The dark side of the festival

[glastolover19]

19 hours ago, pie_and_a_pint said:

I was one of the unlucky 'stuck in mud' injuries - a very severe and complicated break in 2014 ended my festival early on the Saturday night. Festival staff and Festival Medical were not, at the time, very good in dealing with the situation of the break or my particular medical needs - a sober woman with a break was not considered a priority despite some medical complications that I tried in vain to make clear - this led to the injury being far more difficult and time consuming to fix than it would ordinarily have been. (and I'm not open to discussing that further any more lest I get accused, as I was at the time, of being an ungrateful diva; suffice to say my consultant who had to operate to put the ankle back together was livid at the state I was left in, and that has been fed back to FM).

However what struck me most in my extended wait to be taken offsite to hospital was the sheer number of ketheads and other out of control victims of drink and drugs. Staff (volunteers!) were having to deal with some revolting behaviour and people in the most horrific circumstances with extremely limited resources - no hot water, no blankets, broken tables and chairs, one wheelchair with a flat tyre for the whole of FM, no crutches, one accessible loo... It also struck me how much people think they're immune from drink and drugs just because they're at Glastonbury. The number of victims there alone also made me think about how little some people look out for their (so-called) friends which is very sad.

The staff at Yeovil hospital A&E are unseen and unsung heroes - they get huge amounts of extra work over the festival weekend and are superb.

This is what winds me up when you get the people who over indulge,mate mine snap his wrist few years ago completely sober,just an accident. Went to medics,who were great but the the whole place was full of pissed up teens or gurning fuckwits treating the place like shit,abusing the staff and each other,gobbing,puking and pissing everywhere it was grim. Sorry but in those cases I saw sod em and would just leave them to dry out. I think they should show pictures of it around the fest to scare people about what happens when you go too o.t.t

[duke88]

21 minutes ago, Flysheet said:

The top right corner heading back out towards family was a nightmare. Thick mud you got trapped in and folk converging from two or three directions. It was as uncomfortable a situation I've ever been in and I've done down the front at most venues and festivals going back years. It's more so because most of the folk there at that point were at the back of the field due to NOT wanting to be in a huge crowd, but then all left at once!

It didn't help when groups of people just tried to push their way through when it was already absolutely rammed there. It was very uncomfortable, if someone had gone down, it could have been dangerous. 

[Digi]

10 minutes ago, glastolover19 said:

This is what winds me up when you get the people who over indulge,mate mine snap his wrist few years ago completely sober,just an accident. Went to medics,who were great but the the whole place was full of pissed up teens or gurning fuckwits treating the place like shit,abusing the staff and each other,gobbing,puking and pissing everywhere it was grim. Sorry but in those cases I saw sod em and would just leave them to dry out. I think they should show pictures of it around the fest to scare people about what happens when you go too o.t.t

Speaking as someone with a medical background ground.. Thank fuck my ethics mean I dont get to pick and choose who is worthy of my skills. Yep, it's grim. Yep, it's shit. So is every ED up and down the country on a Saturday night. The only assessment I make though is who has the greatest clinical need. The knob head frothing at the mouth might by the doctor or fireman or insert anything else applicable who saves your life one day

I've been on the receiving end too. I became pretty unwell on the Sunday last year (clean and sober) to the point I need steroids, antihistamines and nebulisers. Yep, I felt empathy for the staff getting grief at 4pm in the afternoon. Didn't mind the wait either to be honest as some poor fucker, for whatever their reason, need their help more than I did  

[oneeye]

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/advice/medical-and-first-aid/

All you need to know, ultimately look after each other pop pickers, it's not fuckin hard!

If you see someone in distress, offer to help rather than video and upload to fuckin Facebook.

 

[Flysheet]

14 minutes ago, duke88 said:

It didn't help when groups of people just tried to push their way through when it was already absolutely rammed there. It was very uncomfortable, if someone had gone down, it could have been dangerous. 

