Hi everyone, just wanted to share a recent experience from this afternoon to raise awareness and help keep people safe while out spotting.

While taking photos of buses, I was followed from Sunderland Road into Gateshead Town Centre by individuals from Shomrim. For clarity, Shomrim are a volunteer security / neighbourhood patrol group who support and look after the Jewish community.

There were four individuals, all communicating with each other (including via mobile phones), who followed me across multiple locations. I attempted on four separate occasions to disengage and asked to be left alone, after briefly explaining I was a transport enthusiast. Despite this, they continued to follow and confront me, eventually surrounding me, which caused alarm and made me feel unsafe.

Police (Northumbria Police) were contacted, attended, and confirmed I was acting within my rights and allowed me to continue my day. They also spoke to the individuals involved separately.

? Key reminders for all spotters:

️ Photography in public is legal
You are well within your rights to photograph buses in public spaces across the UK.

️ You do NOT have to show or delete your photos
Only police have limited powers in certain situations—not volunteer patrol groups or members of the public.

️ You are not required to stop or engage
You can politely refuse and walk away if approached.

️ Keep interactions brief and calm
A simple line like:
“I’m a transport enthusiast taking photos in public”
…is enough. Avoid arguments.

️ Do not be intimidated by numbers or persistence
Even if multiple people approach you, they have no additional powers.

️ Trust your instincts
If something feels off, remove yourself from the situation early.

️ Stay in safe, public areas
Use busy locations, shops, or transport hubs if you feel uncomfortable.

️ Contact police if needed
Call 101 for non-emergencies or 999 if you feel threatened, followed, or unsafe.

️ Log and report incidents
Make a note of times, locations, and descriptions—this helps build a picture if behaviour is repeated.

️ Take seriously if:
You are being followed between locations
You are repeatedly approached after refusing
You are surrounded or feel intimidated

This is NOT normal and should be reported.

Sharing this so others are aware—not to cause concern. Bus spotting is a completely normal hobby, and everyone should feel safe doing it.

Stay safe ?

(4 hours ago)Malarkey wrote Hi everyone, just wanted to share a recent experience from this afternoon to raise awareness and help keep people safe while out spotting.

While taking photos of buses, I was followed from Sunderland Road into Gateshead Town Centre by individuals from Shomrim. For clarity, Shomrim are a volunteer security / neighbourhood patrol group who support and look after the Jewish community.

There were four individuals, all communicating with each other (including via mobile phones), who followed me across multiple locations. I attempted on four separate occasions to disengage and asked to be left alone, after briefly explaining I was a transport enthusiast. Despite this, they continued to follow and confront me, eventually surrounding me, which caused alarm and made me feel unsafe.

Police (Northumbria Police) were contacted, attended, and confirmed I was acting within my rights and allowed me to continue my day. They also spoke to the individuals involved separately.

? Key reminders for all spotters:

️ Photography in public is legal
You are well within your rights to photograph buses in public spaces across the UK.

️ You do NOT have to show or delete your photos
Only police have limited powers in certain situations—not volunteer patrol groups or members of the public.

️ You are not required to stop or engage
You can politely refuse and walk away if approached.

️ Keep interactions brief and calm
A simple line like:
“I’m a transport enthusiast taking photos in public”
…is enough. Avoid arguments.

️ Do not be intimidated by numbers or persistence
Even if multiple people approach you, they have no additional powers.

️ Trust your instincts
If something feels off, remove yourself from the situation early.

️ Stay in safe, public areas
Use busy locations, shops, or transport hubs if you feel uncomfortable.

️ Contact police if needed
Call 101 for non-emergencies or 999 if you feel threatened, followed, or unsafe.

️ Log and report incidents
Make a note of times, locations, and descriptions—this helps build a picture if behaviour is repeated.

️ Take seriously if:
You are being followed between locations
You are repeatedly approached after refusing
You are surrounded or feel intimidated

This is NOT normal and should be reported.

Sharing this so others are aware—not to cause concern. Bus spotting is a completely normal hobby, and everyone should feel safe doing it.

Stay safe ?

Good information, i was at gateshead on friday and didnt have any issues taking photos, but you just never know how people react.

(4 hours ago)Malarkey wrote Hi everyone, just wanted to share a recent experience from this afternoon to raise awareness and help keep people safe while out spotting.

While taking photos of buses, I was followed from Sunderland Road into Gateshead Town Centre by individuals from Shomrim. For clarity, Shomrim are a volunteer security / neighbourhood patrol group who support and look after the Jewish community.

There were four individuals, all communicating with each other (including via mobile phones), who followed me across multiple locations. I attempted on four separate occasions to disengage and asked to be left alone, after briefly explaining I was a transport enthusiast. Despite this, they continued to follow and confront me, eventually surrounding me, which caused alarm and made me feel unsafe.

Police (Northumbria Police) were contacted, attended, and confirmed I was acting within my rights and allowed me to continue my day. They also spoke to the individuals involved separately.

? Key reminders for all spotters:

️ Photography in public is legal
You are well within your rights to photograph buses in public spaces across the UK.

️ You do NOT have to show or delete your photos
Only police have limited powers in certain situations—not volunteer patrol groups or members of the public.

