Getting through the crowd- Thoughts?

[gerardfenton18]

54 minutes ago, stardustjunkie said:

I was going to say the same! I understand that people can't help their height but when it's mid-performance and you've been happily watching for the past 20 minutes or so, it's really annoying to then have to move because someone tall has decided to randomly appear and stop in front of you.

I guess it's the price we pay for being so short

Agreed, though if they dont stop in front of you/me theyre gona stop in front of someone. Its a gig it happens, sometimes youd prefer it didnt. But being realistic itll never stop And the worse thing you can do is let it piss you off

 

 

6 minutes ago, Mollyanne&Mike said:

Being a taller than average person, as the crowd shifts I tend to invite shorter people who are trapped with a blocked view to shift sideways so they're in front of me.

All seems very polite and friendly.

it does get annoying if you find yourself on the sudden corridor in or out, but hey ho, as long they're passing through and not stopping so they're standing on my toes, good luck and enjoy !

Untill a few eejits want on your shoulders?

[stardustjunkie]

10 minutes ago, gerardfenton18 said:

Agreed, though if they dont stop in front of you/me theyre gona stop in front of someone. Its a gig it happens, sometimes youd prefer it didnt. But being realistic itll never stop And the worse thing you can do is let it piss you off

Very true. It's more annoyance at someone turning up halfway through a set and blocking your view that you've been happily enjoying. But as you said, they have to stand somewhere so if it's not me it'll be somewhere else.

I never tut etc though, I just move. 

[Bisque]

Seems a bit pathetic about starting a thread about how to get through crowds.

Turn up early, be polite, go in from the sides & don't be a chair w*nker at the front.

[JoBalls]

4 hours ago, stardustjunkie said:

I was going to say the same! I understand that people can't help their height but when it's mid-performance and you've been happily watching for the past 20 minutes or so, it's really annoying to then have to move because someone tall has decided to randomly appear and stop in front of you.

I guess it's the price we pay for being so short

I'm not even that short!!!  

[Amy Lawn]

8 hours ago, gerardfenton18 said:

Theres 135,000 punters. At some stage someones gonna bang into you. Theres rude ppl, blanket on the floor of the pyramid field people, flag people and just darn right ignorant people but you know where youre going, you know 99.9% of the people are sound so as taylor swift said shake it off and enjoy the rest ofbthe week!

Taylor Swift upvote

Edited April 17, 2016 by GETOFFAMYLAWN

[cowmadiddy]

I'm a bit of a tall guy, and it makes me aware of the shorter people around me, but my shoulders are always on offer for a bit if anyone does want to get on them.

As far as getting through the crowd I might well have come straight from another group that I like and not had the luxury of waiting for hours in the same space, and if you're that far towards the front then the majority of people have got there the exact same way as me, if you'require not planning on moshing right at the front there's always a bit of grass/mud you can find for your group.

Edited April 18, 2016 by cowmadiddy

[marcoolio]

3 hours ago, MilkyJoe said:

Not sure how I feel about this! Always felt Strummerville was perfect...

I've never been before last year, but it was a dangerous mudslide after the rains on friday! I'm fairly certain at least two people ended up with broken bones. Still good fun though!

 

[DeanoL]

20 hours ago, Purple aki squat said:

My tactic is to try chatting them up if they stop infront of me. They usually move on sharpish

One time at an arena gig I felt someone pushing through and was about to get wound up, then saw it was a cute girl so smiled at her instead. She basically grabbed me and proceeded to make out with me for the next three songs. At this point I should stress I'm a very plain looking bloke with bad skin and this stuff does not happen to me ever - this is in no way a brag!

[6t6o6m]

I don't really get bothered by people in crowds. I always find the best tip for people that backs into you slowly is to lightly blow on their ear, they don't back up anymore after that.

I try to be as polite as possible but it does bug me if I'm trying to get out as someone mentioned earlier and people get the huff with you.

Edited April 18, 2016 by 6t6o6m

[The Nal]

People sitting in chairs close to the stages and moaning when other people stand in front of them = c**ts. 