I'm a strong fella, do lots of hillwalking and mountain stuff and wore my walking boots all weekend with no real issues. But in that corner I found it nigh on impossible to progress and found myself pulling peeps out of the gloop. They were going down and it probably needs extra track there tbh

[glastolover19]

38 minutes ago, Digi said:

Speaking as someone with a medical background ground.. Thank fuck my ethics mean I dont get to pick and choose who is worthy of my skills. Yep, it's grim. Yep, it's shit. So is every ED up and down the country on a Saturday night. The only assessment I make though is who has the greatest clinical need. The knob head frothing at the mouth might by the doctor or fireman or insert anything else applicable who saves your life one day

I've been on the receiving end too. I became pretty unwell on the Sunday last year (clean and sober) to the point I need steroids, antihistamines and nebulisers. Yep, I felt empathy for the staff getting grief at 4pm in the afternoon. Didn't mind the wait either to be honest as some poor fucker, for whatever their reason, need their help more than I did  

Sorry I didn't mean it as just a Glastonbury thing,hospitals all over are terribly overstretched. I think any medical staff of any level do a fantastic job and one I personally couldn't do. The point being is I feel less sorry for the guy whose "injuries" are self inflicted then the guys whose was an accident.

[Rubber Soldier]

3 hours ago, Trout Mask Replica said:

What's wrong with me? Nowt. I'm just one of those who sees a risk and wonders if it has occurred to anyone? Fact is it has as another poster here has confirmed vehicles require a code to operate. 

In terms of my own anxiety, we'll I was near one of the 7/7 incidents and that had an impact on me. Also seeing recent events from the Bataclan and Nice just makes me think that Glastonbury would be a target for those types of things. It wouldn't stop me from going though, just as I still ride the tube and go to gigs. 

I have it on good authority ISIS needed tickets in the resale and were unsuccessful. 

[Trout Mask Replica]

Just now, Rubber Soldier said:

I have it on good authority ISIS needed tickets in the resale and were unsuccessful. 

Thank heavens for that. I do hope you're right. 

[Pink_Tequila]

10 minutes ago, Trout Mask Replica said:

Thank heavens for that. I do hope you're right. 

I heard they were on the Oxfam waiting list though and were learning how to pull pints to work at The Bimble Inn

[giantkatestacks]

I do think the type of drugs makes a difference. I was off my face at most pre fence festivals and we just sat around in the green fields watching jugglers or clouds, sometimes venturing out to watch Ozrics or Eat Static. But we werent in crowds, we avoided them.

Actually thats what it is. When we were young, we only crossed the markets etc once a day, we werent near the main stages that much at night. God knows where we were though.

[Fork_UK]

There are two types of drugs users; people who take them to get fucked up and people who take them to enjoy the effects.  I'm in the latter and generally when I take them, it's with people I love and whom I know will help me out if I do get into trouble (which has never happened because we're sensible and don't go mental) and likewise, that I will help out too.  

Drugs should be used to enhance an already great experience, not used to create an experience that isn't already there - it never works.  This is why drugs should be legalised and regulated and sold in pharmacies.  Instructions on how to take them should be printed on the box and everyone would ditch cigarettes and alcohol and fall in love with each other.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Fork_UK

[stuartbert two hats]

19 minutes ago, Fork_UK said:

There are two types of drugs users; people who take them to get fucked up and people who take them to enjoy the effects.  I'm in the latter and generally when I take them, it's with people I love and whom I know will help me out if I do get into trouble (which has never happened because we're sensible and don't go mental) and likewise, that I will help out too.  

Drugs should be used to enhance an already great experience, not used to create an experience that isn't already there - it never works.  This is why drugs should be legalised and regulated and sold in pharmacies.  Instructions on how to take them should be printed on the box and everyone would ditch cigarettes and alcohol and fall in love with each other.

What about those that enjoy the effects of being fucked up?

Edited April 23, 2017 by stuartbert two hats

[Sasperella]

18 minutes ago, Fork_UK said:

 This is why drugs should be legalised and regulated and sold in pharmacies.  Instructions on how to take them should be printed on the box and everyone would ditch cigarettes and alcohol and fall in love with each other.

I have a friend whose mate is some genius who works in pharmaceutical research at a university in scandinavia. She is also partial to recreational drugs and general partying. She says that aside from being generally safer, you could enhance not only the high, but feasibly incorporate something to ease the comedown...with lovely instructions on the box. Which sounds ideal!

[Fork_UK]

7 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

What about those that enjoy the effects of being fucked up?

Do people enjoy being in a deep K-hole?  Or throwing up down the side of the Medical tent bed?  When I say fucked up, I mean to the point of loss of control.

I've been pretty fucked up, but not to the point of being hospitalised.  That's the bit where friends should look out for each other.

 

6 minutes ago, Sasperella said:

 She says that aside from being generally safer, you could enhance not only the high, but feasibly incorporate something to ease the comedown...with lovely instructions on the box. Which sounds ideal!

Easy comedown?  Endorsed by a pharmacist?  Sounds like heaven!  

