Flares

[Oddone]

I personally like them and find them to be atmosphere enhancing. But a lot of people were bitching about them and saying they aint safe.

Now I am talking about the handheld ones. Not the gun ones that fire into the air. I personally dont agree with the gun ones as they have little point and can be dangerous as.... it's a gun....

But I wanna know the pros and cons for handheld ones.

[TG24]

I understand what you mean about flares adding something to the atmosphere for sure, but i've always been well distanced from them so it has no impact physically on me.

In a packed crowd, a flare lit up by your head may provoke something of a different reaction...

Has anyone been in very close proximity to one in a crowd?

I saw several flares fired from a gun during a headline set, but cant remember if it was during Muse or Stevie though. One particular flare took a trajectory of about 30 degrees and flew ridiculously low over the crowd - utterly hazardous.

I've also seen them fired off the Eiffel Tower by striking Firemen. If the parachute doesnt operate correctly to bring the flare down slow and safe, i imagine they can cause some damage. A metal casing came crashing down literally about 2m from where we were stood on the platform. f**k knows what it would have done if it had hit someone.

Edited June 30, 2010 by TG24

[MrZigster]

Do you mean flares that are fired into the air, or the flares that are just big candles and "only to be bought from licensed sellers"?

I really can't see the point of those big candle things. Not a big enough flame to keep you warm or see by and THEY SMELL DISGUSTING.

Really, what is the point of them?

[Bluearsedfly]

look cool as do the Lanterns but I know Lanterns are pretty much a no no these days. A flare from a gun came down during MUSE set still smouldering which would not have been pleasant for the poor folk it landed upon.

[Oddone]

I saw the one that was smouldering during muse. There was one during Stevie Gorillaz too.

I mean the big red flares that light up the crowd.

[puppetmode]

The ones shoot into the air from guns are seriously dangerous. Maybe not from the guy this time but if it becomes a trend then it's only a matter of time before one gets shot into the crowd or stage. Hit by one of thoose and it could be curtains. Its bad enough being hit by a full can of beer at speed, like my son did, but a gun fired flare, jeebus!!!

[gizmoman]

They are marine flares designed to be used in an emergency at sea, potentially very dangerous in a packed crowd, they may look great but you wouldn't want one dropping down the back of your neck.

[ukslim]

Wax flares are great. Just put them out if you're in a dense crowd.

Dripping hot wax on strangers is not cool.

Dripping hot wax on friends is best saved for bedrooms and dungeons.

[ivan]

I understand what you mean about flares adding something to the atmosphere for sure, but i've always been well distanced from them so it has no impact physically on me.

In a packed crowd, a flare lit up by your head may provoke something of a different reaction...

Has anyone been in very close proximity to one in a crowd?

I saw several flares fired from a gun during a headline set, but cant remember if it was during Muse or Stevie though. One particular flare took a trajectory of about 30 degrees and flew ridiculously low over the crowd - utterly hazardous.

I've also seen them fired off the Eiffel Tower by striking Firemen. If the parachute doesnt operate correctly to bring the flare down slow and safe, i imagine they can cause some damage. A metal casing came crashing down literally about 2m from where we were stood on the platform. f**k knows what it would have done if it had hit someone.

[ivan]

I think they are referring to the hand held red ones that were going off during Muse and Faithless ( thats the ones I saw )

They do give good atmosphere , but you have to be careful , someone posted the other year that his girlfriend had to go to

the medical tent as some went into her eyes.

If you are going to let one off , tell everyone around and make a large space for health and safety , then light it !

[TokiDoki]

Hit by one of thoose and it could be curtains. Its bad enough being hit by a full can of beer at speed, like my son did, but a gun fired flare, jeebus!!!

[austrian_zeppelin]

great and beautiful in the right hands / environment, which doesn't include people pissed out of their head in the middle of the pyramid stage field when it's rammed with people.

[Poleski]

They are cool but again I haven't personally been near one so perhaps my reaction may be a little different then.

[Boosh]

beautiful and almost spine tingling if used in the right way. could be very dangerous though. will only take one high profile accident and there will be trouble.

there are some occasions where pointing my finger venomously in the air whilst yelling my lungs out just doesn't seem enough for the moment, if i was on someone's shoulders waving a red flare that might fill the gap. can't deny that its appealed to me.

[Gary]

I think they looked really cool, however I'm not sure i'd like to have been the person stood next to the bearer of said torch!

Still.

[Phil-itfc]

they look great but I think it'd be better of people did it while on someone elses sholders to help ensure the flare doesn't get waved straight into someones face.

[When Jokers Attack]

They are quality

[LostRiot]

Felt like I was watching football in south america

[The Nal]

The 3 flares during Superstition were quality. They add to the madness.

[sisterofmercy]

I like the flares but I think a bit of common sense needs to be involved really when using them. You'd have to be stupid to use flares in huge crowds, there's such a huge chance of hurting someone with it.

If you're sat at your campfire or wandering around then I don't see why not, as long as you're sensible.

Edited June 30, 2010 by sisterofmercy

[ekim]

they look great but I think it'd be better of people did it while on someone elses sholders to help ensure the flare doesn't get waved straight into someones face.

[mikeb]

Wax flares: not for me but just fine when used sensibly in appropriate places. Wandering round packed markets is NOT a good place. Wandering around and/or waving the things about in a crowd at a stage is NOT a good place. Wandering round the campsite dripping paraffin wax all along the side of Ye Olde Tent is NOT a good place. Blah, blah, blah. I saw some girl actually get her hair set on fire by one in the markets a couple of years back. I've also had wax dripped on me more than once and almost got poked in the face by one as well. It's all very well carrying one and keeping it safely away from yourself but PLEASE try to remember that it's sticking out so that when you suddenly turn round without warning, it's going to whack someone behind you right in the face and all that !

As for marine distress flares: bad news and more than a bit stupid really I would suggest. Last year one came down in the Pyramid crowd literally just a few metres away from me. I can assure you it was very much still alive when it hit the deck ! Fortunately, enough peeps saw it coming and warned those in the likely drop zone to get the fcuk outta the way. This year, on Sun night I think, one came down somewhere over the back of the Pyramid Stage after being set off at way to low a trajectory. Again, there was little doubt in my mind that it was *very* much alive when it landed as it had only been burning for a very short time before it came down. A small plume/cloud of smoke followed shortly after it disappeared from sight.

Intoxicated peeps and fire - not exactly the best of combinations really are they - but not really any significant problem when firey things are used reasonably sensibly AND in appropriate places tho.

Edited June 30, 2010 by mikeb

[rexclark]

Great up at the Stone Circle but not for just wandering around with.

[Guest Flip]

Seen a marine type malfunction and take out a tent at the top of Pennards in the late 90s, very scary!! No-one was in the tent but it freaked us out loads..

The hand-held big candle on a stick type are fine if you are up in the greenfields but again, over the years I have seen some very mullered casualties staggering around getting hot wax and flame all over the place..

[commandlinegamer]

Distress flares most definately can kill:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/flare-kills-football-fan-at-world-cup-qualifying-match-1505057.html

You can argue people using wax candle flares or setting off the lanterns are misguided but anyone with a Very pistol needs to be expelled from the festival.