I broke into Glasto....

[kaanypooch]

The simple fact is that even if they did have a bar-code scanning system of some sort it still wouldn't be fool-proof for someone who'd lost their ticket, as the ticket might have been found by someone else who'd used it to enter before the person who'd lost their ticket arrived at the 'lost tickets' point.

[eFestivals]

Efestivals I noticed a few posts back you said in my situation you'd use your

connections, and phone the Eavis' directly. That kind of implies that you're

in favour of a case by case review? Right? Otherwise what youre suggesting is

that some people should just be allowed to walk in based on who they know.

Thats....fair?

What it implies is that - exactly as you did - I'd use anything and everything that I could drag from my brain as a possible way of getting in if I found myself in the same situation as you.

It's similarly not fair that you managed to get in while others without tickets did not. We each do what we can, and life is never even; I'm sure there's things in the world that you'd manage to get access to via your own contacts that I wouldn't do, and I'm sure that's the same for everyone - the fact that I have contacts at the top end of Glastonbury while you perhaps don't is simply how things are.

BTW: I'm very far from certain that I'd have any luck via a call to Michael or Emily. I don't even take the risk of getting a press ticket each and every year, and always buy one via the same means as the general public - I'd much rather take responsibility for myself and ensure my attendance than rely on others who might not come thru for me.

[eFestivals]

I would agree with that if it weren't for the fact that glasto tickets have photos and addresses on them.

but as has already been said, some gate staff don't check the photos, and the photos aren't of fantastic quality anyway. And that these things are on there as an anti-touting measure and nowt else.

I don't get why some people think that the safe-keeping of their ticket is Glastonbury's responsibility and not their own. Would people expect this at the level they're wanting from Glasto from anyone else? Only if they're living on planet cuckoo and still have their mother wiping their arse for them.

[eFestivals]

This is rubbish! It is very much workable and happens all the time.

Ticketmaster have barcodes on all their tickets they sell in Ireland for all concerts/festivals etc etc. If Glasto used ticketmaster instead of See it would work, as they have the systems in place already. All gigs I go to have scanned tickets. Once in to a gig and ticket scanned, duplicates of the bar code will not scan and so you can easily control the amount of those onsite

If someone looses a ticket or even forgets a ticket they can go to a box office at the venue of the gig/festival they are going to with proof of purchase/ID/address etc etc and get the ticket reissued. They will get a copy of the exact ticket/barcode they forgot/lost.

If the lost/forgotten ticket is used to gain entry before this, then the reissue will not occur or the reissued ticket will not scan...............simple!! Controlling the amount of ticketed entries is easy and the systems exist!!

Not implementing it for Glasto is because someone is lazy/stupid/cheap or using the wrong ticket issuing company............

FYI this weekend 80,000 barcoded tickets will go to Oxegen in Kildare and be scanned, as happen last year and the year before etc etc............no major system failures happened as yet!

But these are systems on smaller sites with fewer entrances, and so without as big a risk of failure. The risk of failure goes up more than proportionally as such systems are scaled up.

Plus: would you be happy to pay more to replace a system that works perfectly (as well as any system will ever work, anyway) currently and so has no need of replacing, just for the benefit of a few individuals who can't take responsibility for their own ticket?

[ThomThomDrum]

But these are systems on smaller sites with fewer entrances, and so without as big a risk of failure. The risk of failure goes up more than proportionally as such systems are scaled up.

Plus: would you be happy to pay more to replace a system that works perfectly (as well as any system will ever work, anyway) currently and so has no need of replacing, just for the benefit of a few individuals who can't take responsibility for their own ticket?

[Laura_Babs]

How many people do you think actually are stupid enough to buy £180 ticket with someone elses face on hoping to get in. Less than 50 surely! I saw about 5 postings on ebay so not a overcrowding argument IMO. If questioned how many of these estimated 50 people would have supporting ID?

Really not an issue to be concerned about such small numbers.

[Artie Fufkin]

But these are systems on smaller sites with fewer entrances, and so without as big a risk of failure. The risk of failure goes up more than proportionally as such systems are scaled up.

Plus: would you be happy to pay more to replace a system that works perfectly (as well as any system will ever work, anyway) currently and so has no need of replacing, just for the benefit of a few individuals who can't take responsibility for their own ticket?

[eFestivals]

It working at Oxegen with 80,000 punters and multiple entrances is not a million miles from what would be required for Glasto............IMO the system would work at Worthy Farm...........

Also I firmly believe Ticketmaster would jump at the chance at carrying Glasto tickets and implementing their ticket scanning system..............so much so that they would do it very competitively and I feel they could do it within a reasonable cost frame dictated to by GFL.......

The only problem I see with this is that SEE have a contract with GFL which most defo shouldf not be renewed when up............

TM may be an omipresent monster but it bloody well works!!

systems like these are getting better, but they're very obviously not yet good enough as far as Glasto are concerned. As I say, they give these things a full review each year.