Edited April 23, 2017 by Fork_UK

[verrymerry]

I think people just need to look after each other.  Most people I've come across at Glastonbury have been like that thankfully

[DeanoL]

8 hours ago, russycarps said:

Glastonbury is a place a huge amount of people go to get fucked up. You either join them, or avoid them.

Not really. Option three is just acknowledge them and the fact that they're enjoying the festival in a different way to you and assume they'd do the same in return?

[guypjfreak]

Years ago we wondered back to our tent and my daughter looked at us like hang on.. Then she pointed out that she thought we were asleep in the tent.. Anyway I had a look and low and behold there's some bloke fast asleep.. I tried to wake him up and say Wtf but he was off his head and went back to sleep. 

Quite a while later we woke him and he was like shit sorry lol he thought it was his tent just happens he's in the wrong field lol.. 

No worries he was fucked seemed a nice chap just a bit lost.. 

Other times argued with people cause they were pissing on tents.. 

As everywhere good and bad.. After 18 festies lots of story's but mostly good ones thankfully. 

[russycarps]

6 hours ago, MetaKate said:

I'm one of those people avoiding acid...but I'm also careful with other drugs, wouldnt say id put anything in my body, but also of the "try anything once" mindset. Why do you advocate for acid so strongly? Genuinely interested... I do enjoy mushrooms of the magic variety. 

Because I believe experiencing that blissful feeling of oneness with the universe, the eureka moments, the grand realisations that you have while tripping would stop a hell of a lot of people turning into w*nkers.

[Digi]

2 hours ago, glastolover19 said:

Sorry I didn't mean it as just a Glastonbury thing,hospitals all over are terribly overstretched. I think any medical staff of any level do a fantastic job and one I personally couldn't do. The point being is I feel less sorry for the guy whose "injuries" are self inflicted then the guys whose was an accident.

I do get what you are trying to say and I'm not deliberately trying to be a cantankerous bitch. I just have a very different mind set I guess 

Christ, next we will be saying fat smokers are less worthy and then I'm really fucked ;-) 

[Slavivlad]

Well this is depressing as shit.

To be honest though, there are going to be w*nkers wherever and whichever festival you go to. Just gotta let them pass/ignore and keep on doing what you doing. 

Regarding medical attention, I hope any adult and teenager knows that if someone's fucked up, you should probably do something. Recovery position and get help, will take you 60 seconds if that.

[Miesh]

54 minutes ago, guypjfreak said:

Years ago we wondered back to our tent and my daughter looked at us like hang on.. Then she pointed out that she thought we were asleep in the tent.. Anyway I had a look and low and behold there's some bloke fast asleep.. I tried to wake him up and say Wtf but he was off his head and went back to sleep. 

Quite a while later we woke him and he was like shit sorry lol he thought it was his tent just happens he's in the wrong field lol.. 

No worries he was fucked seemed a nice chap just a bit lost.. 

Other times argued with people cause they were pissing on tents.. 

As everywhere good and bad.. After 18 festies lots of story's but mostly good ones thankfully. 

That happened to us once, a different festival.  2.30 am. We were in crew camping and this chap didn't have a crew wristband. No idea how he got there. I was just glad he hadn't pissed himself. He left his wig behind.

[somecoolusername]

I saw 'the dark side of the festival' when I was taken ill in 2011. My friends took me to the stewards who escorted me the back way through the non-public areas to the medical tent, lit only by torchlight. Turns out the areas not open to the public are poorly lit. Extremely dark!!

And then the medical staff saved my festival. Less dark! 

[GriZlore]

It was much "darker" in the 90s.

When...

• Anyone could get in over/under/through the fence. (guilty!)
• Each junction and gateway had numerous "trades(wo)men" selling their goods
• The place was rammed due to the extra capacity who jumped the wall

 

It's idyllic in comparison IMHO

 

[HomeParkMark]

53 minutes ago, GriZlore said:

It was much "darker" in the 90s.

When...

• Anyone could get in over/under/through the fence. (guilty!)
• Each junction and gateway had numerous "trades(wo)men" selling their goods
• The place was rammed due to the extra capacity who jumped the wall

 

It's idyllic in comparison IMHO

 

Spot on. The first time I went, as soon as we got through the gates the first person we met tried to sell us acid. Now the first person you meet tries to give you a Yeo Valley tote bag! 

[PretentiousThinkpiece]

i fell over in the mud last year while plastered

there was a few seconds of bliss as i enjoyed the soft mud before i realised this was mud i was sitting in and not melted chocolate so (with a lot of outside help/effort) i got up again