People in groups who barge their way to get close halfway through a gig, form their own circle (some of the group with their backs to the stage) and have their own little party, shouting, chatting and ignoring the band = c**ts.

People who talk a lot through gigs and have to shout over the music to hear each other = c**ts.

Most other people are alright.

[Harmonic Prospector]

 Politeness is key. I've been in the situation where I have had to leave a prime spot to go to the loo (my bladder is famous for its lack of patience) and I have normally found that a quick "Excuse me buddy, can I just squeeze past you please" works fine and most people are ok. You occasionally get someone being obstructive but again, just politely explaining you are working your way back to some friends means they can't really get too irate. Even with the sitting down blanket brigade, as long as you are showing that you are at least trying to avoid walking straight through their picnic then it is possible for us all to get to where we need to go with a minimal amount of hassle to everyone. 

The main problem I have found, with the risk of this turning into another "chair" thread, is trying to get out of the Pyramid Field and being confronted with rows and rows of chairs and blankets at the back of the field with no easy route to pass them. After Paul Simon in 2011 was by far the worst experience of this, where myself and countless others found it impossible getting out of the field because there was no gap whatsoever. It was like everyone with a chair had formed a coalition and arranged their own all seated venue at the back of the field. 

During the Stones I was positioned quite far back and I managed to last as long as could before needing to use the facilities and encountered a very similar problem, made worse by the attitude of some of the chair crowd.  When I eventually found a small gap to get through, next to a guy who wasn't even sitting in his chair but standing behind it while his backpack sat in his chair looking very comfortable, the abuse I got for politely asking to squeeze past him so I could get out was extreme to say the least. I asked him to take a look around at the sheer number of people that were there and also to see how for anyone needing to leave the field, his unused chair and the long row of other chairs (many also not being used) were causing an obstruction and how by shifting a few centimetres to his left to allow me to pass was all that was required. That was met with a "Why don't you F*ck off and go and watch Chase and Status". 

So, just be polite it makes life easier for everyone. However, like others, if you are talking loudly over the top of the band then all my politeness goes out of the window! 

 

Edited April 18, 2016 by Harmonic Prospector

[blue6field]

1 hour ago, Harmonic Prospector said:

 Politeness is key. I've been in the situation where I have had to leave a prime spot to go to the loo (my bladder is famous for its lack of patience) and I have normally found that a quick "Excuse me buddy, can I just squeeze past you please" works fine and most people are ok. You occasionally get someone being obstructive but again, just politely explaining you are working your way back to some friends means they can't really get too irate. Even with the sitting down blanket brigade, as long as you are showing that you are at least trying to avoid walking straight through their picnic then it is possible for us all to get to where we need to go with a minimal amount of hassle to everyone. 

The main problem I have found, with the risk of this turning into another "chair" thread, is trying to get out of the Pyramid Field and being confronted with rows and rows of chairs and blankets at the back of the field with no easy route to pass them. After Paul Simon in 2011 was by far the worst experience of this, where myself and countless others found it impossible getting out of the field because there was no gap whatsoever. It was like everyone with a chair had formed a coalition and arranged their own all seated venue at the back of the field. 

During the Stones I was positioned quite far back and I managed to last as long as could before needing to use the facilities and encountered a very similar problem, made worse by the attitude of some of the chair crowd.  When I eventually found a small gap to get through, next to a guy who wasn't even sitting in his chair but standing behind it while his backpack sat in his chair looking very comfortable, the abuse I got for politely asking to squeeze past him so I could get out was extreme to say the least. I asked him to take a look around at the sheer number of people that were there and also to see how for anyone needing to leave the field, his unused chair and the long row of other chairs (many also not being used) were causing an obstruction and how by shifting a few centimetres to his left to allow me to pass was all that was required. That was met with a "Why don't you F*ck off and go and watch Chase and Status". 

So, just be polite it makes life easier for everyone. However, like others, if you are talking loudly over the top of the band then all my politeness goes out of the window! 

