so whats peoples take on the picnic blanket....deckchair crowd?....

[yellowsnow]

Pretty much the entire Pyramid field was camping chair and picnic blankets on Sunday. Luckily I was only there for Vampire Weekend/Nick Cave.

It was surprisingly empty down the front for Nick Cave, we were stood further back so we could see the stage and screens better. We were surrounded by drunk idiots on picnic blankets whilst they waiting for Mumford, talking through out the whole set and drinking red wine. It's one of my pet hates when people talk through out sets but Nick Cave was the worst. We ended up moving in the end but wherever we went there was still the same kind of people.

[swede]

My wife seriously injured her hips having our two children so we take a blanket as she needs to lay down a few times a day at a festival. However when shes in need of a lay down we always move to the back of the field and would never dream of laying it out at the front. Dont know what gets into some people.

[Rocking mouse]

Hubby and me are chair users, we sit at the very back, it is madness to put up chairs in the middle of a crowd. I will walk down into the crowd if I want to get closer, leave hubby with chairs and bags.

The people with candles this year was dangerous, I was walking into the crowd for a few songs, and nearly set myself alight. i had on a long skirt, and did not see the ring of candles, as tripped over someone crap on the floor. Skirt and candles meet and candles won. Thanks to someone quick action, I did not go up in flames.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

My wife seriously injured her hips having our two children so we take a blanket as she needs to lay down a few times a day at a festival. However when shes in need of a lay down we always move to the back of the field and would never dream of laying it out at the front. Dont know what gets into some people.

[fcum]

Never mind camping chairs, when the stones were on at the front left of the stage, just past the big green fence, there ws a row of 4 photographers, huge telscopic lenses the lot, stood on a row of step ladders, in the crowd, completeley blocking the view of hundreds of people behind them. Couldn't believe what I was seeing.

[gibbin82]

Going to play devils advocate here so please don't flame me.

Maybe to problem is not people with chairs who get there early enough to find a decent spot with plenty of room, but those who arrive at the last minute and think they have the right to push and barge their way though to the front. Ultimately it is the pushers who cause the crushes and hazards, not those who remain static in chairs. as has been suggested for the chair users, maybe late comers should only be allowed at the back

[TheParkAfterDark]

My main issue with those using chairs at the Pyramid are the amount of folk who set them up at the "narrow" entrance/exit down to the right hand side of the stage. It's a popular way in from John Peel, the Dance area and also the Other Stage, as well as having the Mandela Bar there. Absolute carnage at times this year and we ended up cutting up by the Mandela Bar and into the field from the top right hand corner anytime we wanted to see an act on the Pyramid to avoid the crush.

[wetwipes]

My main issue with those using chairs at the Pyramid are the amount of folk who set them up at the "narrow" entrance/exit down to the right hand side of the stage. It's a popular way in from John Peel, the Dance area and also the Other Stage, as well as having the Mandela Bar there. Absolute carnage at times this year and we ended up cutting up by the Mandela Bar and into the field from the top right hand corner anytime we wanted to see an act on the Pyramid to avoid the crush.

[gibbin82]

The thing is it is not the chairs that are the problem but some of the people who use them. If used with consideration to others by not placing them in an area that will cause an obstruction (where people cannot go around them such as in the narrow entrance to the front of the pyramid stage), folding them away when not being used to sit on, there shouldn't really present an issue. As said earlier it is not just chairs that create the problem but more those who think they can turn up for an act at the last minute and barge and force their way to their chosen spot. Myself I find people in chairs that I can go around far less irritating than those who ignorantly barge their way through crowds without any consideration to those they bash into.

[eatingglitter]

We chaired and matted with a couple who had a baby with them for the pyramid. They always go behind the oak tree near the ice cream van. We stood up for the stones but didn't really seem to get in anybodies way. If I was going to sit I just plonked myself on the floor between performances but if I couldn't cope further down I just didn't go there. If u can't stand the heat get our of the fire!