As I understand it, See are the ticket agent for Glasto because they're willing to implement the best ticket handling prices (which See suggest they make almost zero and perhaps even a loss on, tho I've no way of verifying that - they say they do it for the profile it gives them), as well as running the photo system for them, and a debt-card-only purchase system (which keeps the prices down by quite a few quid).

As I've been saying, is there really a need - and extra expense for all ticket buyers - to replace a working system with another less-robust system (and electronic systems will never be as robust) just because a few people lose their tickets? I really don't think there is.

[Doomz]

As I've been saying, is there really a need - and extra expense for all ticket buyers - to replace a working system with another less-robust system (and electronic systems will never be as robust) just because a few people lose their tickets? I really don't think there is.

[ThomThomDrum]

As I understand it, See are the ticket agent for Glasto because they're willing to implement the best ticket handling prices (which See suggest they make almost zero and perhaps even a loss on, tho I've no way of verifying that - they say they do it for the profile it gives them), as well as running the photo system for them, and a debt-card-only purchase system (which keeps the prices down by quite a few quid).

As I've been saying, is there really a need - and extra expense for all ticket buyers - to replace a working system with another less-robust system (and electronic systems will never be as robust) just because a few people lose their tickets? I really don't think there is.

[gizmoman]

Haven't read all the replies but there are 2 arguments here, should you be let in if you lose your ticket? and should the ticketing system be changed? We all know you need a ticket to get into the festival, that is why they send them out special delivery and go to the trouble of security printing, hologram etc. So why does the OP believe they 'shouldn't have had to' Break in? If you lost your passport on the way to the airport would you expect the airline to make an exception and let you fly? If you lose your ticket you have no right of entry - thats clear in the terms and conditions, if you can't trust yourself to keep it safe don't buy one. As far as I can see the system in place works very well and there's no need to change it, no system will be perfect and eliminate all possible problems. Having said all that if I lost my ticket I would do all I could to get in, just like the OP.

[eFestivals]

And you wouldn't, while you have freinds in positions of power at the festival that would

guarantee your entry if you found yourself in my position.

that's of zero influence on why I'm saying what I'm saying.

I generally don't lose stuff, and don't expect to lose stuff. Why should I - and 130,000+ others - have an extra cost to our festival because a very small number can't look after their tickets?

If you can't empathise at all

by imagining yourself in the same position, then I really can't take your opinion as

anything but smug chuckling at other human being's expenses.

if that's what you think I'm doing then I really don't think you deserve my time for any further comments. Grow up will you?

I could (barely) handle

the situation I stupidly got myself into at at my age, but with festival crowds seemingly

getting younger, how long before some 14 year old gets seperated and stranded outside

Glasto, and gets into some kind of trouble or distress that raising the issue, perhaps on

a press-level that would tarnish the good reputation of Glasto?

how would it tarnish Glasto's rep? There's surely not that many daft people in the world that are thinking that someone losing their ticket is Glasto's responsibility........ are there?

Happy to agree to disagree on it though. I think I'm right, some agree with me, some

think you're right, and agree with you. I usualy find in situation like that there must be

some room for mutual compromise.

the decision is Glasto's. And their decision till now at least has been that there's no need.

[eFestivals]

Well I for one would be most interested to hear what TM would say if approached by Glasto and asked "What they could do for Glasto and what would be the cost implications?"..............

I know for sure that the last time they approached them the answer was not a lot, and at higher prices than others offered.

As I said, I feel they would jump at the chance and I think they could manage the ticketing better.......They would be stupid to put "big profits" before the likely promotion being linked offically with Glasto would give them..............

then - in the past at least - they qualify for you calling them stupid.

And to this end if Ticketmaster were used and their "barcode system" married with the registration system I feel there may not be any "extra expence"...........I reckon they could do it already as standard............

Really? I've never seen TM using any photos system.

Edited July 9, 2009 by eFestivals

[sureth1ng]

I'm furious with this - how come you only spent 4 hours on the coash when the rest of us spent about 15 hours in traffic!

Nah, seriously I would have done the same. I know they were scanning in barcodes at the gates so surely there is some way of checking that your ticket hadn't been scanned through by someone who you could have sold it to. Even if someone tried to use your ticket after they'd let you in it would surely sound alarm bells and, being that they've got your name, address and photo, there's no way you could have got away with it if you had sold it.

Well done on getting in and having a ball anyway! See, there is an upside to the rain!

[eFestivals]

You're making these systems sound like skynet in their complexity and risk to peaceful society. They're not! They are in essence pretty simple things. I don't see what the multiple entrance point has to do with it. Its just all done on remote links to a central server. I admit it would cost a fair amount to have in place but they are in no way complicated.

those remote links - how do you guarantee that they stay up 100% of the time (and not 99.999% of the time - that's no good)? You can't. No one can.

It's not a difficult system to put in place and to have working. The difficulties are in ensuring that it's *always* working.

It would be a very brave man who decided to risk chaos on the entry system that currently works as well as any entry system will ever work by replacing it with one that will fail at some time or other (cos they always fail sometime) - and sod's law says that it'll probably fail at the very worst moment to fail too.

