So the dozens of railfans who were trying to get their own photos and videos should just shut up and "bear with it"? Sorry, Mr. Fitzgerald, but I cannot agree with you this time. It doesn't matter who was in the helicopter or what they intended to do with the videos they shot; the fact remains that said helicopter was a lot closer than it needed to be and was making a damn nuisance of itself in the process. As Mr. Icanberry points out, there is equipment available that would allow videos to be shot without ruining things for those railfans who were trying to record their own memories of an event that may not be repeated for many years (if ever). I do not believe that "the ends always justify the means", and I firmly believe in treating others the same way you would want to be treated. Rude, boorish behavior from foamers is one thing (and, unfortunately, is to be expected), but it's totally unacceptable (not to mention completely unprofessional) when someone who's making a video for commercial release does it.

I'm not trying to start an argument or flame war here (we have too damn many of those here already) or insult anyone (that, too, happens far too much here as well); I'm just trying to point out that if railfans should exercise proper and considerate (not to mention legal) behavior when they're out and about, then the people who can afford to hire helicopters and shoot videos from vantage points that us ordinary railfans can't make use of should do the same.(Yes, I'm ranting a bit, but I know I'd be mad as hell if I'd been there myself and I would've been sorely tempted to pull out a 30.06 rifle - or at least wish I had one to pull out - and see just how many rounds would've taken that bird out. I wouldn't have actually done it, of course, but I sill would've felt like it.)