[frostypaw]

The thing is it is not the chairs that are the problem but some of the people who use them. If used with consideration to others by not placing them in an area that will cause an obstruction (where people cannot go around them such as in the narrow entrance to the front of the pyramid stage), folding them away when not being used to sit on, there shouldn't really present an issue. As said earlier it is not just chairs that create the problem but more those who think they can turn up for an act at the last minute and barge and force their way to their chosen spot. Myself I find people in chairs that I can go around far less irritating than those who ignorantly barge their way through crowds without any consideration to those they bash into.

[Vieuphoria]

I think it's fine to do it when you're not in the crowd. By all means have a laze on the ground, I did it plenty enough. But when the minute you remain seated while tens of thousands of people are being squashed trying to file past you to watch a band they paid to see, that's when you become a complete c**t. The people at the front of the pyramid were completely ridiculous.

[gibbin82]

For a festival that welcomes diversity, there seems to be an awful lot of people who have very strong negative opinions on anyone chooses to experience the fedtival differently to their own way. Get over it, it should be a place to go and enjoy yourself not getting up hung up and angry about everything.

[frostypaw]

For a festival that welcomes diversity, there seems to be an awful lot of people who have very strong negative opinions on anyone chooses to experience the fedtival differently to their own way. Get over it, it should be a place to go and enjoy yourself not getting up hung up and angry about everything.

[gibbin82]

Well i love watching my gigs standing directly in front of people sat in chairs. Next time if i decide to stand directly infront of you all weekend then you just need to accept it and get over it? What if i want to walk around with knives sticking out my clothes, deal with it?

[AiiShotTheDJ]

I think there are for and againsts for this argument. I have absolutely no issue whatsoever with people using chairs and staking out a spot etc. hours before or even to relax during the build up to a band. Two of our party repeatedly decided to use chairs and got down for the Stones at 2pm (don't ask why!) complete with chairs. However, and this is where my line comes, when it starts filling up and it becomes a problem then people should be considerate and pack the chairs away. I tripped over somebodies chair and had somebody shout at me for standing on their picnic blanket 10 mins after Artics started (we got the wrong time!). In addition, it causes a huge backlog and is a hazard waiting to happen. In addition, we came back Friday to our 'chair' friends moaning that they had tried to sit down during the Arctics and kept getting pushed but they refused to move and eventually left, however, they parked their chairs against the fence as you approach from Beat Hotel so were extremely near to the stage and shouldn't have expected to have had a wad of space as standers filled in.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Get over it, it should be a place to go and enjoy yourself not getting up hung up and angry about everything.

[gibbin82]

When something becomes a very real and serious health and safety risk, that's when it becomes intolerable. Most people will go and have a good time, but people can have a good time without creating an obstacle for others in the form of those damn camping chairs.

[frostypaw]

But where is the evidence that these chairs present a significant H&S risk any more than discarded drink cans, ponchos, bin liners, or a lot of people packed into a small area. Although they may be a trip hazard has anyone on here suffered or personally witnessed (not through secondhand gossip) a serious injury caused by a camping chair?

[mr jolly]

It really comes down to common sense,people should show more consideration. If the campsites and the arena areas were separate like at every other festival there wouldn't be any chairs or flags. Neither would you be able to take in your own food and drink.

[gibbin82]

Use them but not near entry points or right in the middle

[Tuna]

For a festival that welcomes diversity, there seems to be an awful lot of people who have very strong negative opinions on anyone chooses to experience the fedtival differently to their own way. Get over it, it should be a place to go and enjoy yourself not getting up hung up and angry about everything.

[gibbin82]

If there is a surge a chair could easily get a metal pole snapped on it, exposing sharp metal, then a member of the crowd could fall onto this sharp metal and potential get impaled somewhere or suffer quite the cut.

[gibbin82]

The number of knobheads in their bloody chairs near the front of the pyramid talking incessantly over every act except bloody Mumford and Sons that complain when you accidentally tread on their obnoxious fucking persian rug-esque picnic blankets definitely don't promote diversity. Prat.

[frostypaw]

I agree with both these points, but still maintain it is not the chairs that are the problem but people who are unreasonable when using them.