To Flag Or Not To Flag?

[Budweiser]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Its ridiculous.

[Jimmy Russell]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Its ridiculous.

[Billy09]

On a similar note people should not sit on chairs towards the front of the stage they just get in the way and are a bit of a hazard. Also I don't think I saw one person sitting in their chair looking like they are having a good time. They just sit there looking miserable and not being able to see a bloody thing.

[Squall Moogle]

I just had an image in my mind of someone going around with Victorian clothing on and a v long pole with a flame on that forms an anti-flag as it were. The length of the pole being extendable by quite away and the individual using it to set some of the worst sized flags alight then hiding.

[Billy09]

I just had an image in my mind of someone going around with Victorian clothing on and a v long pole with a flame on that forms an anti-flag as it were. The length of the pole being extendable by quite away and the individual using it to set some of the worst sized flags alight then hiding.

[Sam.]

I must admit the picture of the flags, in my opinion, is a beautiful sight.

However, for arguments sake (and 'cos I just thought of something...) if you guys want flags banned, why not head down to Glastonbury with one of them flags where you have to have two people holding at either end, make it 50 yards wide and have "Ban Flags" written on it, and then proceed to the front of the Pyramid?

[mikeb]

... why not head down to Glastonbury with one of them flags where you have to have two people holding at either end, make it 50 yards wide and have "Ban Flags" written on it, and then proceed to the front of the Pyramid?

Edited August 4, 2009 by mikeb

[Alcatraz]

Flags have been banned from the Arena area at Reading. Maybe they read this forum.

[dogwalkingteamaker]

I was dancing around watching Blur on the Sunday night (with a great view, by the sound desk). Then, in the distance, I spied a flag... Squeezed through the crowd until I arrived at it's base - and found some very good friends who I hadn't seen since last year. Had the most amazing night with them. That flag couldn't have made me happier.

Flags are great. Keep 'em small, keep 'em high, keep 'em funny and keep 'em moving.

Chairs on the other hand....

[Boris]

Sorry but I love the whole party-ness of flags.... So far they've never spoiled my view either...

[Breeze]

As my dear old mum used to say - everything in moderation.

This year there was no moderation. The fact that people at the back of the crowd for Springsteen often couldn't even see him on the big screens for flags at times suggests that moderation is long gone. If everyone took a flag it would make more sense to start up a separate festival for flag wavers and all f**k off there instead.

[Storm_NL]

Sorry but I love the whole party-ness of flags.... So far they've never spoiled my view either...

[mattrik3]

Well let's see, looking at the poll results we have a significant majority which if scaled up equates to tens of thousands of people who are having their enjoyment spoiled by a couple of hundred oblivious idiots flag wavers.

You work it out - try applying some objectivity.

[kerplunk]

I hate this argument and I wish I didn't keep getting drawn back in.

lLke I say - the thing thats put me on this side of the fence isn't my love of flags (don't care), but the level of anger and hostility towards people who carry them. That makes me far sadder than not being able to see the band ever could.

So, flags - NOT good for the vibe.

[staggerlee]

Prior to last year I had no problem with them and I thought they added to the festival but last year there where far too many. If I was walking around the festival and saw the 'I Love Sausages' flag unprotected I would have gladly used my penknife to make it unusable.

It is difficult to ban them though as in moderation they wouldn't be too bad. I think the best way to go for it is a polite notice asking people not to bring flags to the stages but not necessarily banning them.

[kerplunk]

Going by my experiences of efestivals forum, it is anything but a true reflection of festival goer's! If anything its the opposite!

In terms of those who are vocal and post you may be right to a degree. But there's more than double the number of votes to posters on this thread - I suspect the split wouldn't be much different IRL.

When the smoking ban came in Leicester City football club held a mass vote at one of the games over wether to ban smoking in the ground. Everyone was given a card with a different colour on each side to hold up in the air - one colour for yay and one for nay. Maybe they should do something like that at glasto next year

[Paul ™]

Everyone was given a card with a different colour on each side to hold up in the air - one colour for yay and one for nay. Maybe they should do something like that at glasto next year

[denwyn]

Prior to last year I had no problem with them and I thought they added to the festival but last year there where far too many. If I was walking around the festival and saw the 'I Love Sausages' flag unprotected I would have gladly used my penknife to make it unusable.

It is difficult to ban them though as in moderation they wouldn't be too bad. I think the best way to go for it is a polite notice asking people not to bring flags to the stages but not necessarily banning them.

[Tugger2k]

Although i still find it hard to know why someone needs a I Love Sausage flag ???

[Harrow Strongbow Ciderman!]

I was dancing around watching Blur on the Sunday night (with a great view, by the sound desk). Then, in the distance, I spied a flag... Squeezed through the crowd until I arrived at it's base - and found some very good friends who I hadn't seen since last year. Had the most amazing night with them. That flag couldn't have made me happier.

Flags are great. Keep 'em small, keep 'em high, keep 'em funny and keep 'em moving.

Chairs on the other hand....

[mattrik3]

In terms of those who are vocal and post you may be right to a degree. But there's more than double the number of votes to posters on this thread - I suspect the split wouldn't be much different IRL.

When the smoking ban came in Leicester City football club held a mass vote at one of the games over wether to ban smoking in the ground. Everyone was given a card with a different colour on each side to hold up in the air - one colour for yay and one for nay. Maybe they should do something like that at glasto next year

[denwyn]

because they are advertising their stall!!!!

i hate the things, and the people that carry them - to the point where i am seriously considering taking one of these

with me next year, i'll ask politley ask once for them to remove the flag from my sight, refusal results in forfeit - but when i found out that it was an actual stall on site and they were using it to 'advertise' their product i went apopletic!!

[kerplunk]

I respectfully disagree. I think there is a larger percentage of negative, moaning people on Efests than in real life. E.g On the Tinthepark forum there are quite a few who voice their opinions how they dont like it. In real life i have never met anyone who has disliked Tinthepark or got a bad word against it.

I agree with you to a degree but that's not a 'constant' that can be applied to all subjects - I don't think you'd be on safe ground applyng it to Womad goers complaining about the toilet situation this year for instance.

I've seen threads with many vocal complainers on a given subject, but a poll on the issue goes heavily against them which is a demonstration of what you're talking about.

Here we have the poll strongly confirming the trend in the posts. That's a pretty good indication in my book that it's not just a vocal minority (but I can tell that by the posts alone tbh)

77 - 36 - 6

Edited August 5, 2009 by kerplunk

[turtlehead]

The flags have been pissing me off for years. I feel a bit guilty for being tall in a crowd, what kind of shameless c**ts block everyones view with those pointless shitrags. Who are these people? Come on Eavis, no more flags!!!

[Boris]

Like I said I'm not bothered but maybe some kind of half measure then.... e.g. no flags forward of the mixing desk for example?