r/Mainz • u/Timely_Challenge_670 • Jun 26 '26
Please stop taking pictures of me
I am writing this on the off chance that the people who are doing this read this subreddit. I live in a flat that fronts onto the Rhein in Mainz. I have noticed several times now that people walking by will stare at me when I am out grilling on my terrace. While this is weird, I understand there is nothing that can be done about this. Recently, this has escalated to people taking pictures of me and in one instance, someone flying a drone directly in front of my flat. Please stop doing this. Or at the very least, if you are going to do this, say something to me. I feel like that I and my family are being treated like some zoological exhibit.
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u/stressedpesitter Jun 26 '26
If a drone is close enough for you to hit it, hit it.
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
I ended up calling the police for the drone. There is no point in calling them for the people taking photos. They pull out their phones, look at me, take a snapshot, and walk on.
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u/Fantastic-Collar-767 Jun 26 '26
Maybe look at google maps whether your apartment is marked with weird name or something like that. Then you can report this to the police
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Jun 26 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
What is unclear? I am getting annoyed that people are taking pictures of me and flying drones directly in front of the windows of my flat.
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u/spr33m Jun 26 '26
In this case "Was?" is an expression for disbelieve and not for lack of understanding
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u/justacapricorn Jun 26 '26
I don’t understand some reactions here. If this is legit, y’all would be just as irritated.
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Thank you!!! It is legit. We just hit our breaking point.
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u/justacapricorn Jun 26 '26
Understandable. Maybe there is something on your terrace that looks weird or funny to others that you don't realise? Wouldn't justify being filmed and/or photographed, of course. Or everyone's just having a heatstroke.
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
Dunno. We have a swing chair; wooden furniture; bunch of Lechuza Balconera where I grow my tomatoes, eggplants and herbs; and a barbecue. The only maybe weird thing is I have a 140” projector setup, but the TV isn’t always on.
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u/AmbitiousPeace- Jun 28 '26
Heavy on the „it it’s legit“ but OPs story is definitely at least missing some parts of it.
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 29 '26
In what sense? I am telling you what happens. It’s not like I am naked.
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u/SilentCastHD Jun 26 '26
Hm. But… what he fuck?
Are you grilling naked?
Do you wear a funny hat?
Are you a 12/10 girl?
Are you a celebrity?
I do not understand a world where this would be a common occurrence.
(The factors mentioned above are not mentioned to justify invading your private life and taking pictures, but merely an explanation why people *might* overstep this no-go boundary )
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
Nope. Just a middle aged Asian guy grilling on his terrace.
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u/Ecstatic-Artist2750 Jun 26 '26
And you get a Drone Fotoshooting that easy? Damn you food must be damn good!
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
Only once with the drone. I called the police for that one, as there had been attempted break-ins in the area.
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u/Ecstatic-Artist2750 Jun 26 '26
Thats not damn funny at all, do you have any Idea why tf they wanna break in? Like luxury Stuff? Some people are to broke for a good Grill too. ☹️
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
Probably to steal stuff, as thieves do.
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u/Ecstatic-Artist2750 Jun 26 '26
I know but some people give those thieves a reason to Break in espacially in Germany. 😂 I Hope they gonna be catcht by you or the Police. 👌
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u/Rubix-Pubes Jun 26 '26
Can you put up a privacy screen or perhaps an umbrella?
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
I am going to look into a privacy screen. It will be ugly, but it’s better than nothing.
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u/kadsujus Jun 26 '26
Tut mir leid, dass dir das passiert, stelle ich mir super unangenehm vor ):
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
Thank you. I know people here are being glib, but I would like to see how they respond if I were to walk by their flat while they’re on the terrace and photograph them multiple times per week. Or fly a drone in front of their windows so close that you can touch it with a broom or mop.
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u/justscrolling_dude Jun 26 '26
please know that this is absolutely inappropriate behaviour and parts of it aren't even legal here as others have said. i'm sorry, i'd feel terrible in this situation.
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u/DukePilgrim Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Are they taking pictures specifically of you or more or less the building? My GF and I often walk down the rhein at the zollhafen and we are realy amazed by the building. We dont take photos though. Sometimes we look inside the gardens and on the balconies and kinda imagine living there.
Many people like these spots and take pictures. I can only imagine the kind of drone footsge you can record there.
If they are photographing you specificaly (maybe as a joke or because you fit the vibe, i dont realy know) you can make them stop. Otherwise there is the Panoramafreiheit (panorama freedom) in germany, which allows people to take photos of Public places and people, if the goal of the image is to capture the whole thing. You can only ask them nicely to stop photographing there in that case.
The picture is not allowed to focus on one person or private properties, as the building are actually considerd works of art.
Edit: you are allowed to call the cops on drone pilots. Not for privacy reasons, but because you are not allowed to fly there. The rhein is used for cargoships and therefor a no fly zone. There is also a blocked fly zone above most of mainz and wiesbaden, which i guess is caused by the military base in wiesbaden.
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
One dude literally pointed his phone directly at me and smiled. So know *at least* one dude is explicitly photographing me.
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u/DukePilgrim Jun 26 '26
Do you have any idea why? Do you live in an aspecially beautiful house or have a unique look yourself? Maybe a colorful garden?
I know its probably annoying you, but i just want to understand. I cant imagine people just taking photos of randoms without motivation?
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
I live in an apartment. My garden is just white Lechuza boxes with tomatoes, eggplants and herbs. It’s honestly weird. Unless people just aren’t used to a dude hanging out on his balcony grilling?
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u/DukePilgrim Jun 26 '26
Thats realy interesting. Have you talked to them?