However much resilience you build into such a system will never be enough. At some time it'll fail.

[posthuman]

A couple of points... the Ticketmaster guy was probably right to not give you a replacement ticket as he had no way of telling you apart from someone who had sold on their ticket to a similar-looking mate and pleading the same sob-story.

Yes, it sucks to be you, but when you have so many people trying to scam / blag their way in, then they have to be firm with everyone.

HOWEVER what they do at some other festivals is to hold back an allocation of tickets for the weekend of the festival itself. Anyone who has lost a ticket and tells a convincing enough story is told that they can buy a new ticket at face value.

That way they get around the licensing issues RE capacity *and* ensure people can still get into the festival. Plus it wouldn't involve an obscene amount of money, and reduce the amount of blaggers.

By the way, Neil's analogy to cash earlier was spot on. Your ticket should be treated as cash (and I'm fairly sure that it does say this somewhere) because they're not replaceable. Just like standing tickets for most gigs (unless you can prove they were lost in the post).

[cejx]

the fiction was you thinking me rude when you got a perfectly civil - and definitely not rude - answer.

But perhaps I'm doing it wrong for your world.

Love, big hugs and lots of fluffy kisses,

Neil.

[Joshuwarr]

We live in times where not everyone, believe it or not, can happily throw away £200 and just deal with it. There are many of us who save up a lot of money just to go this lovely field one weekend every year which also means a lot to people. But you have to remember. We have one life. One bloody life. And sometimes rules must be forgotten, I mean of course I don't want to make it alright for everyone but when you're in such desperate circumstances then you just have to bloody go for it. I just really think its a shame that some people feel they have to take a non existent moral highground just to live up to some sort of mature status that essentially means nothing in the real world. Glastonbury is one of the only places where you can truly escape reality and life but its so sad when the real world slowly creeps into such an event where there is a smug presence from such establishments as Ticketmaster who do not care for the behaviour of their employees. Its just a shame that people cant sit back and really think about what really is the right thing to do and not think about whats the right thing to do according to f**king rules.

Sorry if this came across as confusing but I think its unfair the way some people want to condemn the poor bloke who had to go through this.

[Ponyegg]

yeah... cuddles and snogs back.

Claire.

:-)

[pineapple-tea]

The only way that everyone can be satisfied is if, somehow, you couldn't enter unless you were the person who the ticket was intended for. This way, if a ticket is lost, GF can be sure that nobody else has entered on the ticket.

Edit: Oh, and the current system is NOT perfect. If it was perfect, this thread would not exist.

Edited July 9, 2009 by pineapple-tea

[gizmoman]

We live in times where not everyone, believe it or not, can happily throw away £200 and just deal with it. There are many of us who save up a lot of money just to go this lovely field one weekend every year which also means a lot to people. But you have to remember. We have one life. One bloody life. And sometimes rules must be forgotten, I mean of course I don't want to make it alright for everyone but when you're in such desperate circumstances then you just have to bloody go for it. I just really think its a shame that some people feel they have to take a non existent moral highground just to live up to some sort of mature status that essentially means nothing in the real world. Glastonbury is one of the only places where you can truly escape reality and life but its so sad when the real world slowly creeps into such an event where there is a smug presence from such establishments as Ticketmaster who do not care for the behaviour of their employees. Its just a shame that people cant sit back and really think about what really is the right thing to do and not think about whats the right thing to do according to f**king rules.

Sorry if this came across as confusing but I think its unfair the way some people want to condemn the poor bloke who had to go through this.

[Laura_Babs]

The only way that everyone can be satisfied is if, somehow, you couldn't enter unless you were the person who the ticket was intended for. This way, if a ticket is lost, GF can be sure that nobody else has entered on the ticket.

Edit: Oh, and the current system is NOT perfect. If it was perfect, this thread would not exist.

[cejx]

Oh get a tent you two :-)

[worthyraver]

I said your tone was harsh. 'Arse wiping' and 'pathetic' were phrases you used and the general tone was harsh - I am not the only one to have noticed.

I don't know you but I assume as a Glastophile you are a decent bloke and if I could hear you rather than just read the words then I might think differently - the problems with forums I guess.

Along the lines of.......

"What an awful story. I am glad you managed to get in and I am sure you have learnt your lesson. Glastonbury have done many innovative things over the past few years regarding tickets to stamp out touting and stick to their strict licensing criteria. Unfortunatley they can only manage things within their control and customers losing tickets is something they are unable to legislate for. There are no full-proof systems but I know for a fact that they continue to look at what is available and look at ways to improve. For the tiny proportion of people in a similar position to you this may sound harsh but better that they have their strict stance than risk the influx of blaggers and cheats and lose their licence. Hope you will be more careful next year...blah blah."

See the difference?

Not patronising you am I?

On a side note - have they considered having barcode readers at every gate?......

[ThomThomDrum]

Really? I've never seen TM using any photos system.

Edited July 9, 2009 by ThomThomDrum