We may have unusable machines, but you can't take pictures of them

I have still not yet come to terms with the fact that I have been forbidden from photographing certain - public - interfaces in Bilbao.

For many years - too many to remember - I have been a user of the Bilbao rail system (I remember when it was doors open the whole way with wooden planks as seating in third class, and green vinyl in first, and coma-inducing sewage outlets round about Deusto - that was in the early 70s, but I have been using the system for a decade longer than that).

Today things are much improved. Richard Rogers designed what the locals term 'fosteritos' (the little outlets to the surface made out of while plastic and glass), and the trains themselves are first rate. Even vast swathes of new track were cut over a a period of years, avoiding those old sewage outfalls...while these days, they even have train doors that remain closed throughout the journey.

However, the ticket machines are what a usability person would describe as 'interesting'. In fact, men hover alongside them throughout opening hours, trying to help people to use them. I have instructed all visitors requiring a 'bono' (multi-journey ticket) to ask for assistance, because there's no way they are going to figure out how to obtain it themselves.

But the city of Bilbao bye laws state that all photography on the metro is forbidden. So when I wanted to show some students a picture of the bizarre path that needed to be taken through an irrational set of options, and whipped out my lovely little digital camera for the purpose, a station attendant rushed up and stopped me (every station is 'manned' through most opening hours, making it difficult to take unauthorised pictures). I have to "write to the authorities" who may or may not grant me permission. (My fifteen years of prior experience in Spain, with such organisations as Sonar in Barcelona, leads me to believe that unless I want to give them lots of positive and gushing PR, I don't stand a chance.)

So, the last couple of times I have tried to take photographs (for example last March), a man jumped in front of the camera and no picture. At least I still have the camera. Last time I was there (June), I was otherwise engaged with visitors and other stuff, so didn't get around to it. It will happen, and not as a result of writing begging letters, I suspect. Sometimes I wonder what drives the motors of these tiny minds. According to one station attendant who prevented me from taking photos recently, they are afraid others will copy their interface designs. Go figure.

Meanwhile, institutions such as La Caixa - Spain's largest saving's bank, with tens of thousands of ticket-buying machines across the nation - advertise for HCI experts from northern Europe with no qualifications in HCI....