Opinion : An invitation to the man who threatened to have the photographer arrested

This semi mishap resulted in a grain spillage and a threat against a photographer.

Hey, there. You in the "Highway 30 Diesel Repair" shirt. 

I know Thursday was a bad day for you. I don’t know what your connection was with the grain truck that overturned on Highway 218 near the high school, but clearly you did not want me to take photos.

You even, while using unmistakably agressive body language, threatened to have me arrested if I took “ONE MORE PHOTO!” 

I asked your name and you said, “Who I am doesn’t matter.”

Whoever you are, let me take you out for lunch or breakfast.

After you’ve had a while to settle down, I can explain a few things to you – things that maybe you have not thought of before.

Public roads are, well, open to the public. Just like any public place, anyone can be there at any time. I have covered dozens of accidents in the past 20-plus years and I have learned a bit about this.

Sure, there are times when officers ask photographers to stay away from scenes where people have been hurt or killed. Knowing this – not to mention my own sensibilities – inspires me to stay far away when I suspect the worse.

Spilled grain, however, is not such a case.

You were not in the mood to explain why you threatened to arrest me. Was it your truck? Your soybeans? A relative who was driving?

Whatever the case, I make it a practice of not brawling at accident scenes, so I suggested that we go speak to the nearest law enforcement officer. You may have been surprised when the deputy said, “We don’t have a problem with the photographer being here.”

I had already taken enough photos before I met you, so I left.

Sure, at times, we take photos of people having what they think is a bad day. But as far as I could tell, the grain has been recovered, insurance will fix the truck, and the driver did not seem to be seriously injured and will soon recover.

(Editor's note: Justin Nolan of Benton Grain corrected my comment above, saying that the driver was airlifted to University Hospitals in Iowa City.)

So, as days go, it may have been not one of your best days, but it falls short of any definition of a really bad day.

Just ask that deputy. He was at another accident earlier where more than one person was killed. He had to help deal with those who had died or were seriously hurt, and the friends and family members who were with them.

That, if you ask, is the true definition of a bad day. I’d love to share with you the number of truly awful days I have written about in the past year or so. Then maybe you would be less likely to yell over spilt soybeans.

Maybe this is your first encounter with journalism. If so, I’d be glad to explain to you why we do what we do, and the guidelines I try to follow in situations like this.

So, email me – vintontoday@hotmail.com – and we can talk.

I promise to leave the camera at home.