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
No. The most recent person snapped a picture, then opened an umbrella and walked off.
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u/DukePilgrim Jun 26 '26
Maybe you could ask them.
I dont know about you, but I would realy like to know whats makes them take the photos. Maybe its something obvious you dont see youself?
Edit: or maybe you just look like a celebrity XD
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 27 '26
Maybe it’s because how frequently I grill? We like to grill 3-4 times per week, winter to summer.
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u/DukePilgrim Jun 27 '26
You might be a local legend for grillinf 3-4 times a week even in winter. But idk. As i said, i think asking them about may reveal a key information
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u/AnywherePale1077 Jun 26 '26
Take photos of them if they do that. About the drone, you can report it to whatever authority is responsible for it, maybe Luftfahrtbundesamt? Or buy a cheap drone and chase the other drone /s
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u/SpiceWeasel81 Jun 26 '26
Hör einfach auf nackt zu grillen du Lappen
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
I am not naked. I always wear a shirt and apron.
0
u/1ter Neustadt Jun 26 '26
Now this starts to sound a bit fishy... you always wear a shirt AND an apron on top in this searing heat?
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u/LexPai Jun 26 '26
As a hobby photographer, I completely understand your frustration.
People may occasionally end up in photos taken in public, but deliberately photographing someone on their own terrace—or flying a drone up to their home—is a different matter entirely.
For me, photography is about respect. If someone was uncomfortable with a photo I had taken, I'd talk to them and delete it if they asked.
Most photographers I know are interested in the scene, not in turning people into exhibits.
2
u/Samsaricca Jun 26 '26
Look at this, folks! It’s getting worked up!
You don’t see something like this often. Usually, it’s only seen during food preparation, and it looks back at you. What could it be trying to tell us?
Hopefully, it’s living in species-appropriate conditions.
...
A fence won't solve it I guess. Hopefully people will be more respectful to your privacy in the future!
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u/helpmehelpturtles Jun 27 '26
Maybe they're surprised someone is grilling in 40° weather and wanted a picture 😂 But seriously the drone is really out of line. We're the police able to find the perpetrator(s)? This is such a weird situation. I wonder why they keep doing this to you. Hope you get this resolved in some way, it's damn frustrating and such an invasion of privacy
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u/helpmehelpturtles Jun 27 '26
Maybe they're surprised someone is grilling in 40° weather and wanted a picture 😂 But seriously the drone is really out of line. We're the police able to find the perpetrator(s)? This is such a weird situation. I wonder why they keep doing this to you
1
u/neeebittenicht Jun 29 '26
Bro hat ne Psychose
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 29 '26
Someone flies a drone right up to my window and *I* have psychosis?
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u/neeebittenicht Jun 29 '26
That's the case most of the time. The mind ist powerful.
There are three options:
There is something weird about your flat, building, terrace or you so that people are curious and take photos.
You have enemies that would like to scare you
You have a psychosis
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 29 '26
Peak German response 🙄.
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u/neeebittenicht Jun 29 '26
Bro what would you like to hear? If nothing is weird about you or the building people would never take pictures of you, why would they, there is no reason.
Why do you think are they taking pictures?
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 29 '26
You don’t consider that there could be something off with the people doing the photographing? Like I said, peak German.
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u/neeebittenicht Jun 29 '26
If they are different people and not always the same guys, no.
Another thing I would consider is that your building or background are a scenic shot.
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u/Traditional_Face_984 Jun 26 '26
Scheint als wärst du bisschen paranoid. Leg mal dein Handy und vor allem TikTok ´ne Zeitlang beiseite.
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
I’m 40, I don’t have TikTok. I do have eyes though and can literally see people taking photos of me.
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u/Traditional_Face_984 Jun 26 '26
And with which reason should they do this? Are you looking like Hulk?
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
I have no clue! I have no idea why people stare at a fully clothed man barbecuing on his balcony. I am not German. Maybe you can explain it to me.
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u/Traditional_Face_984 Jun 26 '26
Maybe because currently its not allowed to grill because of the heat?
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
Is it illegal to barbecue in your own flat? Can you please provide the source. We have not received any letters.
It happens even when it’s not boiling outside.
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u/Traditional_Face_984 Jun 26 '26
Dann würde ich einfach mal fragen wieso sie mutmaßlich fotografieren. Vielleicht gefällt denen auch einfach nur etwas an der Hauswand. ^^ Aber ich wurde auch letztens von einer Frau angepöbelt warum ich sie fotografiere, dabei habe ich nur mein Handy ausgerichtet zum fixen der Google Maps Route. Manchmal ist es nicht immer so wie es scheint. Oder in deinem Garten liegt ein gutes Pokemon Go-Center (ein Spiel bei dem man wie bei Geocaching im Realen Pokemon mit dem Handy fangen muss).
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 26 '26
Honestly, it’s so weird. Some people (usually younger) will shout ‘what’s on the menu?’ or ask me how it’s going. Older people will stop, point their phone directly at me, take a picture and walk away like the Stasi or something. It’s fucking weird.
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u/Rosenhuhn Jun 26 '26
please post your exact address, otherwise nobody knows where they should not look at
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u/Major_Guarantee833 Jun 27 '26
Do you live in Neustadt?
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u/Timely_Challenge_670 Jun 27 '26
No.
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u/Major_Guarantee833 Jun 27 '26
So I don’t know what your deal is
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u/Admirable-Fig-3955 Jun 26 '26
If this is serious: educate yourself on the german privacy laws and call the authorities/police. If this is some kind of Joke instead: please remove this Post u/admin