 

Paul Simon in 2011 was horrific!

ive never been in the pyramid with so many chairs and blankets

[danbailey80]

Don't mind people moving forward as long as not pushed aggressively.

My problem are non-stop talkers. 

[Yokel Again]

All about balance innit...

 

Try and be kind if you are sneaking through to get elsewhere, say 'excuse me' and 'thanks.' Don't push, attack from the side and snake through smiling.

If someone annoys you, try not to be a nob about it. Be kind and plite - 'excuse me, you are 7ft tall and just stood in front of me, could you step just one pace to the side, I've been waiting here all day to see .....'.

No chairs near the front. No chairs 20 in a line.  No blankets near the front. No chatters near the front - although you can talk to say something to mate, but not at fucking length not even taking an interest in the music. Go to the back! 

Don't be a selfish prick or rude.

There, we can all get along nicely.

[sime]

At the Pyramid, I like to be by the V shaped barriers. It's closeish to the stage without being right in the middle of things. I have learnt not to bother being right up by the barriers anymore though as the chair nazis are always there and are always very very rude to people. I have got into arguments with them before when they were moaning horribly at a young couple who were walking through the crowd before a band started. The young couple were really quite scared. I was glad I put the moaners deservedly in their place but felt horrible too as the whole thing created a bad vibe. I did correct that in the end by making up with them and having a group hug, leaving us all to happily enjoy The Stones.

I've never forgotten this and now I do my best to avoid getting in those situations again. I can accept pushing and shoving etc during a gig but I really hate how indignant the chair people are, so I do everything I can to avoid the beasts.

[MEGABOWL]

This is a simple one for me. If you're polite about it I'll let you through. If I'm polite about trying to get past I hope you'll do the same and I will thank you for it.

[king_oxymoron]

I concus with the general consensus re: crowds that there is just space to wander through - be considerate, be polite but fine.

The problem is trying to get inside those V shaped barriers at the front of the Pyramid field. Huge numbers trying to get out, huge numbers trying to get in and yet once you get past the people at the edges who are staying and wanting to keep their spot there is usually SO much space inside. It's a complete bottleneck and you end up having to push a little or the crowd is a complete standstill. It's usually not a very positive experience for anyone and it's horrible to see some (usually) middle aged people visibly upset about it but I still usually go for it as it's such a decent spot once you actually get there. I do apologise to anyone I am squeezing past but some people still don't like it.

[Honeybane]

My only problem are when people burn you with in the face with a fag.

[Kanye's Cock]

as long are you're polite and take your backpack off i'd say you're good to go.

[Fishman]

In from the sides and "Scuse me, scuse me, thank you, scuse me, thank you, sorry, thank you, scuse me, thank you, beer coming through, thank you ...."

[Yokel Again]

4 minutes ago, Fishman said:

In from the sides and "Scuse me, scuse me, thank you, scuse me, thank you, sorry, thank you, scuse me, thank you, beer coming through, thank you ...."

Sense.

[dannygrif]

20 hours ago, Mollyanne&Mike said:

Being a taller than average person, as the crowd shifts I tend to invite shorter people who are trapped with a blocked view to shift sideways so they're in front of me.

This is what I tend to do as well, hate feeling like I'm ruining the show for someone but it's hard when you're stood with friends who are a good 6 or 7 inches shorter than you! 

[zero000]

Piss yourself like Mark E Smith and watch the crowd part like the red sea.

[Nobody Interesting]

1 hour ago, Kanye's Cock said:

as long are you're polite and take your backpack off i'd say you're good to go.

Absolutely agree. Backpacks are the worst as most people who wear them have no understanding of them hitting people around them.

[Bisque]

Even if you put your backpack on the floor, I don't want to be treading on it. It's a neccessary evil at Glastonbury so I always make sure my friends aren't twatting people behind them with it full of cans (I'm too lazy to bring along my own & someone always offers to put a few of my tins in). We don't really bother going any closer than the first row of speakers anyway so not too bad around there