome may validate his approach. And at least he did something useful, as well as letting the guy know there were now witnesses. A lot of people would have walked on and pretended nothing was happening, sad to say.

“ . . .and the situation didn’t escalate any further.“

There’s just a huge cultural disconnect we’re not going to bridge here, that has to do (from my vantage point) with what kind of behaviour we expect (and will accept) from other people, and how we, personally, individually, need to function as affirmative forces in society and not merely as good witnesses and comforters.

It was a societal norm, when I was in my formative years (between about 11 and 13, I think – the rest were spent regretting the formative years) that the sight of the guy ahead beating at the woman and struggling at the purse should never, ever trigger anything less than a full-blown running-and-bodychecking-and-smacking-with-stray-concrete-chunks physical assault on the snatcher. It was simply not an option to think “oh, heavens, it might escalate the situation.”

Not to make fun of you, teucer, for saying that – it’s just that we always looked at the philosophy underlying that sentiment – the “let-em-get-away-’cuz-it’s-safer-for-everybody” outlook, as ultimately leading to an environment in which the skells have no reason not to steal and rob and intimidate and assault.

Like I indicated above, maybe this simply is the new urban credo, and I’m unrealistic and outmoded and anachronistic. I’ve asked around outside of this board for reactions to this situation – because I was surprised at how many here thought this guy did just fine – and I’ve been surprised how many people over 40 agreed with me, and how many under 40 roundly disagreed.

In any event, it’s easier for me to understand now how the city proper has devolved in terms of lawlessness. The level of acceptance I’ve sensed of people acting shitty to other people seems to have reached the “it’s just a fact of nature” point, where, like bad weather, we can’t stop it, but we can dress properly and hope to stay dry.

I just hope the next woman with a purse that that same POS encounters has dressed for it.

I like how as soon as the use of fists has been fully discredited as a proper solution, Bink switches over to pepper spray and goes on about it as if I should have some on my Batman utility belt right next to the stun grenades and why didn’t use it…

There’s no argument to be made for pepper spray since I had none. There is no argument to be made for calling 911 first as I do not carry a cellphone. There’s no argument to be made for swinging at him since that’s a stupid escalation of an already bad situation, something I only do if he attacks me for intervening as I did. Any other second guesses? Anyone? There must have been something else to do, because certainly what I did could only be a selfish act of exploitation because everyone knows that’s all photographers are about, right?

“Although I think his actions could be considered more prudent than balls-out courageous (as some have suggested),…”

In my experience, the ones that complain that someone ELSE wasn’t “balls-out courageous” are usually the first ones to piss their pants and flee in those circumstances. They just THINK that they’re Paul Kersey or Erica Bane.

But I’m with you teucer. the guy DID take action to help. In fact, I suspect that he really took the more appropriate approach: only use as much force as necessary to deal with the situation on hand. And in this case, all that was required was non-violent.

There’s just a huge cultural disconnect we’re not going to bridge here, that has to do (from my vantage point) with what kind of behaviour we expect (and will accept) from other people, and how we, personally, individually, need to function as affirmative forces in society and not merely as good witnesses and comforters.

“Chewie, take the professor in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive.”

– Captain Solo

mnblrmkr: “In my experience, the ones that complain that someone ELSE wasn’t “balls-out courageous” are usually the first ones to piss their pants and flee in those circumstances.”

Well, please note that I was careful to say: “I don’t know what I would have done. I hope I would have got stuck in and damn the consequences…” I hope I would not have to think twice about it. But until I’m there and handling the adrenaline dump in that situation, I’m not going to wave my hands about how what I would have done.

Bobby_b: “Not to make fun of you, teucer, for saying that it’s just that we always looked at the philosophy underlying that sentiment…”

No, I take your point. And I’m not wild about it either. But even back in the day (whenever that was), I would imagine that not everyone was willing to go in two fisted. I don’t choose to condemn the guy for his actions as I am not him, and I wasn’t there.

Furthermore, like any other situation when survival might depend on your decision-making, there’s something to be said for making an assessment of the situation, then making a decision. Not thinking is what leads to multiple drownings when brave-but-doomed rescuers leap into fast-flowing rivers without first considering their actions.

Also, back in the day, men weren’t shot dead in crowded buses for asking noisy youngsters to please quieten down. In a world where violent people are willing to use guns without provocation, you’re making a potential life-and-death decision any time you choose to get directly involved. The potential consequences seem to have a greater probability of being that much more severe.

um, bobby, as I read it, the perp didn’t even give joe the chance to escalate this into yours and binky’s “Death Wish” fantasy.

“ . . .yours and binky’s “Death Wish” fantasy.“

Call me when you can read.

I’ve asked around outside of this board for reactions to this situation – because I was surprised at how many here thought this guy did just fine – and I’ve been surprised how many people over 40 agreed with me, and how many under 40 roundly disagreed.

Boomers. Will you please retire already.

“the sight of the guy ahead beating at the woman and struggling at the purse should never, ever trigger anything less than a full-blown running-and-bodychecking-and-smacking-with-stray-concrete-chunks physical assault on the snatcher.”

What did I miss?

teucer, I wasn’t referring to you. You seem to be taking a more nuanced view.
I was referring to binky.

“Also, back in the day, men weren’t shot dead in crowded buses for asking noisy youngsters to please quieten down.“

True, but, back in that same day (hint: the North American landmass was still joined with Asia) “noisy youngsters”, from the earliest age, faced people all around them willing to tell them, in very judgmental tones, that they were being noisy or rude, or, when needed, to grab them by the ear and toss them from the bus, and those kids never reached a point where they traveled in hostile packs and threatened and accosted people with near impunity.

Cause and effect? I don’t know, but I sense a relation somewhere in there.

’tis better to nab a purse snatcher than to ban a snatch purser.

when needed, to grab them by the ear and toss them from the bus, and those kids never reached a point where they traveled in hostile packs and threatened and accosted people with near impunity

Amen, It is no wonder the little shits get younger, bolder and more violent. Society permits it. If someone now would throw a young lad that was in a “group” off a bus, that person would be slapped with a lawsuit or shot. Kids know the game and the adults do not. They create fear and control the street with that fear. Then everyone wonders why the streets are not safe. We live in a chicken shit society that is afraid to make a stand for anything.