️ You are not required to stop or engage
You can politely refuse and walk away if approached.

️ Keep interactions brief and calm
A simple line like:
“I’m a transport enthusiast taking photos in public”
…is enough. Avoid arguments.

️ Do not be intimidated by numbers or persistence
Even if multiple people approach you, they have no additional powers.

️ Trust your instincts
If something feels off, remove yourself from the situation early.

️ Stay in safe, public areas
Use busy locations, shops, or transport hubs if you feel uncomfortable.

️ Contact police if needed
Call 101 for non-emergencies or 999 if you feel threatened, followed, or unsafe.

️ Log and report incidents
Make a note of times, locations, and descriptions—this helps build a picture if behaviour is repeated.

️ Take seriously if:
You are being followed between locations
You are repeatedly approached after refusing
You are surrounded or feel intimidated

This is NOT normal and should be reported.

Sharing this so others are aware—not to cause concern. Bus spotting is a completely normal hobby, and everyone should feel safe doing it.

Stay safe ?

Good on you for posting this - sensible advice.

I've had weirdos follow me twice (both times in Newcastle) who seem to think stalking and seeking to intimidate someone is totally normal rational behaviour, whereas taking a photo of a bus makes you a risk to the public...

(3 hours ago)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Good on you for posting this - sensible advice.

I've had weirdos follow me twice (both times in Newcastle) who seem to think stalking and seeking to intimidate someone is totally normal rational behaviour, whereas taking a photo of a bus makes you a risk to the public...

In 14 years of Bus Spotting I have had odd randoms spurt abuse at me and I ignore it, let them crack on being idiots but this today was just beyond extreme and completely out of order.

I had no idea I had been followed by them until one of them confronted me inside Jackson Street Post Office, then another followed me into Tesco after first attempts of disengaging with them before they then followed me again and cornered me outside Iceland.

I only went along Sunderland Road off the junction that connects to Durham/Old Durham Road and Gateshead Town Centre as 6398 was on the 850 which is unusual as it's normal the ex Eyms B9's, there were a few Angel Streetdecks on the 27 and 73060 was on the X24 diverting off of Felling Bypass and thought this was a good location to catch all of what I wanted, been to this location my times without any issues and non of my photos had the Jewish School in them.

There main concern was photographing children which I made clear was not the case and that the subject of the photos were the Buses but they were not having any of it which is why I called the Police and the Police agreed with me, hopefully the officers had a good firm word with them but otherwise if you are planning on taking photos in that area of Gateshead be vigilant is all I will say, same applies around Coatsworth Road area of Bensham.

Unless you ask the police that you wish to press charges against them for the harassment and stalking, the police would have done nothing else about it.

I can understand the Jewish community feeling on edge after recent events but this sort of vigilantism is over the top. I’m glad the police were able to take the heat out of the situation.

(2 hours ago)BusLoverMum wrote I can understand the Jewish community feeling on edge after recent events but this sort of vigilantism is over the top. I’m glad the police were able to take the heat out of the situation.

They even went in confrontational mode with the Police when they arrived, two male officers barely got out the car and they were surrounding them. I think they expect the Police in the local area to side with them for everything regardless of whether they're right or wrong in their actions.

I just stood where I was and waited for the officers to approach me as I was on the phone with an officer in the Police Contact Centre the entire time and made it clear I had called them and it was me they needed to speak to first before talking to them which the Jewish Security did not like, they even demanded I give them my phone to speak to the Police which was I was like you have cheek to ask that when you've such a big deal about the situation you've not bothered to call them yourselves. I think ultimately they just wanted to see the photos and for me to delete them.

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(3 hours ago)cr51xln wrote Unless you ask the police that you wish to press charges against them for the harassment and stalking, the police would have done nothing else about it.

I think for now having a word with them was enough, hopefully they'll learn a lesson that how they acted today was wrong.

(3 hours ago)Malarkey wrote In 14 years of Bus Spotting I have had odd randoms spurt abuse at me and I ignore it, let them crack on being idiots but this today was just beyond extreme and completely out of order.

I had no idea I had been followed by them until one of them confronted me inside Jackson Street Post Office, then another followed me into Tesco after first attempts of disengaging with them before they then followed me again and cornered me outside Iceland.

I only went along Sunderland Road off the junction that connects to Durham/Old Durham Road and Gateshead Town Centre as 6398 was on the 850 which is unusual as it's normal the ex Eyms B9's, there were a few Angel Streetdecks on the 27 and 73060 was on the X24 diverting off of Felling Bypass and thought this was a good location to catch all of what I wanted, been to this location my times without any issues and non of my photos had the Jewish School in them.

There main concern was photographing children which I made clear was not the case and that the subject of the photos were the Buses but they were not having any of it which is why I called the Police and the Police agreed with me, hopefully the officers had a good firm word with them but otherwise if you are planning on taking photos in that area of Gateshead be vigilant is all I will say, same applies around Coatsworth Road area of Bensham.

In fairness, there's a park there if it's where I think it is.

Probably one for your list, stay away from schools, parks, supermarkets, cinemas, beaches and anywhere where there might be children. You're just asking for trouble imo by someone who's insecure but tbf I wouldn't be surprised if it's happened before.