Flags

[plaskins]

What gets me is the rate at which the flag fasion/trend has grown! Every man and his dog will be carrying one soon - not a good thing!

[Chazeboy]

I have a flag at Glasto every year, but it is solely to mark out where my tent is on the hill, so i can navigate to it at stupid o clock in the morning, its pretty good, but last year was nuts, as someone said when the cameras cant even film for the big screens, and all you get is I love Sausages then there maybe is a problem. I think that it will decrease this year, because of people being annoyed about it last year, im sure word travels, but then im probably being way way too optimistic

[marktea]

We all know that size doesn't matter (well blokes know it at least!) but flags are the exception - size is the key to the whole problem.

A request to keep flags to a max of 2'x2' should do the trick. Some will not comply but a bit of stewarding for the really bad offenders (eg sausage) and some self policing by the crowd for everyone else should make the whole thing manageable again.

Personally I think something like this would be worth a try before going for a complete ban as on balance sensible flags do add something to the atmosphere.

[jamiejc]

I for one love the flags (I have never had one personally)

If they obstruct your view... I'm sorry but you can move forward

Edited February 1, 2010 by jamiejc

[Katster]

Yeah right... ...Bit of a problem yes?

[norainplease]

As chazeboy said we have a flag at the tent so we can "navigate" while under the influence which is very helpful! Also I always use certain flags within the crowd to get back to where we were standing if I need to go to the loo/bar/etc so I do find them quite helpful in that respect to.

However....there was a point at which I had an overwhelming urge last year to shove that "I love sausages" flag up that flag wavers ar*e!! Not in the spirit of glasto I now, but it did get a bit beyond a joke!

Edited February 1, 2010 by norainplease

[jameshunt]

I for one love the flags (I have never had one personally)

If they obstruct your view... I'm sorry but you can move forward

[ukslim]

I agree there are too many flags at the front nowadays.

But I don't see how you'd enforce a ban at Glastonbury, without seriously affecting the vibe. What's suggested? Burly security guards pushing through the Pyramid crowd confiscating flags?

At Download, they can turn people away at the arena gates. Plus, nobody'd be surprised to get aggro from stewards at Download. At Glastonbury it would ruin the festival.

[jameshunt]

But they DO look nice.

[Kyelo]

I agree there are too many flags at the front nowadays.

But I don't see how you'd enforce a ban at Glastonbury, without seriously affecting the vibe. What's suggested? Burly security guards pushing through the Pyramid crowd confiscating flags?

At Download, they can turn people away at the arena gates. Plus, nobody'd be surprised to get aggro from stewards at Download. At Glastonbury it would ruin the festival.

[denwyn]

Flags just aren't metal enough for Download

Seriously though, Flags are annoying. They look pretty on TV, but it is really just a huge attention seeking placemarker for selfish ****s so they can say to their friends "Look where I was!". Nightmare to be stuck behind one

[General Lee]

What gets me is the rate at which the flag fasion/trend has grown! Every man and his dog will be carrying one soon - not a good thing!

[Katster]

And how did the band/artist look? Go to a flag waving contest if that's ALL you want to see....

[jameshunt]

Most of the flags I saw looked like they had been bought from stalls ie ban the stalls, simple.

[plaskins]

Dogs are banned...

[ancient_one]

A well-publicised ban in the area in front of the barrier (half way back between the stage and the lighting tower) might be a step in the right direction.

[jameshunt]

I can never tell from as far back as I stand anyway

It obviously isn't ALL I want to see, I do think I'd miss them if they went completely though, that's all.

[oldie]

I for one love the flags (I have never had one personally)

If they obstruct your view... I'm sorry but you can move forward

[fowls]

Absolute tosh.

70,000 people simply cannot move in front of all the flags.

Edited February 1, 2010 by fowls

[jamiejc]

I'll miss the pigeon on a stick though...

[cejx]

+1

To say "You can just move past the flags" is to say that if you asked a flag bearer to get out of the way they'd say "Why yes, of course. Move in front of me" and kindly step aside. That would never happen, flag bearers know they're in the way, and they sure won't let other people get past them and ruin their view (Ironic?). If flag bearers really love their flags that much they'd move to the back where they can wave it all they like.

Although I do agree a complete lack of flags would be sad. One of those things which is an absolute bitch until they're banned, and then when they're banned people will say "Oh it was so great in the old days with all the flags. Glastonbury has no atmosphere anymore!" etc. .

[Glastoboy]

Two suggestions:

1) Those of us who want the flags gone start a loud collective chant 5mins before each band comes on. Along the lines of "Put the F**king flags down", "Flag wavers are w*nkers" etc. If we chant it loud enough, we will embarass some, if not all of them. The more flags come down, the more isloated and inconsiderate the remainder appear.

2) Take a flag (but dont stick it on a pole), stand in front of a flag waver and hold your flag up right in front of their face and see how they feel about it.

[ferraristu]

Maybe one of these on the front of the stage !!!!!!

Edited February 1, 2010 by ferraristu

[jameshunt]

Two suggestions:

1) Those of us who want the flags gone start a loud collective chant 5mins before each band comes on. Along the lines of "Put the F**king flags down", "Flag wavers are w*nkers" etc....

[fowls]

We need a flag vigilante group who buuuurrrrnnnn the feckers.